I Know My Heart Will guide Me There

I got a new haircut yesterday! I haven't relaxed it in a while so I have lots of new growth! Like I said in a previous post, I'm ready for a fade. BUT I went to a new barber and he said he didn't want to cut it all off so I didn't let him lol...When you tell someone what you want for your hair and they tell you they don't want to do it, it most likely means they CAN'T lol! I wasn't in a babershop so I didn't sweat it. I'm just going to continue to not relax my hair and take good care of my new growth, which is feeling so lovely right now! I don't use my flat iron daily anymore, so I would say I'm making pretty good progress.

I'm using the Hydralicious conditioning shampoo and Organic's Olive Oil as a leave in conditioner while it's still wet. I've been letting it air dry for the most part lately and blow drying when I don't have the time. Nothing too complicated, I'm letting my hair do it's own thing!

~Dai

Let's Talk About Hair Baby!

Amidst all that's been happening, I haven't done a hair post in a LONG while!

An update on what I'm doing with my own hair...I haven't gone natural, YET, but I'm still felling inspiration from all around me: youtube vids, pics, people I see around town, and friends. One of my friend girls has gone natural recently and she's trying to convince me every chance she gets to go ahead and do a big chop! Slowly, but surely...

I haven't put a relaxer on my hair in a while! I think the last time I did was January. I use a flat iron everyday anyway so I figured I could skip the relaxer. I wear my hair short so it doesn't really matter to me. The haircut that I have right now, is the shortest it's been EVER! My goal is to go shorter and shorter until there's none left, haha!

I've switched hair products since I haven't relaxed my hair. I'm now using Cantu shampoo and conditioner with shae butter. I think it gives me the extra moisture I need for my new growth and even my relaxed ends that are still present. I don't do too much to protect the ends since I get a cut every so often. I still use the Cantu strengthening cream on my wet hair post-conditioning. It's a great heat protector since I use my flat iron everyday! I'll put an oil moisturizer on it while it's dry. I've tried alot of products so I use whatever I have: Africa's Best Olive Oil, Pink Oil, Profectiv, shae butter, or grease...whatever really! Then I style and use a holding spray! The holding spray is really drying so I try not to use too much (I reccommend the same for others as well)!

I recently switched hair stylists too! She's great (and alot cheaper than my last one)! She's been keeping me fresh and edgy with designs all all that jazz lately!

This one is the very first time she cut my hair. I want to say March 5th. I've had another haircut (and design) since then.

I'm a fan of cutting your hair until you're content. Anyone who wants to do it, GO FOR IT! It's just hair, it will grow back (if you want it to haha). One thing I tell people though, not only keeping your hair cut, but the daily styling is ALOT of work. So don't cut your hair if you're one of "those people" who don't like to: a) style your own hair and b) style it everyday. I mean there are alot of styles where you can get up and go and just wear it. But the point of short hair is to rock it (style it)!

~LaDai

Back 2 This Hair Thing Tho...

I am so insprired to go natural!

I always have been, but lately I'm really feeling like I REALLY want to go natural. I'm tired of wearing my hair short now. I've been doing this for 2 years now, a little on and off in the beggining, but pretty steady in the past year or so. It grows fast (and I LOVE how my new growth feels!), but styling it, it doens't grow long without breakage. Even before I cut my hair short, I've never really had problems with my relaxed hair that alot of other women experience. The biggest problems I've had with my hair is breakage and I completely expect that with a relaxer and the amount of styling I do (on a daily basis).

I'm tired, though! I'm tired of doing my hair everyday. Tired of sitting in the salong for cuts every so often. Within the last week or so I've had this urge to just take some scissors and cut it all off.

My biggest worry is that I won't like my hair THAT short. I'm just ready for something new. Originally, I planned to just get my hair cut shorter and shorter each time, but my hair stylist won't cut it short how I want. I don't know if she does that on purpose or if she really just likes my hair the way she does it lol... Then I said I'm just going to get a fade by the time the summer comes. I'm getting restless. I'm ready to start over asap!

I'm telling you, if I keep feeling this way....*eyes the scissors*

~LaDai

Here I Am...

So I definitely have not updated my blog in a while! I have been super busy lately just getting everything together.

Okay so first thing first: I have officially declared my major! I am a Science Education, specifically Biology, major. Meeting with an academic counselor from the College of Education here has really put things into perspective for me. It feels like life's puzzle pieces are finally coming together. For a long time, I had been unsure about what I wanted to major in and where I wanted to go with that once I'm finished with school. I'm finally figuring it out! I also wrote out a life plan to help keep me focused on what I'd like to accomplish by the end of the semester all the way out to a year after I finish school. I feel really focused this semester to really stay on top of things and get it done!

Secondly: I love my hair! I don't know if I said it before in another post (most likely not) but I got another haircut around late August and I love it! I'm really working this short hair! I went a little shorter this time than I had before. My plan is to go shorter with every haircut, maybe until there's no more left to cut. I kind of want to see if I can rock something a bit longer than a fade, still something feminine, of course. But I take style tips from other short styles I see in magazines or on other women and I incorporate what I like into my own style and play around with what works for my own length and specific cut.

For anyone trying to get into a routine for their hair, it definitely is alot of work in the beginning, but it does get easier. I promise! The hardest part is just figuring out what products work for your hair, but once you figure that out, it's pretty easy from there. As far as my own hair care regimen, I will gladly share! I have been doing this for a couple weeks now:

I wash and condition about once a week with the moisturizing shampoo and moisturizing conditioner with shae butter from a line called Influance (http://www.influancehaircare.com/). It leaves my hair so soft and shiny! (I recommend this product to anyone looking for a great shampoo and contioner!) I was home at my parents house once and washed my hair without these products and I could really see the difference that these products make on my hair. Then I towel dry my hair and apply some Cantu Break Cure Strengthening Creme to it. I don't wrap my hair or anything, but I do apply some Motions Wrapping Lotion to my tapered sides and back so that the hair lays flat. From there, I let my hair air dry. I try as much as I can not to blow dry it because of all the heat styling I do, but I will occasionally. Once it's dry, I apply some Motions Hairdress and let that set in. Once I'm ready to curl/style I use some marcel curling wax by Softee. Then I use a little styling spritz by Pump It Up Regular Formula for hold (depends how I style it), but I try not to use too much because it dries out the hair. I restyle maybe about every other day and the heat from the iron reactivates the spritz so I don't reapply any spritz. I may add some Smooth N' Shine Polishing Gel to the sides and back because that part gets a little wild looking after sleeping lol...I also relax my hair as I feel I need to. New growth is more noticeable on my tapered sides and the back so I relax those parts maybe every 3-4 weeks. With the longer parts, I go every 6 weeks. I just switched to Dark N' Lovely from Africa's Best. DNL works so much better for me!

I would like to get back on my skin care regimen as well, but I don't know where to start. If you have any tips for me, let me know!

I know this is getting a little long so I'm going to end it here. I promise I'll be back to update sooner!

~LaDai

It's About That Time

So I think I'm gonna relax my hair today. My new growth does feel good to me don't get me wrong. BUT (there's always a but), I can't deal with it in my short style.

I do feel bad about it because I know what I'm really doing to my hair (and my identity indirectly). Lately I've been reading hair blogs and all that good stuff.

It is what it is!

~LaDai

Why you do that there?

The question was, "Why would you put something in your hair, that you have to use gloves on your hands, to get it in your hair? If it's not safe for your skin, you'd assume it isn't safe for your hair," in reference to why anyone would bother to relax their hair.

I don't have an answer for that question. I said why I relaxed my hair in a previous post. Initially, it was just to fit in, but I can't tell you why I still get my hair relaxed. As a matter of fact, I just bought a relaxer the other day. I find it ironic that the hair companies wouldn't name a relaxer anything other than "african". African Pride. Africa's Best. Really? I think not!

The more and more I think about going natural, the more and more I get frustrated with my relaxed hair. Anything but relaxing.

~LaDai

Soon To Be Happily Nappy

So I'm finally back to do my next post. Umm I don't really know what I want to write about in specific, but I'm just gonna type away...

So I think it started when I was 12 or 13 when I noticed my hair was "different". I was the little girl in 6th grade still getting my hair washed and straightened with a hotcomb weekly. It was then that I was made to feel bad about not having a perm. The other girls in class teased me because my hair was nappy. I thought the hotcomb was something every girl went through and was still going through at that stage in life. I finally gave in to the pressure. Not just the peer pressure, but the societal pressures that say straight hair is "good" hair. I was made to feel that my nappy hair was a bad thing. I would go home crying from the hurt I felt from the other girls. I remember BEGGING my mother for a perm. It was then that I became a victim to the "creamy crack". But I was "happy" because I finally fit in. The teasing stopped because my hair was finally less than what it was meant to be. I never thought twice about my hair being nappy. I was happy.

Ever since then, I haven't been able to get off the perm. I've always felt like I would just feel better, feel free, if my hair was natural. I've tried many times to transition to natural, but part of me can't let go of this relaxed mess I call hair. My mom has been natural multiple times so I know it's in me to do the same without being scared. I don't know what it is that can't let it go. I feel like going natural would definitely be a process of not only transitioning, but of self rediscovery. I'm definitely ready to discover new things about myself and my hair.

Right now I'm rocking a short haircut. I would say it's a bit 90's-Halle-ish, but I've worked it for my style and it works for me. Everytime I get it cut, I go shorter and shorter, and feel better about going natural. One day I'm just gonna cut it all off and be done with it!

I know that so many other women can relate. So here's to beginning anew and discovering who we are! (Someday) I'll be Happily Nappy!

~LaDai