a year’s worth of growin’!
Omisade writes:
What a difference a year makes, right? For me, being natural is not
hard. 22 years in, I feel like a G for sure—on most days. Cutting my
hair is not hard, but navigating my hair through the transition of that
“in between” stage can suck. Especially now that the texture and flow of
my hair seems different since I am totally gray and 2 years from 50.
Gray hair is ORNERY! It’s dry, wiry, strong and pretty much likes to
free style on a regular. Finding the “right’ product and being willing to
switch up my regimen has been key. Here’s some things that have helped
me.
hard. 22 years in, I feel like a G for sure—on most days. Cutting my
hair is not hard, but navigating my hair through the transition of that
“in between” stage can suck. Especially now that the texture and flow of
my hair seems different since I am totally gray and 2 years from 50.
Gray hair is ORNERY! It’s dry, wiry, strong and pretty much likes to
free style on a regular. Finding the “right’ product and being willing to
switch up my regimen has been key. Here’s some things that have helped
me.
This ain’t yo mama’s gray hair….
There
are a bunch of products for “silver” hair that turn your hair that old
church lady bluish purple (not a good look unless that’s how you get
down). I prefer to use products that are “sulfate free”. I like to wash
my hair with Pantene products because they have a range and they are
sulfate free. I have also found that if I don’t moisturize my hair—I
have a swirl of little platinum tuffs everywhere. Before I wash my hair,
I rinse it in the shower with warm water, co-wash and then wash with
shampoo. It seems to make my hair so much more softer and manageable. I
like Creme of Nature conditioners (the one with the Moroccan Argon oil
in it) and Cantu. Coconut oil is my Frank’s Hot Sauce, I put that ish on
EVERYTHING! I seal my hair when it is still wet and that also seems to
help with the proverbial dryness. I am also a big fan of Oyin Handmade
Burnt Sugar Pomade. You only need a little and it smells so good.
are a bunch of products for “silver” hair that turn your hair that old
church lady bluish purple (not a good look unless that’s how you get
down). I prefer to use products that are “sulfate free”. I like to wash
my hair with Pantene products because they have a range and they are
sulfate free. I have also found that if I don’t moisturize my hair—I
have a swirl of little platinum tuffs everywhere. Before I wash my hair,
I rinse it in the shower with warm water, co-wash and then wash with
shampoo. It seems to make my hair so much more softer and manageable. I
like Creme of Nature conditioners (the one with the Moroccan Argon oil
in it) and Cantu. Coconut oil is my Frank’s Hot Sauce, I put that ish on
EVERYTHING! I seal my hair when it is still wet and that also seems to
help with the proverbial dryness. I am also a big fan of Oyin Handmade
Burnt Sugar Pomade. You only need a little and it smells so good.
So this bobbie pin, a scarf and a gele walked in a bar…
Real
talk, the transition from a taper to a fuller fro has required some
straight up trickery! I keeps an arsenal in my car for any given hair
catastrophe. When I was initially growing it out, it was too short on
the sides to pull up into a puff so I would use bobby pins to create a
faux hawk. Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel saves the day every time. I would
also give into days when my hair was clearly in charge and just “wrap it
up B’. African Geles are my safe guard. I wear them for cultural and
spiritual reasons and they have so much utility in addition to looking
amazing. Now that the the hair is longer, I like to either pull it up
into an awesome chunky puff, create a funky up do/protective style with
bobbie pins leaving the front out or use my African fabric and pull some
hair out in the front for a funky bang. I am looking forward to the top
knot which was my go to syle when I had locs.
talk, the transition from a taper to a fuller fro has required some
straight up trickery! I keeps an arsenal in my car for any given hair
catastrophe. When I was initially growing it out, it was too short on
the sides to pull up into a puff so I would use bobby pins to create a
faux hawk. Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel saves the day every time. I would
also give into days when my hair was clearly in charge and just “wrap it
up B’. African Geles are my safe guard. I wear them for cultural and
spiritual reasons and they have so much utility in addition to looking
amazing. Now that the the hair is longer, I like to either pull it up
into an awesome chunky puff, create a funky up do/protective style with
bobbie pins leaving the front out or use my African fabric and pull some
hair out in the front for a funky bang. I am looking forward to the top
knot which was my go to syle when I had locs.
Be wild and free…
The
last thing I would say, is that I am lazy when it comes to my hair
routine. People assume that I do so much, but I really only do a few
things that work for me. I don’t like to wrap my hair at night every
night. I like to sleep. I also don’t like to twist my hair every
night…I like to sleep. So, sometimes, I just, go to sleep and when I
get up in the morning, my hair is doing whatever it is going to do that
day. If I like the organic free flow I see in the mirror, I go with it. A
little coconut oil (cuzzzzz I put hat ISH on everything!) and I am out
the door!
last thing I would say, is that I am lazy when it comes to my hair
routine. People assume that I do so much, but I really only do a few
things that work for me. I don’t like to wrap my hair at night every
night. I like to sleep. I also don’t like to twist my hair every
night…I like to sleep. So, sometimes, I just, go to sleep and when I
get up in the morning, my hair is doing whatever it is going to do that
day. If I like the organic free flow I see in the mirror, I go with it. A
little coconut oil (cuzzzzz I put hat ISH on everything!) and I am out
the door!
Hope this is helpful!
