Winter Break

Meet Olivia , my brazilian body wave layered bob and closure.

She's my lover for the winter.

My original plan was to use some old Brazilian hair I had to make a wig for these cold winter months, but when my sister and I decided to head to South Florida for Thanksgiving, I made an appointment with my stylist extraordinaire  Christina  at Studiotress to have her lay some hands on this head.

And as usual, she delivered.

If you've been a faithful reader, Christina also laid Sheeba out back in March when I had my Brazilian Kinky-Curly install. This girl is talented, so I wanted to use this post as a two-for-one: share my new do' and highlight a small business since today is Small Business Saturday.

As a working/professional natural, I cannot stress how much I appreciate good service. Especially as my hair grows. I've previously recounted several occasions when I've walked out of appointments or had a few choice words with hair dressers who have complained about the length and thickness of my hair. Christina's one of a handful of my stylists who love my hair, in fact, each appointment some how turns into a professional development session for both client and service provider.

This time was no different. I initially requested a short Mimi G - type coif, but when she began blowing out Sheeba for my coif, there was some discussion as to how we would achieve a flat foundation braid pattern for such a short do. I then stumbled upon a picture of Rashida Jones' natural bang, and my vision changed. I told her that I wanted an angled bob a la First Lady with some Rashida bangs, that could also be worn as a variation of Olivia Pope's do' from Scandal (Season 1). I love when my stylist gets my quirky visions. I also love sharing good service, I'm not one to hold onto a gem and not share with others because I don't want others knowing my secret. I prefer to tell the world because I discovered many of my stylists via word of mouth, so I like to pay it forward whenever possible.

Sorry for the blurriness :/

So it's time to pay it forward, below you'll find a list of my favorite stylists. I share this information freely with many of my friends quiet often, and if you've been a faithful follower (subscribe to the right), we are basically family anyways, so I don't mind sharing who keeps Sheeba looking good when I don't have the strength or time to do so myself. 

I get my hair done mainly in DC, but travel to Miami for my sew-ins.

DC -

• Press - Tizeta @ Kedus Salon (301) 495-0114
• Twists (w/ my own hair) - Yaella @ Twist it Sistah (202) 832-3157
• Cut & color - Camille @ Salon Noire (301) 495-5873
• Braids, Senegalese/ Kinky Twists (with synthetic or human hair) - Julie*

Miami - 

• Sew-ins - Christina @ Salontress
• Braids - Marie*
• Kinky Twists - Nadia*

* My braiders usually work from home, so if interested inbox me for their contact information.

I love supporting small businesses, especially since many of the products that I (previously) used were created by small local vendors who had a genuine interest in providing quality products for natural consumers. If you have a favorite product or stylist feel free to share, I'll be posting small business features monthly in an effort to share some of Sheeba's faves.

If you're a small business interested in being interviewed for a future post, please email me at sosheeba@gmail.com.

Happy growing.

Natural Attraction

The other day, someone reminded me of something my mother told me when I initially went natural. She disapproved of my choice because "no man thinks that natural hair is attractive."

I'm glad I brushed off her spicy West-Indian old woman comment because regardless of her length, Sheeba is a flame that many moths are attracted to.

I've often referred to Sheeba as my crown & glory, and apparently now she's my wing(wo)man??

Many of you are not ready for this post, but I'm gonna take it there anyways. Indulge me for a moment or two...

Over the past four years I've silently conducted a social experiment with my hair, both with the parentals and with men/women. With each round of testing, the results have been the same: my hair (in her natural state) attracts a variety men.

Sheeba . be . pullin .

Not that I ever had a problem in that area, but it amazes me how many men (of all backgrounds) I either catch staring at me or are bold enough to approach me whenever I unleash Sheeba.

I have had men compliment my brush cut, coil a tendril in my TWA, and sniff my Coco Castor scented hair during my commute to work. I have had others ask to touch her. I've even had someone ask to lay in my hair (I can't make this up).

...I don't even want to get into the reaction I get from my larger-than-life-blow-outs (a la Diana Ross in Mahogany). Blow-outs seem to send them into a tizzy. I once fielded a scalp massage from an Italian who wanted to confirm whether or not my hair was real. I'm not going to lie... I enjoyed it (don't judge me), but it made me seriously begin to question why men from all walks of life were amazed by my natural hair.

So after several stares and similar reactions, I began asking these complete strangers why they were so fascinated by Sheeba and the most common reply I received was how confident I appeared in all my kinky-coily glory.

The odd thing is I overstand their reasoning. My closest friends will tell you that I am a quintessential introvert, but when my hair is freshly styled and looking lovely...

hon-TEEE, I'm as bold as they come. It wasn't Kelis' milkshake that brought all those boys to the yard.

I was watching this Youtube documentary on Jewish clothing customs and one of the women interviewed said something that resonated with me..[her] concept of beauty is often associated with [her] hair, the same truth is evident for me. My hair is my energy, my beauty, my aura; I thrive when she thrives and vice-versa.

You know how superhero's have theme songs that play when they enter a scene? That's how I am with Sheeba. When my hair is coiffed and micro-waves laid, I feel beyond beautiful, I'm  invincible. A good hairstyle will have me feeling celebratory. It's the same 'I can have all that' feeling I get from putting on a well-tailored suit and power Louboutin Rolando pumps for a presentation or interview. The world is my oyster when my hair looks fab.

Now don't think I have self-esteem issues. I'm just as confident when Sheeba's having a bad day, it's just magnified when I have her freshly done. When Sheeba was first born, I routinely got my eyebrows and hair shaped every Tuesday. For me, freshly done eyebrows and hair uplift my spirit. In fact, the other day my twist out was on life support so I finger detangled it, put it into a high bun, and went to get my eyebrows threaded. I was the epitome of casual, and still had someone compliment me on my way home...

My final thoughts on all this is that there are some men who are attracted to a certain level of confidence in a woman. Wearing ones hair in it's natural state and being comfortable with ones natural appearance is as confident as one can be. And when someone is comfortable in their natural beauty (no preservatives, no additives, 100% au naturel), there's nothing you can tell them to make them think otherwise. So if you're 2 days or 2 years natural, or even if you've faithfully had a relaxer for a lifetime; wear your mane proudly, I guarantee that you'll feel amazing and as a result field a few compliment/ stares from an admirer.


Now silky Sheeba fields more compliments from women
*Evelyn side-eye*

.... working on that social experiment next.

Happy (Showing) & Growing...

Get Excited!

About a month ago, I made a request for volunteers to try my infused Castor Oil growth aide. After a few minor tweaks to the recipe, I'm happy to say that we're ready to send out samples.

Thanks so much for your patience and an even bigger thank you for being a volunteer. 

It's my hope that my sprout oil helps promote growth as it has for me. 

Now get growing!

Sheeba

Henna pt. deux

Yesterday I posted part one of my henna process. Today's post shall outline the application phase.

By now your henna should be mixed, and have released some dye. You'll notice pools of red liquid forming on the top layer and your henna should be a darker shade at this point. Before applying it to your hair, add 2 tbsps of honey and mix.

You will also need to cover your application area. I need a mirror, so I use my bathroom. Since I've done this a few times before, all I did to prep the area was lay an old towel on the floor. If your sink and counter top are white or light, you'll want to cover those with newspaper as well. Better safe than sorry cause henna does not wash completely out of grout, tile, or carpet.

After prepping your area, you'll need to prep your hair. I finger detangle and then section Sheeba into 5-6 parts using clips to hold each section into place. I then apply vaseline to the perimeter of my hair, ears, and neck. I even apply into the inside of my ear and all of my neck. As you can see, the henna gets smudged everywhere, and the vaseline protects my skin from being stained.


Now to apply. I separate each large section into about 3-4 smaller pieces a I apply the henna. The trick to this step is to scoop a small amount with your hand as you 'smush' it through your hair. It's easier to control smaller portions of the mixture than a handful which will inevitably end up on the floor or down your shirt. I begin in the back and work my way forward.







Once all the sections are complete, I take the remaining henna and apply it to my ends and then 'massage' the rest into the top layer of hair.







Secure you hair on the top of your hair with pins and cover with a plastic bag or shower cap. I then cover my head with a turbie-twist, or a towel you don't mind getting dirty. I like to let my henna sit for 6-8 hours.

There are two methods you can use to wash your hair:

1. The Dunk Method: fill your tub, sink, or bucket with warm water, and 'dunk' your head; or
2. The Rinse Method: place head under running water (either sink or shower) and rinse the mixture out.

Either method takes time, I spent about 45 minutes in the shower just rinsing my hair until the water dripping from my ends were a light red. At this point I added some V05 Chamomile Tea conditioner to my mane and squeezed it out.  You'll want to use a moisturizing conditioner and NOT a protein one. (Tresseme Naturals, and Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose also work for this step).

Continue to apply and squeeze out conditioner until it is clear and your hair is henna free. Detangle if needed, finger combing my hair prior to applying the henna helped, so I only had to use my Jilbere comb once and did not need to use my Denman.

Seal and style as usual once done. If you have long hair, plan to be in the shower for 1.5-2 hours... It takes a while to get the henna out of Sheeba, I tell no lie.

As you can see, my hair has a subtle reddish tint to it, and a bit more curl definition than before. Sheeba is ridiculously soft and moisturized now, which was my primary objective when I embarked on this henna journey. Because winter can be harsh on my hair, I tend to henna in the cooler months, when the air is drier, just to keep my situation soft and growing.

I'd love to hear your henna exploits, and if you haven't tried a henna treatment...what are you waiting for?? Your hair will thank you.

Happy Growing!

It's Time for a New Look

Finally bought and registered a domain for Sheeba. I like to treat her to nice things sometimes.

Speaking of treating Sheeba, it's time for my yearly henna treatment. So I decided to post a pic-tutorial for everyone who has ever considered applying henna to their coils but didn't know where to begin. The first time I henna'd my hair, it was touch and go, but the results were lovely. I did - however - end up with my tub looking like the river Nile.

I hope this pic-torial reduces the level of fear many have as it pertains to using henna. Although there are a few moving parts to this process, it really is quite simple once you've planned and prepared for it. Depending on you hair length, allot 1-3 days from start (mixing) to finish (rinsing out). A shorter (and a bit more expensive) alternative would be to purchase Henna blocks from Lush. My only hang-up with using this product is it doesn't seem to be pure henna (some variations have coffee, lemon, indigo, and etc.) I want to condition my hair, not dye it as this product does.

Throughout the natural community, you'll hear people speaking of the many benefits of henna. It's ultra conditioning, strengthens strands, soothes the scalp, and even colors gray hair. I love henna because it makes my hair uber soft. The only downside for me is the change in curl pattern that occurs. But it's something I can live with since they are more defined as a result.

I mixed my henna on Friday night, let the dye release all Saturday, applied it Sunday afternoon, and rinsed it out Sunday night. I basically follow CurlyNikki's process, it's easy and broken down in stages. You'll need the following:

• gloves, newspaper, plastic bowl, shower cap, Vaseline, and a shirt you don't care for
• 150-200 g body grade henna
• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 Green tea bags
• 2 tbsp honey

First gather your ingredients, I like to have everything in the same area to reduce the amount of mess and potential discoloration.

Next, sift your henna into bowl. You'll thank me later for this step when you're not pulling henna grit from your hair a week after application.

While sifting, heat water and allow tea bags to seep for 10-15 minutes. I filled my sauce pan for the tea, but only used 2 cups for my henna mixture. I drank the rest.

Slowly mix the hot tea mixture into your henna. You can use a plastic spoon for this step, I happened to have a good spoon on hand. The henna doesn't stain silverware, so no need to panic.

This is what your mixed henna should look like. I compare it to mashed potatoes or fudge brownie mix, you don't want it too thin because it may make the application process messy.

Real body-grade henna will release some dye quickly, so be sure to wash it off your hand or stained counter tops immediately. You can see here how my finger turned orange after cleaning the spoon.

I prefer to let my henna sit for 24 hours before application. This will allow the dye to release and the henna to have a more conditioning effect on your strands. Place your bowl in a warm place (like on the heater). Your henna will get darker as the dye releases. (I'm also working on a few art pieces for my linesisters, hence why my heater is in multipurpose use at the moment). You can also turn on your oven and place the bowl on the stove to heat it up.

 

Part 2: The Application Process shall be posted soon.

Happy Growing!