I doubt that it’s much of a secret, but often the key to a head full of healthy natural hair is to supply it with what it inherently needs. Now, problems seem to arise when it comes down to figuring out exactly what that is. Discovering the needs of your hair can take one too many trial & error periods to last a lifetime, and most often patience is run so deep into the ground that starting from scratch seems like the only & best alternative. I’ve resisted this urge several times in the past & instead push forward when hair becomes unusually dry, particular stylers leave hair much to be desired & finicky scalp situations have me reaching for any & all home remedies.

Any…& ALL remedies. My quest to subside my reoccurring scalp irritations have led me to down a tumbly twisty road and for all intents and purposes…I absolutely refuse to start from the word Go. Makes no sense to because all remedies and concoctions brewed in my kitchen have enabled me to better understand what it is my scalp can tolerate, what it absolutely abhors and especially what I need to ‘feed’ it each week to thrive. I always approach the care of my scalp a bit timidly for fear of stirring up even more irritations, and by applying a specially formulated weekly scalp scrub & clay mask I’ve significantly lessened these problems & finally realize that in order to obtain the best results you have to diligently put in the best action plan.

Products Used:

• Hair/Scalp Cleanse: Shikakai Powder (mixed with Aloe Vera + Avocado Oil)
• Cleanse:  Shea Moisture Deep Cleansing African Black Soap Shampoo
• Deep Condition: Shea Moisture African Black Soap Balancing Conditioner
• Style: Beautiful Curls + Darcy’s Botanicals Avocado & Wild Plum Twisting Cream

I often purchase most herbal remedies and powders at a local Indian grocery in NYC to help save the extra pennies of shipping, but me thinks investing in a higher grade Shikakai Powder might be best…yes. Frankly, I can’t remember the brand used this past weekend…I was so deftly infuriated at the amount of grit left in my hair after washing under running water for 25 straight minutes…that I tossed the good for nothing in the garbage. There was a TON of grit left behind even after rinsing with a co-washing conditioner…so much so that I eventually gave up the fight and proceeded to DC and hope for the best.Not to say that I won’t use this powder again to cleanse my scalp (my scalp experienced very positive results after rinsing), but safe to say I’ll be investing in a different brand.

Week 2 of tucking in the ends and protecting the strands is in full effect. I have little time these days, and even less pins to make any more  of an elaborate style, but above was done after untwisting several medium sized twists and without disturbing the set, simply pinned up & away into a neat mid-bun. This style lends itself well in the colder months & especially if you can’t fight the fancy and want to accessorize with your favorite hair pins and bands. At night, sealed with a bit of KBB’s hair cream and touch up with a bit of moisturizer when needed as the week progresses.

I’ve often thought the initial lure of doing my own hair once going natural was the amount of knowledge I’d be able to gain each week. ..finally be able to learn the secrets many past stylists would only whisper to each other. In the beginning of the journey to understanding what my hair inherently  needs, I often thought I knew everything there was to know about caring for natural hair. Needless to say I was wrong, but for many naturals there does come a turning point. You stop listening to  the barrage of advice being strewn throughout the natural-sphere, cease & desist the hoarding of hair products & really begin noticing for the first time certain signs…clues helping you along rather than against. Too often it’s about striking the right balance…figuring out what your hair/scalp needs in order to flourish and seek that information out & not the other way around.  Try and refrain from assuming what your hair needs by looking at a bottle of hair pudding  and thinking ‘this will work’. No one knows your hair better than you do…or should….but first, take the time to get to “there.”