Touch-Up Tuesdays

Hello everyone and welcome to a special day I like to call Touch-Up Tuesdays. You all know how it is out there if you have to deal with natural hair or locs; you retwist your hair one day and three days later your hair is puffy, dry, and looks like you have not even tried to take care of it. If you have locs, the last thing you want to do is retwist them every week.That is the quickest and surest way to either break them off and/or over-stress your scalp. You should limit your retwists to once every month to a month and a half. I know it sounds like a long time but trust me, your scalp will thank you. The truth is that there are a lot of steps involved with maintaining your hair; locs especially. They require a lot of love, time, and attention. The big misconception with locs is that when you get them, you don't have to do much to keep them nice but that is a horrible lie. I love for my hair to look its best. That in turn makes me feel good and when I feel good I have a great day. You do not have to dedicate every morning or afternoon to your hair but you should also not neglect it either.

Touch-Up Tuesdays is the time when I give a little extra loving to my hair. Every Tuesday I wash, condition, and apply extra moisture to my locs. Water actually should be your best friend. It not only clean your scalp but it is a natural moisturizer that also aids in helping your hair loc up faster. Your hair gets curlier after it gets wet and when you can't comb the curls out, they sit, they mat up, and they loc and that's how you get dreads.When you wash and condition your hair, make sure you are not scrubbing your scalp to death. You do not want to ruff your locs up, you just want to clean your scalp. Apply your desired shampoos and conditioners and try not to produce too many suds. I personally prefer to use the Jamaican Mango and Lime products by African Pride which I order online but to each his own. I know this particular brand is also sold at just about any hair store too. So to continue, you want to gently let the water cascade through your hair until all the products are thoroughly washed out. Gently towel dry your hair and then apply hair oils or moisturizers. After you have applied your moisturizer, section your hair into 4 to 5 different ponytails using hair ties. Now you want to let your hair dry. You can let your hair air dry or you can use a hair dry. Of course the hair dry would be quicker but some people prefer not to apply any heat to their hair and that's fine also. I use a hooded hair dryer. This particular type of hair dryer is one that I bought from Walmart and it only set me back $40 bucks. I can plug it in, set it up on the counter, turn it on, adjust the heat, and sit back and allow my hair to dry while I sit underneath the hood. When your hair is dry, remove the hair ties, apply more oil as needed, and style as you wish. A hair oil that works wonders for natural hair is the Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair lotion by Organic Root Stimulator. I use it just about every other day and it makes my hair look nurtured and healthy without looking overly greasy. If you have the time, I recommend checking out a blog entitled Healthy Scalp Healthy Locs. They have an extensive list of products, tips, and videos that I feel are very beneficial to individuals with locs. Please chime in below and tell me what moisturizers you prefer to use as well as how you touch-up your natural hair. Thanks for reading and good luck!!!

Photo Credit: Mercedes Jones

A New Season....A New Look

                                Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jesuscm/3027665964/

As fall quickly approaches, the leaves begin their annual change of color and they fall from their trees. As these vibrant and colorful creations hit the ground, the wind happens to sweep some them up in the air and they end up mixed with new piles of leaves with even more vibrant colors. It is truly a beautiful sight to behold. The picture above paints a scene that many people are quite familiar with. The trees begin to die, the weather gets a little colder, and we dress up in warmer jackets or hoodies and we go out to enjoy all the beauty that fall has to offer. The air gets dryer and we take longer walks across bridges and down streets. Que the singing birds, the cups of hot chocolate, and numerous pairs of leg warmers and UGG boots.

It is true that the fall season really does brings many changes but because we have anticipated this particular event, when it comes we are fully prepared for it.... or so we believe. Sure we have our rakes and leaf blowers and our various outdoor planned events but for many people who have decided to go natural and loc up their hair, fall may not hold as much wonder and grandeur as it would with the next person. With colder and dryer air comes frizzy and duller hair. Remember it, write it down, take a picture, and commit that to memory. No, but all jokes aside, dry and dull locs are a big no no for us women and men who want to look our best all year round. Luckily for you guys, there is no need to stress because you have me now. I have been through many fall seasons and I now what products that are best to use and will give your hair the moisture and shine that you are looking for this season. So sit back, enjoy the scenery, and don't stress. This particular disaster is going to be officially averted. Hey, while you're at it, the fall season is also a great time to change up your hair color or add one. Companies such as Garnier Nutrisse and Revlon are two great name brands that offer a wide variety of colors that you can look into. After all, there is nothing like a new color on your locs to get you even more in the mood for fall. I recommend trying colors like strawberry blonde, burnt orange, various shades of red, and auburn. You'll really end up making a statement this year. So below please share a story about your previous fall season hair woes and a new hair color that you feel would just make your hair pop this time of year.

Introduction

Hello World,
My name is Mercedes Jones and this is officially my first blog. When I was a junior in high school back in 2012, I underwent the dreaded "Big Chop" but I actually loved it. I wore a short Afro for a while and when I was a senior, I decided to dye the ends of my hair myself. I loved the freedom of being able to wake up, roll out of bed, and get my day started without having to stress about my hair. Those were the good days. After I graduated in 2013 and went off to college, I started to have problems again. My hair was getting longer and the dyes that I was subjecting my ends to were actually causing my hair to become drier and drier. I then began my journey of trying to find the best hair care products out there that would rectify my situation and surprisingly I came across some fabulous products. I went through a lot of bad ones first before I discovered my holy grail but it was a leaning experience. After wearing my Afro for a year, I decided to loc up my hair. It was a very long process. I cried many nights and laughed many days but through it all, I accepted my hair for what it was and I embraced my natural. I have had locs now for two and a half years and they are growing like weeds. I maintain them myself and I am constantly on the look out for the best new wonder products on the market. My wish for all you viewers is that you will be able to browse my blog, pick up new and interesting tips on natural hair care products, and become natural hair and loc savvy also. I have a feeling that this will be the start of one heck of an adventure. Thank you all for giving me a chance and hopefully I can help turn our natural hair woes into natural hair miracles.