Ah, Mother’s Day. It’s the day set aside to especially honor and celebrate our mothers and the influence they’ve had on our lives. A plethora of poems, a quantity of quotes, a trove of tributes will inundate the internet… enough to make you shed a tear, then roll your eyes. Tons of mushy gushy, lovey dovey, happy sappy mama moments… enough to make you gasp with emotion, then gag with exasperation. With that said, let’s do a bit of our own maternal monumentalization! But you know how we do… I mean, we Pick Fros and Pop Collars around this joint! So we gotta do it kinky style and acknowledge our natural hair, and our mamas, of course.
So, I started thinking back to that moment when I told my mom that I wanted to go natural. As my mother, I knew she would support me no matter what. But I also knew she would tell me her honest opinion. What I did not know, was that she was going to say something crazy! She said: [click to continue…]
What if I told you Elgin Lumpkin aka Ginuwine currently has a YouTube video tutorial on how he creates his famous 90′s hair? And that it details how he strategically places the groups of hair around his temples in half circles, and brings it down to his side burns in creative curly q shapes?
Ok, ok. Close YouTube right now! You can search all you want but it’s not there! Would you still have laughed if it was another famous person? Say, Janet Jackson or Tyra Banks or Rozonda Thomas aka Chilli? Because they also sport what is unofficially termed as BABY HAIR, along with a host of other famous… and non-famous folks. Oh, and there are also multiple YouTube tutorials on how to style baby hair. You can definitely search and find those.
Is this “styling” just another form of trying to mimic the appearance of, gasp… GOOD HAIR? Hold up, you know what i mean. Not actual good hair, but the most common perception of good hair… straight, silky, smooth, blah, blah, blah. Everyone has shorter hairs around their temples and nape. And depending on the curl of your hair, that short hair may curl up or lay down flat. Now how much sense does it make if the rest of your hair is tightly coiled, yet somehow [click to continue…]
“My 8 year old daughter is a diva. I admit she gets it from me, but not in a bad way. She just loves her natural hair as much as I love mine. I’m so happy about this because I didn’t love my hair as a child. Like me, she wants to wear it out but between playground dirt, sticky hands and just plain breakage from wrestling with her brother, I’m not sure this is the best idea. I’d like for her to enjoy her hair but not at the expense of breakage! Any tips you can give?”
Little girls just wanna have fun, too! Styling your daughters hair down and out can be a fun experience for her… whether it’s for a special occasion, or a regular school day. Switching things up every now and then can be a good thing…even if it means a slightly longer detangling session!
Got a minute? Well, that’s about all the time a mama usually has to get herself ready and presentable before heading out the door. Here’s the typical scenario: After getting the mini(s) ready, you have T-minus 5 minutes to do SOMETHING to pretty yourself and your beautiful natural hair before you’re officially running late. What to do? Here are 5 simple things you can do that each take 5 minutes or less. Taking these quick steps should help keep you from getting those stares of pity while out in public… you know, that “poor mama, she must be exhausted” look. (While that might be true, it doesn’t mean you have to LOOK like it!)
There are many mamas who pull off that five minute look effortlessly. What’s their secret? Less a slew of personal assistants and a magic wand it’s really just time management and not forgetting that mama needs to look good too. When mama looks good so does everyone else, right? Halle berry makes this effortless chic thing look so easy, and I’m here to tell you as a natural-haired mom of two myself, it can sometimes be a battle, but I think I’ve finally got that five minutes to pretty thing down pact. So check out my five minute countdown to fly and just for fun, I’ve included a few tips for primping your daughter in a flash too!
“I know how to keep my natural hair soft, but how do you keep your skin supple during pregnancy?”
With my next little one soon to arrive, though keeping my natural hair and fashion on point, I’ve also been really conscious of my physical figure…trying to enjoy the way my body has transformed to create this human being. I’ve been mindful of my skin as well. I am amazed at how each week I feel like I can’t stretch any more, and then I do. It’s amazing! I did not get stretch marks with my first child and I’m hoping I’m just as lucky this time around. But if not, oh well… I mean, I grew a whole baby for goodness sake!
But, wouldn’t it be awesome if you could PREVENT getting stretch marks during pregnancy? Unfortunately, research has shown that you can’t really prevent them. It’s like you’re predestined…some will, some won’t. Booo. Of course, there are many factors that increase your chances of getting them during pregnancy, like abnormal rapid weight gain and carrying multiples; the whole point is that you can’t really do much about it.
But any woman who has been pregnant knows there’s much more to fear than just stretch marks. Wow, really?!? Um, yeah. There’s dry skin, itchy skin, hyperpigmentation, acne, etc. And you wonder where the pregnancy glow comes from? Ha! While some symptoms, like hyperpigmentation and acne should fade after delivery, other symptoms like dry and itchy skin can remain.
I’ve compiled a just a few of my own tips to help keep your pregnancy skin soft and supple so click through for my top 4 tips on babying your skin during your pregnancy.[click to continue…]
“My daughter is 4 and very tender-headed (although not sure she is any more difficult than any other 4 year old). Through the years I have taught myself how to braid and twist but now since she is older she won’t sit. I wash her hair once a month and co wash it usually every other week. I use water and conditioner as a detangler and it helps a little. The braids stay in for a couple of weeks. During hair care, I try to make it into a game, watch movies, let her play in hair stuff, come her barbie head, give her lots of breaks. Any tips are very much appreciated? Also, know of any how to sites to learn more easy styles for her?” – Sharla
Hey girl, I feel your pain! And speaking of pain, don’t fret about your daughter being tender-headed. Turns out, a tender head is a common issue and it typically sticks with a person into adulthood. It sounds like you are doing your best to be gentle, which is the best thing you can do (short of giving her a shot of local anesthesia during hair styling sessions)! Also, it sounds like your problem may be more of a restless 4-yr old (very typical), rather than a child in pain from hair combing. All of the things you’ve listed to try and make those sessions easier are really great, so keep doing them! Here are a few more things you can try out, a few I currently do with my own toddler girl and a few I’ve heard about.
First, let’s address making combing your little one’s natural hair easier: [click to continue…]
Ok I’m about to come at you from a different angle than may have previously been offered here in the natural hair community…and to the topic at hand, my answer is simple: Who am *I* to judge? From circumcision to ear piercing to nail painting – a few things, of purely cosmetic nature, that parents [...]
Oh Baby! is a series that covers many aspects of being a natural mom from natural hair care for moms and their natural brood to home life, fashion and style. Got questions? We’ve got “expert” answers from natural moms and hair stylist to help keep you one Haute Mama! Submit your motherhood natural hair and [...]
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