I love being NORMAL!!!

I love being NORMAL!!

I was recently talking to a friend of mine who has recently decided to transition from relax to natural. She has been asking me questions and she has voiced that she hopes she has the patience to keep up with the protective styles. So she can stay on this natural journey.

And I can so relate to her concerns. I know for me in the beginning, the first 6 months, were the pits; I could picture how my hair was going to look even in the beginning. I would twist; braid and roller set every chance I could. Some of the styles came out wonderful and some not so good. For the first four months it seemed as if my hair would never grow long enough, so that I could sport some of the cutest styles.

I was a You Tube FANATIC!!

From PrettyDimples to BlackOnyxx I was religiously watching You Tube videos. And I learned a great deal from them. So thank you ladies!!

Eighteen months ago; I decided to do “the big chop” and at the time I decided to cut my hair off, I didn’t realize how huge the natural hair community was.

Just as there are so many of us, women of color, with different shades of bronze, browns and chestnuts, there are also many textures of hair for loose curls to springy coils.

We represent it all.

Some of what I have learned about my community are the many different reasons, we decide to go natural, either we are tired of relaxing our hair or we are on a spiritual journey what ever the decision was; its comforting knowing someone else has the same concerns, worries and questions. And that there was a place to go to get answers to some of the questions I had.

This journey has taking me on different paths, and I appreciate each detour, road block, and sometimes dead end.

My motto is. “It would not be a journey without some detours.”

So in saying all this, it feels good to be able to offer someone else some advice, and encouragement.

Therefore, they too can appreciate the beauty of ‘being normal’.

Peace Love and Oil Olive Yaw’l

       

Tomingo

This is my hair goal!!

 


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I GOT AFRICAN IN ME..THATS WHY MY HAIR WONT GROW...WTF???

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I was inspired by a video from a NON-natural lady who was saying because she has staight AFRICAN hair ..that is the reason her hair is not growing...FAIL...ppl do your history...having African hair is not why your hair is not growing...these pictures represent that...These women are 1 generations AFRICAN...and they all have long hair...beautifull...learn your history and stop acting the donkey!!!

The red that is in their hair is a clay they use to protect their tresses from the sun!!

So they also do protective hair styles...

Tomingo





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Traction Alopecia-To Weave or Not to Weave that is the......

Posing for a photo-shoot for designer Dennis Basso in New York’s trendy Meatpacking District this week (summer of 2009), Naomi Campbell revealed startling bald patches either side of her head.
As the 40-year-old pulled back her hair while a stylist adjusted her clothing, she revealed a vanishing hairline just above her ear.

I ran across some picture of Naomi Campbell and by now you have probably seen them… what she may be suffering from Traction Alopecia. Traction Alopecia is Loss of hair due to from prolonged pulling on the hair, usually associated with certain hairstyles or a habit of twisting the hair. This is usually common with ethnic females due the prolong expose to using weaves, braids and glues on our hair. 

The more I view these pictures and many like them, the more I am so happy with my decision to go natural over a year and a half ago.

I really can not image for the rest of my life, relaxing, texturizing or/and having to worry about the prolong usage of synthetic hair.

Just before I went natural I notice thinning around my hair line. In just the short time I wore weaves, and braids. As you can see in the picture there were a few thinning areas on my head.

However, my edges have now thickened up and I no longer have thinning or a receding hair line.

I will even venture out to say that I also believe that not only was the prolong hair weaves making Naomi lose her hair; it’s the usage of relaxers as well. 

Relaxers not only damage your hair follicles it makes it weak and lifeless.  

                              In my opinion there is no “safe way” to relax your hair.

In her defense it’s not just Naomi Campbell that is suffering from this other celebrities including Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Britney Spears have also experienced 

Traction Alopecia…

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Got Naps...

Tomingo



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Natural Hair Style Tutorial - Mohawk (or Frohawk)

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The Fro-Hawk or Mohawk this styles name is has many names, but if the right person does it...this style is off the chain...

Here the perfect example of how this style should be done.

Hair Update

Hair update...

I decided to plait my hair for a protective style due to the hot weather. But as you may know, if you have been following me on a regular, I don't leave styles in my hair for very long.

This may  be different because it has really been hot lately.

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What will make your nappy head grow hair????

GOT YOUR ATTENTION

OKAY... Correct me if I am wrong...there is not a product on the market that "makes your hair grow" the products that "naturals" use on there hair from-Shea butter-to hibiscus...strengthen and regenerates our hair...meaning (re) turning it back to the state it was BEFORE we relaxed it! HEALTHY AND STRONG.... In my opinion none of these things MAKE YOUR HAIR grow...Time, and the love for YOU encourages that growth!

That is what I posted on my facebook today...now let me explain my temper tantrum...

I have been blogging and you tubing for sometime now and come to see that many have taken advantage of the having there own channel talking about puppies to how to build a nerf gun. And that is great. My interest was naturals...how they have progressed blah blah blah...so of course as I am making my natural hair travels I soon have some favorites. However, as I matured with my hair and began to understand what works for my hair and what does not. These same people whom I felt were very knowledgeable about products and hair styles. Really are just clever enough to have a lot of "FANS"...

Now, I have come across this one girl, but she is not the only one, she first did a lot of videos about hair styles, how she dyes her hair, and how she is learning from "YOU TUBERS" she says with a valley girl ascent...

So, now she has put up a website selling jewelry and hair care products...don't get me wrong...if you have found a market and start your own business that is great!

That what I have decided to do, however, her products are terrible to say it politely. Her earrings are Wal-Mart brand beads, and she is trying to pass them off as being funky fresh...that’s bullshit. Not only that she has created some hair care line claiming it “made her hair grow”…No it did not. Hence the facebook comment this morning…NO PRODUCT CAN makes one hair grow…Oh then she labels everything diva this and chica fabulous that...hiding the unprofessional and tacky look of the items she is selling.

It’s sad to me because I love to make earrings having been making earrings for awhile now. I take pride in my work an my business, I sell my products because I love the idea of knowing someone is out there wearing my one of a kind Saide Hoop Earring or my Shani Ear Drop Collection and of course making a little money is an incentive, but hopefully it's and encouragement to do better...she may have handmade her products but that sure as hell does not make them cute or worth buying. It is my opinion she needs to go back and retake that course on Marketing 101, because it’s ashame that she would sell those horrible designs and call it a business.

Tomingo...
original post 3/2/10

Comparison Picture-Natural Hair

I love being natural

Hair Dye...My Hair Journey

I have some pictures that I took a couple of days ago. I love to exeriment with my hair with dyes...And now that I am natural or relaxer free I often change my hair color. 

Right before Christmas, I partially dyed my hair a permanent midnight black/blue. 

Since the black is permanent and I am not using a remover. ( I hear that there's some difuser you can use to get rid of black dye.) I decided to lighten my hair in stages. I use a developer number 30 and a lighening powder all of these items can be found at your local hair store. 

(((You know the ones that have mostly Asian employees)))...

All under 10 bucks!!

(Note: Because of the ingredients in developer is Peroxide. Please do a strand test to make sure that you have no allergric reaction to these chemicals and use rubber gloves)

The amount I used was half and half using the plastic container as a guide, I poured half the developer half way and then use half a package of lightening powder. I left the solution on my hair for approximately 35 mins. Periodically, checking the process of my hair. Of course the roots dyed faster because of the new growth and the ends took longer to lighten up because they had already been dyed black/blue. 

(((Since my hair was already blue/black and yellow and blue makes green...Adding a yellow base solution, peroxide, to your hair will make it true green!! 

SO if you plan on lightening your hair and you have recently colored it black/blue...get some red dye. That will cover the green.)))

Now in saying all that, I was prepared for the green...

in some of my pictures you can see the green coming through...

When it comes to putting any type of chemicals in your hair. Do your research talk to a beautician, youtube or google, you will definately find some valuable information.

Tomingo's World- My Natural Hair Journey Update

I have been natural now for 14 months and I can not stress enough to how great I feel that I made that decision.

For the most part I don't have any kind of ritual or schedule when it comes to my hair. Not knocking others that do.
I rarely use shampoo on my hair, a funny thought because the picture above. I had just shampooed my hair and blow dried it. It had been about 2.5 weeks since my last shampoo.

I CO-wash my hair everyday. Meaning I use conditioner not shampoo to wash my hair. Shampoo if  used on a daily basis, will strip the hair of its natural moisture and cause my hair to be brittle and break.

Well anywho, I was bored and decided to take a picture of my fro...

I love it. My pony puff is so puffy...;)

Happy 2B Nappy

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Nappy Ass Head

Random thoughts..

I was thinking, as I was twisting my hair, on how many dumb mistakes I have made with my hair when it was relaxed.

From putting in a Jeri Curl so that I could receive that shiny “GOOD HAIR”.

Then once that look grew old, 6 weeks later, I reapplied a relaxer…

YUP… 
WAS straight up BALD within a matter of minutes.

As I have read blogs and researched so many natural sistas sites many of them have one thing in common and that is the negativity they have received for going natural. And the really sad thing is the negativity is coming from the women who say they PRO-BLACK. 
Yet they get their hair relaxed, weaved and pretend that shit is theirs. 
But I digress.

 I will confess that I have not received any negative comments from family or friends members so that’s a blessing.

So, now here I am 10 months natural and loving every minute of it.

Sure there were some frustrations and that was mainly figuring out what gels or conditioners work well with my hair. However, the rewards are the milestones I have been able to do with my hair and the many roads my journey of learning my hair has taken me. From comb coils when I was only 3 months post BC, to two-strand flat twist. And I’m still not done!

My goal is to have two huge ass afro puffs; 
I mean saucer size puffs 2…

NAPPY AS HELL!!

Yet shiny GOOD HAIR!!

Ya feel me??

I do not know who she is...

but I dig her puffs...

My New Color-Natural Hair

One of the best things about being natural is the colors you can add to our hair. One of the changes I love to make with my hair is color. I could not do that when I was relaxing my hair, and I had plenty of dumb ideas I thought would love so nice on me. Turned out to damage and destroy my hair.  But that was then this is now and I know better. So, today after having a lovely dinner with my family. I took some pictures of my hair.

10 months since my BC…

Fantansia IC Styling Gel…still wet after 3 hours.

Protective Winter Treatment-Mango & Illipe Butter

Good Morning ,

It is cold this morning, and like most of you my skin gets dry in the winter.

Before going natural, I had never given it much thought about my hair being dry...

In the summer Shea Butter was wonderful for my skin as well as my hair. However, when I use it in my hair, especially during the winter, the shea butter is not lasting as long. Meaning my hair is not as soft and becomes dry in less than a day.

 So, I have been using my Mango Illipe Butter on my hair and notice that not only does those butters last longer in my hair (as long as a week). My hair is a lot softer and managable.

I believe, its the Mango butter.  If you read my blog... I describe the texture of Mango Butter as gritty.. and after melting and then turning back into a solid the Mango Butter DOES NOT lose that texture. Therefore, once you rubbed the butters in your hand and onto your hair it takes longer to desolve or melt into the hair. Even though there is a "flakey" like residue (if not allowed to completely melt into the palms of hands)  the butter slowly  melts into the hair down to the scalp.

Causing it to last longer and adhere to the hair better.

I love it. And its great for the skin!

I have some

FOR SALE!!

I am no longer selling this product. Sorry

Teacher Cuts Girls Hair..WTH

WOW...

I was a high school special education teacher for 6 years. And I do know of some crazy as teacher that are teaching our kids. However this one takes the cake.

Curly Hair is BAD HAIR!!

A bad hair day may soon be easily fixed with the pop of a pill,  When I saw that I did a double take too..

According to he Londons Daily Mail a group of Australian researchers at the Queensland Institute of Research have discovered a "curly hair gene," which could lead to new hair treatments that don't involve using damaging hot irons.

Now I don't have anything wrong with finding the gene that curls hair, I think thats cool. Its the association that curly hair is bad hair that doesnt sit well with me. 

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