Twisted Hair-and photography skills

Yes, this is my hair right now. First of all, let me address this photography. I do realize that the flash against this white wall (took the pic at night) makes weird shadows against the wall and make me look really weird. Sorry. I had to jump on pic monkey and slightly lighten it so you could really see my hair texture.

Now, the hair. This is actually my go-to "style" since I work out frequently and need to keep it orderly. I find, that although I feel like I'm doing it almost the same, it looks different each and every time. People naturally assume that I'm doing a twist-out (which is when you twist your hair to take it loose once dry to create "orderly" messy curls"), but I often take them loose, wash my hair, and retwist. I try not to get all up in my feelings when people say "It's going to look so pretty when you take it down!" Simply because I know they mean well and can't possibly know I consider this a style all it's own. I've had some assume that my hair was curly.

"Funny" story: I was out at the store with this style, and a Vietnam vet (for so his hat said) stood really close to me in the pastry line and recounted to me when he had seen his first black person. He laughed heartily while I smiled politely, then said, "But that was a real black person, not like you. By the way, I like your curls! Must take a long time to do that, huh?" I know that there are so many things wrong with his statements, but I feel that if I were to get upset at every ignorant thing people said, I would be upset all the time! I know people like that and it isn't cute. At least my hair got a compliment lol. 

Cheesy fake grin

For these twists, I used As I Am twist defining cream. Which I bought at a regular little beauty place down the street. Click on the picture to be taking to the brand site to see retail locations. 

 It is so delicious looking, the texture is actually really creamy and almost yogurt-like. Sometimes it takes thicker cream to get my hair to stick together and spiral, but this works for it! When it comes to shrinkage, this does make it really really draw up, but in a way that's a good thing. It makes my hair so boingy that friends have described the twists as looking like springs, and after styling with this particular cream everyone had their hands in my hair. I have anosmia (meaning I have no sense of smell), but since people have sniffed my hair afterwards and hummed appreciatively, I'll say it has a great scent. By the way, no one gave me anything to write this about this product, in a few months I may have found something I like better...but really I need a good leave-in! Any suggestions?

I feel that since you can see it a little here, I must say something about my face at least briefly. It is improving. Most of my breakouts are once a month, and then it's mainly around my jawline and chin rather than randomly everywhere. The hyper pigmentation seems to be improving soooo slowly, but I'm taking pictures for a few months-once every week (overkill I know) to kinda have a really accurate track of any improvement. I'm using several oils on it also, but I'll do a separate post on that eventually.

So...was that enough ado about nothing? 

Lizzi

Going natural: the dark story behind it

My hair has been natural for two years. While I may play it down (it really doesn't seem like a huge deal sometimes,) let me give you the low-down, nitty gritty, bare bones story.

Imagine that everywhere you look the definition of beautiful hair is hair that you can never "naturally" have; you're taught that it is supposed to be your "crowning glory" but you feel like it's more of a "dunce cap." The girls on movies (i.e. princess diaries) always have straight shiny hair if they're popular, while curly hair seems to secure them a spot in the unpopular weird crowd. Every day with your hair is a battle again all natural elements: rain, humidity, and even too much touching. Although people say your hair is pretty, you have noticed that these comments are directly related to when your hair is straight. Your hair is not even normally called curly, it's kinky. It's tangly. It's impossible to comb. It's short. It's not shiny. It breaks off easily. Welcome to my world: you are black.

Relaxed and flat-ironed

Don't get me wrong...I could do the straight long hair. The hair that (mostly black) people touched and asked how I grew it (to which I shrugged and said "Ummmm I just don't do anything to it.) I did it by relaxing it. After I washed it though, it would curl up. I couldn't figure it out! Why was my hair not like my sisters where all you do is just blow dry it and then it's fine? After not feeling like going through the trouble I started letting it air-dry. Mostly in the summer. It was a big, half-curly, half straight, hot mess. I loved it. I felt free. It bounced, it had attitude, it angered and frustrated me, and at the same time was TOTALLY ME! 

I hated getting relaxers and only had them done about every 3 months because they burned my head sometimes, they made my hair stiff and weird, and they never straightened certain parts of my hair...

In August of 2009 I decided that I'd had enough and that I was sick to death of relaxers. The beginning of the end. If I had time I would go on to tell you the rest of the story, the one behind the "Oh I'm a black girl going natural"! {The comments from family and friends (good and bad), the hair disasters, the styles that worked, and the frame of mind that it produced.} I just don't have time. You'll have to wait for part two, if it ever comes.

Past and Future (hair)

Today I came across this picture of myself and was in awe of how long my hair was then. I also noticed it was more naturally brown than it is now that I no longer have it relaxed (I have goldish highlights now though.) I am currently growing my hair out, and it takes so much longer than I remembered. I was about 18 in this picture and didn't "do" anything to it, my hair just grew. Now that I've chopped it and am trying the natural thing it's a little more difficult. As of now my hair is a couple inches past my shoulders. I'm excited to see what my hair looks like curly and that length. Woe, we'll see if I can handle that. Here's my hair length now straight:

(After GA humidity)

What's your favorite hair length and style?

Elisabeth Arona

natural hair and the park

I promised some friends that I would keep them posted on my hair and how being natural is (or isn't) working for me. I have started using the brand Kinky Curly, and I have to say that I really really like it! They have a leave-in conditioner that keeps my curls more alive and shiny than anything else I've used. Here are a few pictures from the other day when I let my hair dry naturally and went to the park right down the street. Notice the book in my hand :-)

This park is one of the most peaceful places (at the right time of day) with this little stream and the little minnows darting about. I made a mental note to bring bread with me next time to feed them.

Elisabeth Arona