Maya Angelou. Image from Short-Haircut.com
My grey hairs breathe life,
speak truth, temper youth, deny
beauty myths, are gifts.
-db
Happy Sunday! Happy Writing! Happy Living!
Grey hairs…
Category: Natural Hair
Daily Blogging & Writing Fearlessly
On Via Fori Imperiali (May 2015)
I’m almost certain that many writers spend time thinking about how to write more, why they aren’t writing more, when they can write more, if they should write more, if they can write more. I’m no exception.
Lately, I’ve been writing, but not publicly. I have an awful tendency to stop writing because I believe I have nothing of interest/importance to state–usually, that translates into “I feel like crap about myself in the world.” I recognize that writing about true feelings/thoughts not filtered through psychobabble scares the living daylights out of me. Seriously.
It is a scary thing just to write “I feel…” and not add something about Freud or CBT or DBT immediately before or after it. What would it mean to simply state my feelings, my thoughts unfiltered, uninhibited in my own little virtual space? Who knows. This, however, is the starting point.
It’s a promise to myself. Every morning, I will write something, anything on this little blog of mine. It may interest you. It may bore you to tears. The point, however, is that I am writing what is honest/authentic/true for me. I hope you’ll continue to give me your support.
Also, I an starting a health journey daily vlog upon my return to the US. It will run from May 25-August 15, and will be tracking my progress with taking better care of my overall (but mostly physical) health, including diet, exercise, hair, skin, etc. I am really ready to commit to a healthy vegan and natural lifestyle, and I would like to document that process. So, wish me good fortune on that as well.
Sometimes it’s when we are about to experience enormous change that we truly recognize the direction in which we are heading.
Until Tomorrow,
D.
Vlog | “Wash & Go” for 4C Hair / Il “Wash & Go” per I Capelli Ricci Afro 4C
I got it together to begin posting videos again. This one is on the “Wash & Go” style. I have made both an English version and an Italian version. 🙂
Although an easy go-to style, the “Wash & Go” isn’t one that I would recommend wearing often as it leads to knots/tangles. The idea of the style is to be able to wash your hair, add some products, and get out the door.
In most cases, one of the main products used for this style is gel–I’m just not about that particular life. So, I opted for KeraCare‘s Twist & Define Cream instead. It worked well for my hair, and left my hair feeling soft.
For the washing portion of the “Wash & Go”, I used KeraCare’s Cleansing Cream (shampoo) and my usual Garnier Fructis conditioner Fall Fight. As a leave-in, I used KeraCare’s aptly named Leave-In Conditioner.
KeraCare: Cleansing Cream, Leave-in Conditioner, and Twist & Define Cream. Click to visit their site.
Curious to see how my “Wash & Go” turned out? Watch either video below! 🙂 And if you could, please visit my YouTube channel to like this video and subscribe!
Until Next Time!
D.
English Version
La Versione Italiana
4c Natural Hair: Bantu Knot-Out with KeraCare Products (Rome Off the Beaten Path)
So, I finally put together my first natural hair video. 🙂 Product line featured: KeraCare.
Specifically, I used the KeraCare Leave In Conditioner, Essential Oils and Twist & Define Cream to do single strand twist Bantu knots. The result was soft curls, and even softer hair.
I’ll be upfront and you’ll see in the video, the only product that I bought was the Leave In Conditioner, which I consider to be expensive (I tend to be really frugal)–but I decided that I really needed a leave-in.
The total cost of the Leave In Conditioner was 18.90€. The rest of the products were samples that I received from the store–Lucky!! 🙂
I tend not to buy commercial styling products. Hair cleansing products, such as shampoo and conditioner, I go with Garnier Fructis line (price range: 2-3€).
Otherwise, I buy my oils (price range: 3-6€): extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, argan oil (tends to be expensive); and create a little mix with that.
Also, I tend to leave my hair alone, i.e. I don’t style it often to manipulate the natural curls I have. As the title states, I have 4c hair, which is delicate and is best not to over manipulate. So, generally, I keep it in a protective style and call it a day. 😉
KeraCare in Rome:
Astri Beauty Shop & Salon,Via Giovanni Giolitti 93/95
KeraCare Online:
Travel | Nappytalia: Una Comunità Per Le Ragazze Con I Capelli “Nappy”
Image from Nappytalia’s Facebook. Click to Visit.
Non è spesso che scrivo in italiano. Quindi, certamente farò un mucchio di errori. Vi prego, mi scusate.
La settimana scorsa era la prima volta che ho sentito che esiste una comunità in Italia per le donne afro-italiane che hanno i capelli naturali (anche detto “nappy”). Sicuramente, ero (sono) felice perché mi sembra spesso che la maggior parte d’informazione per la cura dei capelli naturali sia scritta o fatta in inglese, cioè via blog o vlog…comunque, avevo sbagliato.
Nappytalia è fondata un anno fa da Evelyne Sarah Afaawua, una ragazza afro-italiana. La comunità è, prima di tutto, un blog, però si può trovarla su Facebook, twitter, Instagram e YouTube. Anche penso che ci siano i meetup informali e formali, ma non sono sicura.
alla prossima volta,
D.
Logo of NappyTalia. Click to visit their site. (In Italian)
Vlogger: Zipporah G teaches how to make Indonesian Jamu Juice (www.shedoesliving.com)
We’ve been having extremely rainy days in Rome lately. The sky is grey, everything is wet, and I feel permanently cold. As a result of all this, I’ve found myself under the weather more often than not. In other words, it’s winter. So, I’ve been on the hunt for natural ways to improve my immune system.
Zipporah G. Image from http://www.shedoesliving.com. Click to visit.
The other day I stumbled upon YouTube travel vlogger Zipporah G, a Londoner who is now living in Bangkok. She also has a blog: http://www.shedoesliving.com (and you can find her on twitter and Instagram @shedoesliving).
Beyond the awesome footage that she shares about her travels, she also focuses on healthy foods, and provides recipes. The video below is just one of those recipes that can give you a big pick me up when you are feeling down. It’s yummy!
Thanks, Zipporah!
Natural Hair | Let’s Talk: My Nappy Naps Hair Journey (Type 4C)
Not too long ago, I posted about where to buy hair products for afro-textured hair in Rome. Today, I thought I would share a little about my hair.
I began wearing my hair in its natural state in 1997. I kept it in braids (extensions) for two years while allowing it to naturally loc.
Thereafter, from October 1999 to October 2013, I wore my hair in dre’d loc’s. Until November 2010, I wore them hip/waist length. As an act of mourning, I cut them to chin length.
For a long while I thought about removing them completely, and continued to cut them to chin/shoulder length. Finally in October 2013, I sat down with a bottle of conditioner, a pair of scissors, and a random comb leftover from a relationship.
It’s strange: although I’ve worn my hair natural for so many years, having my hair in a loose instead of loc’ed state really freaked me out. I didn’t know what to do with my hair. I felt panicked and self-conscious.
Another thing: I didn’t just cut off my loc’s and call it a day. I unraveled them, which was a terribly frustrating but freeing experience. Also, at the end of the process, my hair was different lengths all over–and I decided to keep it that way.
My lengths varied between 3-5 inches. I cut my hair a bit more just before the summer to take care of some parts that seemed to be damaged. Now, my lengths range between 7-9 inches.
So, why have I told you all this?
Well, because I’ve decided to learn how to style my loose hair properly, rather than relying on braids or my usual hair wraps (not that I’m going to stop wearing my hair wraps).
What will I share?
How I take care of my imperfectly perfect hair: products I like (commercial and homemade/natural), styles, and lessons learned.
Perhaps it will be useful or interesting for someone out there. Either way, it will help me embrace a new understanding of myself. 🙂
Until Tomorrow?
D.
Toward the within... 