pH Rocks! - Science Friday

What is pH?
pH is the measurement of how alkaline or acidic a substance may be.  The scale is numbered from 0-14, with 0 being highly acidic and 14 being highly alkaline.  Pure water lands squarely in the middle of the scale at 7 - a neutral substance, neither acidic nor alkaline.  It is important to note that the acidity and alkalinity increase exponentially as you move up and down the scale.  This basically means, if a substance has an alkalinity of 10, a substance with an alkalinity of 11 is 10 times more alkaline.  A substance with an alkalinity of 12 is 100 times more alkaline, and so on.  Here are some common substances, and their rankings:

Battery Acid 1.0

Lemon juice 2.0 (very acidic)

Vinegar 2.2 (very acidic….it should be diluted 1tbs to 1 cup of water for rinsing)

 

Water 7 (neutral)

Human Blood 8.3

Baking Soda 8.3

                        

Relaxer (10-14 varies depending on brand, lye vs. no-lye)

Ammonia 11.0

Lye – 13.0

 

Prolonged exposure to substances with pH’s at either extreme can cause damage to the hair strands.

Why do I care? 
Well my people, pH is critical for moisture retention in our kinky textured hair.  Generally speaking, healthy human hair has a pH level between  4.5-5.5.   Acidic hair products help seal the cuticles (scaley formations around each strand of hair). When the cuticle is closed, it seals in moisture, which allows the hair to thrive. Kinky hair is notoriously susceptible to dryness, which leads to breakage and is the enemy of length retention.    Our friends over at www.luvnaturals.com have put together some rockin’ videos discussing the structure of hair, and the effects of pH on your hair.  You can watch those videos here:
- YB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i3MC4d-HmY&feature=share&list=PL5532B6CD987E1D88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT9axA0A6_Q&feature=share&list=PL5532B6CD987E1D88

FroHawk Tutorial! [VIDEO]

This is seriously the easiest hairstyle in my arsenal.  It is not considered a protective style, but rather a low-manipulation hairstyle.  If you would like to extend the life of your twist-out or braid-out, this is definitely a tutorial you should check out! 

What you'll need:
Natural Bristle Brush
4-6 side hair combs
Bobby Pins
Styling Gel (optional)
Sheen Spray

Is hair Type all Hype?

 

There are a few systems in the hair care world designed to classify a person's hair type.  Knowing your hair type is helpful in selecting products, building a regimen that works for you, and finding hair styles that work for you.  The most popular typing system was created by my favorite (not favorite) celebrity hair stylist, Andre Walker, emphasizing curl pattern.  What is critical to fully understanding your hair type, and what is currently missing from the Walker System is the consideration of each individual's porosity, strand size, and hair density.  It is important to note that often times, more than one hair type exists on a single head.  The crown texture can be different from the nape or the edges, and so on.

 

Some people love hair typing, and some people hate it.  Some people think that it's divisive, and some people think it is the holy grail.  I personally think that hair typing is very useful as a starting point to understanding your own hair.

 

There is a wealth of information available online about natural hair care.  Watching girls with 3c hair spritzing water on their twist-outs to "refresh their curls", is not very helpful to a 4c kinky like me....try spritzing water on a 4c twist-out, and see what happens....Can I get a witness??  So in that regard, I know going in, that the tips I get from a fellow 4c gal would probably be more useful, than tips from a 3c gal.  That s not to say that you cannot learn anything from people with other hair types.  Some principles are universal - moisturizing, protective styling, pH balance, etc.  It just helps you know you hair is probably not going to do what the next type's will.

 

At the end of the day, take the typing chart for what it is.  But do your due diligence and find out about your hair's porosity, density, and strand size.  That is really the only way you can figure out what is going to work best for you.  No 2 heads of hair on this planet are exactly alike. - YB



 

 



 

Throwback Monday!

There was once a time when an ad like this was normal....par for the course.  There just aren't enough words on this planet to express my love for Afro Sheen right now .  This ad is EVERYTHING! - YB

Kinky Icon of the Week: Lenny Kravitz!!

Kinks aren't reserved strictly for the ladies.  There are definitely some brothers out there representing the Kink-Brigade.  One of our faves being Lenny Kravitz, whose kinky hair literally rocks!  Look out for him in the upcoming sequel to The Hunger Games. Please enjoy the view! (And peep the little extra somethin'-somethin' @ the end....ain't got a durn -thing to do with no kinks!)

Wash 'n Go?

 

Hell no!

It would be really awesome to be able to step in the shower, soak my kinks, throw in a dollop of gel, and head out the door with little springy coils.  But that is not the world I live in.  Wash 'n Gos stopped being an option for me when my baldy grew in longer than 1/2".

Being a 4c, we do have curls, as tiny as they are.  However, since they don't clump together in clusters, the definition is not cohesive an therefore not visible.  Attempting to wash 'n go, would leave my hair in a hot tangled mess fraught with knots and despair.

I have found a product that can actually define my curls and clump them together, giving the desired result and definition so many seek with the wash 'n go.  Literally, one product on this earth.  It is called American Crew Pomade (For men), and it retails from $9.99-$16.99 a jar (and it's tiny).  You can find it at Target, the grocery store, or any drug store across the country.  It is a product designed to style/hold straight textured men's hair, but is an INCREDIBLE moisturizer for me.  Makes my hair so soft and shiny and amazing.   Great for twist/braid outs.  (I will do a Youtube tutorial at some point in the future on how to define 4c curls using the Crew Pomade, because it does take some doing.  You don't just slap it in and get results....Please stay tuned for that. )

 

I personally, am not hung up on having springy curls, and rocking the Wash 'n Go look.  The whole point of Wash 'n Go, is to do precisely that.  Sitting in front of a mirror for 2 hours with a vat of gel, trying to coax out curls sort of defeats the purpose.  I have realized this particular style is not for me.  I am not going to try and force my hair to do something it just can't do.

 

What do you think??

 

 

10 Reasons Why Your Kinky Hair Rocks!!

10.  It's what your mama gave you!  You were born with these kinks....no amount of pulling, prodding, or Eco Styler gel is going to change that.  Love these kinks!  Werk these kinks!
9.   No one can rock an afro better than a kinky girl.  Our hair stands at attention, ready to take on the world.
8.   You've got plenty of it....and even if you don't, it sure looks like you do.
7.   It's so soft (if properly moisturized) & fluffy (even if you don't want it to be!).
6.   It drives the boys bananas....okay, not all the boys, but there is a small group of  dedicated man-fans out there....we know who you are!
5.  It's so pretty!!
4.  It is the most versatile hair on the planet.
3.  It stretches up to 3 times it's shrunken length...who else's hair can do that?
2.  We get the bangin'-est twist outs ever.  Hands down. 
1.  It's a labor of love, and anything worth having is worth fighting for.  -YB

Andre Walker is a natural hair care product hawker now? SMH.

Lo and behold....Oprah's kink-hating hairstylist has decided to make himself a few bucks by jumping on the natural hair care bandwagon....Why all the vitriol, you ask?  Well, let me refresh your memory. Back in 2011, Mr. Walker was quoted as saying (and I swear I'm not making this up):

"I always recommend embracing your natural texture. Kinky hair can have limited styling options; that’s the only hair type that I suggest altering with professional relaxing." 

Okay, kinkies - put down your samurai swords, and nunchucks.  He was dealt with....The backlash was swift and brutal.  So much so, he tried to back-pedal with the following cringe-worthy explanation:

"It is a fact that kinky hair (my Type 4 definition) is extremely fragile and breaks easily. Even when you are very careful, something as simple as combing can break this texture. It is very difficult to achieve a longer length when the hair breaks, even with simple combing. That being said, there is the style option of wearing braids, dreads, or twists, which allows the hair to grow longer because it is combed less often. Another style choice is to simply wear a shorter cut, which is very attractive on some women but just not right for others.

So when I say to embrace your natural texture, but consider relaxing kinky hair, am I contradicting myself? I don’t think so! You see, even relaxed hair can still be worn naturally. If you want a natural look, but find that your kinky hair is difficult to manage, breaks too easily, lacks shine and luster, and limits your preferred styling options, I say feel free to consider a mild chemical relaxer, sometimes called a texturizer, that eases your hair to a more manageable texture and allows you to Make Peace With Your Hair.”

 This new natural hair care line is set to launch in July, boasting sulfate-free shampoo, moisturizing conditioners, "Beautiful Kinks" (gag) styling crèmes, and a host of other products.  Now I suppose he sees an opportunity to make some cash off the girls he trashed.  I won't be spending my dollars on Mr. Walker's line. Will you? -YB

 

 

 

Length Check: April 1st, 2013!! [VIDEO]

It's length check day!  Hooray! I had major issues with knots and split ends recently (see Fairy Knot Slayer part II), so I had to chop, chop, chop! Kinks were flying everywhere!!  That was a couple of months ago. My hair is on the road to recover. Check out my 1st official length check video posted to my youtube channel - 4cKinkyHairRocks.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW51YQ84sys

I would have posted the video directly to this entry, but Youtube is messing with me.  The thumbnail is ATROCIOUS!!!  Cross-eyed, snaggle puss and all that.   #SorryFolks  - YB

Hats! A Natural Girl's Best Friend! [VIDEO]

I wear hats, headwraps, and scarves all the time.  Head coverings are a wonderful addition to any natural's hair regimen.  Hats protect us from wind, sun, cold, and other elements that conspire to dry out and break our hair.

There are a myriad of options out there for head gear.  I put together a little video to share just a few of my faves.  Enjoy!
 - YB

What's with the Shade, Ms. Wendy??

I do like Wendy Williams.  I don't love her, but I do like her a lot. She makes me laugh.  She's even made me shed a tear or two.   It kind of annoys me that she uses her platform to bash people who have decided to take their hair to a natural place.  Look, there's nothing wrong with wigs, weaves, and perms, if that's your thing.....but I think it is extremely rude, and very irresponsible  to use your bully pulpit to slam people for WEARING THE HAIR THEY WERE BORN WITH!!!  I mean, if you're not into it, don't do it.  But don't shade us with your hater-ade, please.

I can totally understand why Derek J is not down with it.  Perms and weaves are his bread and butter.  The brother's got to eat, so of course he is not going to advocate women taking control of their own hair destiny.  It hurts his bottom line....but Wen-dissima??  No excuses, boo.

You don't have to love us, but please don't hurt us!

-YB

Of Coarse not.

I really, truly, and honestly hate the term coarse.  Mainly because I'm not entirely sure I know what it means.  And I know, nobody else is entirely sure what it means either.  It's just lame!  Does it mean thick?  Individually thick?  Collectively thick?   Does it mean kinky?  Does it mean unmanageable? I have no idea, and neither do you.

Some people would consider my hair coarse...but my hair is fine.  Extremely fine.  But it's also super kinky.  WTF?  We need to stop using the word. I am putting a moratorium on the term. You won't ever find it on this blog. 

CUT TO: ME TOTALLY REFERRING TO SOMEONE'S HAIR AS COARSE.

Please, put me on blast if I ever do.  Real talk.

-YB

This! - Fairy Knot Slayer part II

I had managed to retain a bit of length with my natural 4c kinks....(After almost 2 decades of being natural, I finally figured out that I actually need to take care of my hair to make it grow!)

 

 

 

But that didn't last long.  I had to chop 2-3 inches off in order to get ahead of the fairies.  SMH.

 

 

 



 

 

But don't you cry for me, Argentina.  That mini-chop was like a kick in the pants.  I am more determined than ever to nurture these kink'defied locks, and hit Rapunzel status.  I can do it.  You can do!

- YB

Fairy Knot Slayer!

So, I don't even need to tell you guys about the dreaded single strand knot...aka SSK aka Fairy Knots aka pain in my kinky arse..  They are truly the bane of my existence!  I follow all the rules.  I wash in sections, I detangle regularly, I style my hair protectively, I sleep w/ a satin cap and pillow case for good measure, I keep my hands out of my hair, I moisturize like a champ...  And all for naught!  Those damn fairies keep climbing in my hair, and tying all those pesky knots. 

It is extremely frustrating to do everything right, and still end up cutting my hair off because the knots won't cease and desist.  What can be done?  The sad truth is it's just a consequence of having kinky textured hair.  No matter how hard you try, you will never be totally rid of the SSKs.  However, our friends over at Natural Hair Rules have some tips on SSK reduction.
http://www.naturalhairrules.com/10-tips-for-preventing-one-strand-knots/

It order to reduce the amount of cutting I have to do, I resort to a method commonly known as S&D or search and destroy.  The idea is to go through your hair section by section, and strand by strand, seek out the offending knots, and snip them of.   Yes, it takes for bloody ever, but if you're interested in retaining length, it's the only way to go.

Happy snipping, Kinkies!

-YB

We're bringing kinky back!

Well....we're actually not bringing kinky back.  Kinky never went anywhere.  It's been here all along.  I guess we're shining a light on super kinky hair.  We have been trolling the forums, and hair blogs for quite some time now....and there seems to be a recurring theme....4c hair doesn't really exist.  Really??  It's easy for someone who doesn't have 4c hair to claim it doesn't exist.  Trust me - 4c has been growing out of this head for 30+ years, so there is no doubt in my mind of it's imminent existence.

We decided to start this blog to share our trials and tribulations navigating our natural hair journey...truthfully, I'm not a fan of the term journey.  It's a bit too touchy feely for me.  I feel like this is more of a mission.  A mission to grow  4c hair long, and strong.  A mission to spread the message that 4c hair is not a curse, but rather a blessing.  We name this mission 'Opertion Rapunzel'.

Who's with me?

- YB