Product Reviews!!

Hey Naturals,

Woah! It has been quite some time since I've blogged! Major apologies! I had a months worth of writer's block back in July & then I was bombarded with the new school year & adjusting to life in an apartment. But now that I'm settled into things, I decided to squeeze in this post as school work consumes my life. Anywho, before I left home to return to school, I went to my favorite beauty supply shop & bought a whole bunch of products. Let me start off by saying that this is very unlike me. I am by no means a product junkie or product user in general. I like to keep things simple & I also like to save money, so usually coconut oil, cheap conditioner & cantu shea butter leave in are the only things that you'll find in my bathroom. However, because I was heading back to school & I didn't know when the next time that I would be able to make a journey over to the beauty supply store, I stocked up on some new products. The four products that I'm going to be talking about are Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-in Conditioning Cream, Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream, Beautiful Textures Curl Control Defining Pudding & Jamiaca Mango & Lime Locking Gel

1.  Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-in Conditioning Cream- Okay so technically this one did not come from the hair store. I was at Kroger one day & decided to give this a try. At first I was a little apprehensive about spending my money on this product, because I wasn't sure how well it would work on more coiled curly hair. But I am an avid user of Garnier conditioner products & I love the way that they smell so I took the chance. I've also read about many coily-curlies  using this product on various natural hair sites so I figured that I would get good results. As of now, I'm not completely satisfied with this product. I will say that my hair stopped being "frizzy" as advertised, but my curl definition went away when I used the product. :( However, I've only used it after I misted my hair with water for a fake wash & go. I've yet to try it out on a twist out though, so maybe I'll find better results. 
2. Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream- OMG! I love love love this product. If you are ever doing a twist/braid out, this is the product to use. On Friday night, I put this into soaking wet hair after a wash & go and sealed with coconut oil.  I had THE BEST curl definition ever. Then last night, I washed my hair, put the curly curl cream into my damp hair, sealed with coconut oil & braided my hair. This morning I woke up to an amazing braid out. What I like about this product is that it's really thick, but not too thick in that it doesn't build up on my strands. The majority of the products that I put into my hair are the consistency of lotion, which I don't feel is thick enough to really moisturize my strands & penetrate the hair follicles. This product, on the other hand, is much thicker than my normal cantu shea butter. However, it's still light enough that it doesn't weigh my hair down & flatten out my curls. I would def recommend this for newly naturals. Plus it smells really good! I feel like it would be a good product for people who are just beginning to wear their hair in it's natural state and are trying to establish a curl pattern. This will definitely be one of my go-to products!
3. Beautiful Textures Curl Control Defining Pudding- I must say that I'm not completely thrilled with this product. I've only used it a couple of times: once for a twist out & a couple of times on hair misted with water. It leaves a filmy layer on my hair that makes my hair feel really dry. As of now I'll stick to using my Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream until it runs out. lol
4. And last but not least  Jamaica Mango & Lime Locking Gel- So you're probably wondering, why locking gel? Am I locking up my hair? Nope! Trust me, I've considered it...multiple times. But knowing how OCD I am with my hair, I will want to shave them off as soon as they start to take. But for my non-dreaded hair, I love using locking gel as a gel for my bun days. And when I start to get really busy with my class, my bun days become everyday. Yes, I've used EcoStyler gel and I really like it. However, when I use it on a daily basis, it begins to build up on my hair. It's also difficult to wash it out using just conditioner (I prefer co-washes only). The locking gel's hold is just as good as any other gel, leaves my hair looking smooth instead of stiff and it doesn't build up on my hair! It also doesn't dread my hair (for anyone that's wondering haha!)

I can't guarantee that I'll be blogging as often as I had this summer, but I promise to try to update it as often as I can. But for now...

Keep it natural,

Jackie

What To Eat To Grow Healthy Hair

Hey Naturals,

Back when I was taking
care of my hair. 

Apologies for not blogging in nearly two weeks. I have had blogger's block (you know, like writer's block but for bloggers) for the past two weeks. So a couple of posts back I talked about how my goal for this summer was to keep my hair in protective hairstyles for the majority of the summer. Well that has been a complete FAIL. I was good for about two weeks. I kept my hair in twists & put my twists into a bun similar to the one on the left. But eventually after having my hair out for one night I got completely lazy & I haven't done anything with my hair since....literally. *Gross Warning* I mean I even went to the beach & didn't wash my hair until two days later when my scalp was itching. The past two weeks have consisted of an eco styler gelled up bun which I have yet to detangle. I took my hair down today to wear it out & I found several large knots. Needless to say I am ecstatic about washing it tomorrow -____-  

My hair today= a mess

        But anywho, let's get to the point. Since my hair goals for this summer have been a complete failure, I've been focusing on other things. About two weeks ago I decided that I need to lose weight. I've had several hundred (haha) failed attempts at doing so, but this time I'd say I'm pretty adamant about it. I'm doing a metabolism boosting workout regimen that I read in Self magazine. I do 100-150 minutes of moderate/high intensity cardio per week (I've been alternating between Zumba & the ellipticals). Then I also do a resistance circuit with 4-8 toning exercises 2-3 times a week. Along with my exercise plan, I've been trying to eat healthier & I only drink water and one cup of orange juice to take my vitamins. In the process of trying to eat healthy I've been searching for things to eat to make my hair grow. One of the hardest things about eating healthy for me is that fact that I'm allergic to a lot of healthy things. Nuts, sesame seeds, celery, bananas, asparagus, swiss cheese, the list goes on and on. A lot of the things that I'm allergic to are perfect snacks for someone that's trying to shed a couple of pounds... or trying to grow their hair out. Needless to say, I had my work cut out for me when searching for healthy hair growing snacks. Here are some of the things that I found that are allergen free (for me at least) & healthy:

1. Protein Rich Foods: Because your hair is made of protein, you want to eat foods which are rich in proteins. For stronger hair follicles eat these foods: lean meats, poultry (turkey & chicken), fish, beans, lentils, low-fat yogurt and chickpeas.
2. Iron rich foods: Iron is one of the most important nutrients for hair growth. Iron contains hemoglobin, a protein that allows for your blood to carry oxygen to the root of the scalp. Iron intake in particular is a challenge for me. I am anemic & I often forget to take my vitamins. Thus it's really important that I eat foods rich in iron. Foods rich in iron include raisins, dark vegetables & many of the other foods on this list.
3. Vitamin C: Vitamin C helpts the body to absorb iron (thus the reason why I drink orange juice with my vitamins). It is also responsible for the  growth of collagen and thus the prevention of split ends. Citrus fruits & strawberries are packed with Vitamin C.
4. Vitamin B-12 & Folate (produces folate acid)- These vitamins are responsible for manufacturing red blood cells that transport iron. Cereal & eggs are rich in vitamin B-12 & Folate.
5. Salmon/Flax Seeds: Salmon & Flax Seeds are rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are crucial for scalp health and prevent hair from becoming dry & brittle.
6. Vitamin A & C: Dark vegetables, such as collard greens & spinach, contain vitamins A & C. These vitamins are crucial to the production of sebum, the oily substance released by the hair follicles which act as a natural conditioner. Dark green vegetables are also good sources of calcium & iron. Carrots are also a good source of Vitamin A. 
7. Beans: Legumes, such as kidney beans & lentils, are some of the greatest foods for hair care. They are rich in proteins and are also a great source of iron, zinc & biotin. Biotin prevents the hair from becoming brittle, while zinc prevents the hair from shedding. 
8. Nuts (for those who aren't allergic like me): Cashews, almonds & pecans are great sources of zinc. While walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. Brazil nuts also contain selenium, which is vital for scalp health.
9. Don't skip breakfast! Breakfast, in particular cereal, provides some of the most needed nutrition to hair follicles due to the time of day. Cereal (and anything with whole grains) has zinc,  iron and B vitamins & is often infused with many other types of vitamins. By eating cereal for breakfast, the follicles are assisted in sending nutrients to the scalp and growth is stimulated. Double the amount of hair benefits by eating your cereal with low fat milk or yogurt. Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium. They also contain whey and casein which are two high-quality protein sources.  Don't feel like eating cereal? Grab an egg! Everyone knows that eggs are one of the best sources of protein. Did you also know that eggs are also a great source of biotin & vitamin B-12?
10. Vitamin E: Found in cereals, vegetables and fruit, Vitamin E improves scalp circulation and stimulates hair growth.
11. Avoid Caffeine Like the Plague: Although soda is tempting & every Southern girl was raised on sweet tea, do not drink tea/soda with caffeine. Caffeine prevents the body from absorbing iron, thus preventing the circulation of oxygen to the scalp!

By eating these foods, you can bet that your hair will grow healthy in no time.

Keep it natural,

Jackie

Keep Up With Naturally Jackie

Hey Naturals,

I should have done this a long time ago, but as my boo/future husband Drake would say, "Better late than never, but never late is better." Anyway, take a peek at the right panel of my blog.
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I've added some new ways that you can keep up with NaturallyJackie. If you have a google/blogger account do me a favor & hit the join this site button. Any new posts will be added to your blogger feed. Also, if you'd prefer to have my posts sent to your e-mail, send me your e-mail in the box below. Whatever you choose, keep reading & make sure to tell all your natural friends about NaturallyJackie (:

Keep It Natural,

Jackie

Finger Detangling

Hey Naturals,

Over the past two summers I've devoted my time to trying new things with my hair. During the school year I am so loaded down with homework/work that my is often neglected. Two summers ago I was testing the water and experimenting with my natural hair texture. Last summer I went cold turkey & didn't put any heat in it for 6 months while I learned how to manage my hair. Now that I have what I think is a good handle of caring for my hair, I'm learning to "fine tune" certain aspects of my hair care routine. During my past two washes, I have experimented with finger detangling.

As usual before I tell you about what I'm doing now, let me catch you up on what I had been doing. Usually I hop into the shower and 1. Depending on how much product I've used I wash with a sulfate free shampoo. 2. Condition my hair with TRESemme Moisture Rich, Vitamin E Conditioner. 3. Detangle with Aussie Moist Conditioner and/or Herbal Essences Hello Hydration using a wide tooth comb. This usually takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on how well I've managed my hair before the wash (in other words depending on if I have or have not let my hair go to the point where I look like the love child of Amy Winehouse & Bob Marley. Yikes!)

However, the last two times that I washed my hair I finger detangled before hopping into the shower. I separated my hair into about 12 sections (My hair is super thick so I do many sections. However, 6-8 sections should suffice.) Next I sprayed each section with water from a spray bottle (I got mine for $0.99 at Walmart. Look in the travel cosmetics section or check the dollar store.). Next I saturated my hair with Aussie Moist conditioner before beginning to finger detangle. I worked my way up from the bottom, just as I would when  using a comb. What I found was that it was easier to find the tangles in  my hair when using my fingers. A comb simply drags the tangles further down the strand of hair causing other strands to tangle up along the way, but when using my fingers I could stop the tangles before they worsened. It took me about an hour and a half to finger detangle. Keep in mind that I was watching the X-games with my brother & doing odd tasks in between. However, I think that even if I hadn't been taking breaks it still would have taken me longer to finger detangle. After detangling I hopped into the shower, shampooed, did a hot oil treatment & lightly conditioned, before hopping out of the shower and moisturizing. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue finger detangling in the future. That's a huge investment of time, especially for in the future where studying is a must. Do you finger detangle? Tell me about it in the box below!

Keep it Natural,

Jackie

Sweet Summertime: Protection Tips for the Warm Weather

In my opinion, summer is the best season of the year...but it can also be a very dangerous one for our hair. Excessive chlorine and sun exposure can be very damaging to our hair and we often don't even think about protecting our hair from it. However, it is crucial that we care for our hair during the time when we are most exposed. Here are some tips for keeping your hair safe during summer!

Sun Damage: 

When protecting your hair from the sun, remember that there are two types of rays which are harmful to our hair. 1. Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays can penetrate deep into the cortex, affecting the strength and elasticity of your hair. UVA rays can distort the pigmentation of your hair, altering your hair's natural color. In addition UVA rays can burn the hair cuticles causing hair to become brittle and dry. 2. UVB rays also penetrate the cortex, causing dry hair. 

How Sunscreen Can Protect Your Hair

Many sunscreens contain ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which protecting the hair by reflecting the sun rather than absorbing it.Other ingredients such as Avobenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate absorb ultraviolet light and prevent it from reaching your hair. In order to determine how long a sunscreen will protect you, use this SPF calculator. 

What to protect your hair with:

1. L'Oreal EverPure UV Protect Spray 

2. Banana Boat Quick Dry Sport Body & Scalp

Chlorine Damage:

What I look forward to most during the summer is swimming. When I was little I would swim and swim and swim and swim until I was sure that fins would grow out of my back! Even though I love to swim, I have had first hand experience with hair damage as a result of exposure to chlorine (ex: my texturized hair falling out :( ).  I know that a lot of naturals wouldn't dare dip their precious fro under water. But what the heck, Y.O.L.O. right? If you dare to be different like me, here are some quick tips for protecting your hair from the chlorine:

1.  Soak your hair in non-chlorinated water before hopping into the pool. Your hair will absorb less chlorine if it has already absorbed the non-chlorinated water. 

2. Even taking care of your hair before the pool will not prevent ALL chlorine damage. So afterwards make sure to hop in the shower and wash any chlorine out with a sulfate free shampoo. Then follow up with a deep conditioning treatment to restore any lost moisture.

My Beach Hair Routine:

My Hair After I Co-washed & took out the braids

Rocking the Twist-Out at Tybee Island

Front view of my hair after
washing & retwisting

Side view of my hair after washing & retwisting

So last weekend I went to Beaufort SC & this weekend a group of my friends and I went to Tybee Island. Whenever I hit the beach I put my hair up into twists/braids and leave it in while I'm swimming. When I get back to the hotel I co-wash (conditioner wash) my hair while it's still in the twists/braids & take it out before I go to dinner! If I'm going to the beach again the next day, I'll put five to six mini twists/braids on the crown of my head for definition & 5 to 6 chunky braids in the back. BTW beach hair= the best hair. Something about the perfect amount of humidity gives the hair the right amount of Va-Va-Voooooooom.

Keep it natural,

Jackie :)

To twist or not to twist

Hey Naturals,

Rocking the twists
 at the age of 5! 

I've always been a big fan of braid outs. Braid outs stretch my hair while also giving my fro a different sort of definition. However, there are so many naturalistas that swear by twist outs and love what they do to their hair. So for the past two weeks I have been testing out my own twist outs and let me tell ya all about what I discovered. To begin with I should probably explain why I've always strayed away from twist outs. The very first time that I tried a twist out I didn't like the way that my hair seemed to slip out of the twists. It was almost as if my hair was too soft to handle them. But I knew that this wasn't so because back in the day when Momma Lynn was in charge of my hair I rocked the twists on a daily basis...and I was the cutest kid in kindergarten. haha! I mean check me out! haha. Anywho, after several failed attempts at a successful twist out, I completely gave up hope of rocking the twist out that so many naturals do.

After about a year of hopelessness, I decided to try the twist out once again. Quite frankly, I'm sick of detangling this fro, but I'm a broke college student that does not want to/can't afford $300 microbraids. In addition, my go to look is a gelled up sleek bun. I use ecostyler gel & smooth the hair back with a soft bristled brush, but this daily routine can be very damaging to your hair. My hair is beginning to thin around my crown. I also sleep with my hair in a pineapple. The tension from the rubber bands was causing the hair on the side that I sleep on to thin out as well. What really made me decide to try the twist out again was this article that I read on curlynikki.com (I'm currently going through an obsession with her/her blog). While reading over Curly Nikki's hair care routine, I learned that she keeps her hair in twists the majority of the time and only takes it out once a week for "when she wants to get cute."

I decided to try out her routine for myself. I  did my first twist out this past weekend.. This worked out perfectly because we went to the beach on Saturday. I don't like leaving my fro loose when I hit the beach. When I saturate my hair in water and leave it loose without detangling, my hair curls on top of curls and my hair is left in a matted mess. I twisted my hair on Friday night. On Saturday, I left my hair in twists and washed it on that night. Then I removed the twists and  stretched the roots with a blow dryer for church on Sunday. What I found was perfect definition at the crown of my head. I call this my "problem area" because that is where my hair is the straightest (3b). It makes a loose curl pattern when wet, but dries straight. When I was first experimenting with my hair in it's natural state, I thought that this was the result of excessive heat damage, but I later learned that the straight hair was just my natural texture. The center of my head has the curliest hair(3c), while the back is kinkier mix of 3c/4a hair. (For a further explanation of hair types, click here.) I found that the twist out added extra definition to that 3b section of hair by stretching the hair, but keeping it coiled (rather than solely stretching it like a braid-out would do).

I was so happy with the results that I decided to retwist my hair and I'm leaving them in for the week. Right now I have about 12 twists in. Before twisting I misted my hair with a water/conditioner mist, rubbed some Giovanni Direct Leave-in on the hair, and then sealed with coconut oil. I will take them out on Saturday after I go to the beach again :) For now I pull them up into a bun...similar to how I was wearing my hair before minus the gel and tight hair bands. I'm finding that my roots kink up so quickly in the twists though. I've found that they don't stay nearly as neat as when I braid my hair. I want to style them but they look so fuzzy that I fear you won't be able to see the style. haha! So if you know any tips about how to keep them neat, please add a comment in the box below! I'm desperate!

Last thing, I promise! No more ridiculously long posts after this! Last summer my goal was to go the duration of the summer without flat ironing my hair & I ended up going 6 months completely natural. I decided that leaving my hair in twists is going to be my mission for Summer 2012. Wish me luck! What are your natural goals for Summer '12?

Keep it Natural,

Jackie

A Message to a Friend

Hey Naturals,


So today a friend of mine posted the following on my wall on facebook:


I was wondering if you could talk about the actual price ($$) of going natural. I have not had a relaxer since March of last year and I still have not worn my afro out because I do not know what it is going to do and I do not understand all of the steps that go into maintaining it. Plus I'm scared that i will look crazy cause my hair isn't as long as I want it to be yet. It has taken me 2 years to find the right regimen for my weave and how to best maintain it. I do not want to spend that long trying to find what works best for my natural hair and I would hate to damage it more and risk having to start all the way over again.  I'm also debating if I actually want to wear my natural hair out opposed to sew-ins because I spend a crap ton of money ($2-400) on a sew in that will only last for 2 months or so. And Im never sure if my real hair is getting damaged in the process because I cant actually moisturize my hair the way it should be without the weave looking greasy.


 I will admit that I was a little overwhelmed because I didn't know exactly how to address her questions. I could see that she was obviously frustrated with her hair & I wasn't sure if I could find the right words to calm her fears. But when I sat in front of my laptop, the answers seemed to just come easily. I hope that some of y'all will find my response useful as well & if you feel as if you can add to my response or even answer better, please comment below! 

My response: 

             This is definitely a tough bunch of questions. Let me start off by saying that I've never had a relaxer so to say. When I was in the third grade I had a texturizer (a weaker version of a perm). In fact the texturizer made my hair even harder to manage than before. It left my hair in 983245987345 more textures than I already had. I mean I had big sections that were chemically dead straight and other sections that were kinky & curly. To make matters worse, I swam EVERY day in a chlorinated pool. As a 7/8 year old, I knew nothing about the damaging effects of combining chlorine with the sodium hydroxide in a relaxer. Because all my white friends could swim in the pool without a swim cap, I thought I was "invincible" and could do the same. Well to make a long story short, in less than two years my hair went from being several inches above my rear end to an inch below my ear lobe. Needless to say it was not a good look. 

                  As far as your sew-ins are concerned, I think that it's smart that you're leaving your hair in sew-ins while you are growing out your hair. I grew my hair back in a way similar to how you're doing it. I kept my hair in micro braids from the time I was in fourth grade to the time that I was in 9th grade. Boy did it make a difference! My hair grew back faster, longer and stronger. Then halfway through the 9th grade I was introduced to the flat iron & the damage, although not as severe, returned. You will find that your hair will grow much faster in a sew-in because you are not manipulating it on a daily basis. & don't worry about not moisturizing it like you would when your hair is loose in an afro. The main reason that you have to moisturize so often with an afro or a loose natural hairstyle is because more moisture escapes your hair as it is exposed to different environments throughout the day. But because your hair is protected in a sew-in, not as much moisture will escape. Just make sure to moisturize any hair left loose on top of your head to cover up the tracks. If you feel that you are spending too much money on sew-ins, I completely understand. However, do realize that the extra money spent on sew-ins will be worth the rate that your hair grows. Your hair may suffer a little bit of damage from the tugging and tension that a sew-in puts on your hair, but compare that to the damage that a perm can cause...

              When concerning the price of being natural, I think that there is a major problem if you are spending more money as a natural than you were when relaxed. So don't be concerned about the price, because I can guarantee that it won't be as much as your sew-ins. Going natural is all about trial & erorr so as a beginner you'll probably find that this is when you'll spend the most money. But as you find products that you like & as you discover what works best for your hair, you'll see that you won't be spending so much money. My advice is to find a friend who is natural & swap items. If you buy a conditioner that doesn't work out, swap it with something that she doesn't want and it's a win-win situation for both of y'all. Don't be shy...I can guarantee you that everyone has something sitting around in their bathroom that they no longer use on their hair. Or just ask your friend for a sample of her favorite hair product & if you like it buy yourself some! Some of my staple hair products started out as a little sample in a plastic bag that I borrowed from a friend. Also don't be so quick to toss out some of the products that you used when your hair was relaxed. They may still work just as well natural. My suggestion is that you start cheap & work your way up as far as prices go for products. The first natural hair products that  I used were Suave products. They work just as well as anything else (don't believe the myth that "certain products don't work on black hair"). Plus, you can't beat the $2 price. Or if you really don't wanna spend a lot of money, head straight to the kitchen. lol. You'd be surprised how many household cooking items work just as well in your hair. (ex: apple cider vinegar for a clarifying shampoo, honey & mayo for conditioner & olive oil/coconut oil for a leave in). But if you're not too comfortable with that and buying products seems more simple/safe, choose to spend the most money on your conditioners/leave-in. They are most valuable to the growth and maintenance of your hair. A friend of mine suggested that you also try Shea Moisture or Giovanni products, which she gets from target. They run from $8-$10. (For specific products that I use refer to some of my past posts. They are categorized by labels to the left). But your natural hair care routine should never put a dent in your wallet!

             As far as wearing  your afro for the first time, I always remind my friends who worry about how they will look that this is the hair that God blessed you with and it is beautiful no matter what shape, length or texture. That's the most important thing to remember when wearing your hair loose. Also, always remember that you wear your hair natural for YOU, not anyone else. In that case forget what anyone has to say about your hair. The hardest part about going natural is taking that first step out in public with your new hair. But trust me, you're going to be surprised at how many people admire rather than despise your hair. You'll feel silly for worrying so much! My suggestion is to wear it loose around the house for the first couple of days & experiment to find a style that you feel most confident with. Then if you're still not feeling too confident when you find the style that you like, wear it somewhere in public but not around too many people. For example the first time that I rocked my hair in public was on a walk at a park with my neighbor. I told my mom that, "I'm just gonna do it" and walked out the house without a hair band. My neighbor loved it & I enjoyed the attention from others. You'll find that each time it gets easier. I actually find it amusing to see how people react to my hair. Some people look amazed while other people look at me like they've never seen a black girl with natural hair before! It's hilarious if you ask me. This may sound contradictory, but the most important thing to remember is that YOU have to feel confident in your hair. When you exude confidence, others will sense that & in my opinion confidence is what makes you beautiful, not your hair.

             Finally, I know that it seems overwhelming to have to start all over again and create a new natural hair care regimen. But like I said before, trial & error is the only way to develop your own personal natural hair care routine & you'll never know what your hair is capable of until you try. Perhaps you can rock your fro for a couple of months & switch back to a sew-in for a couple of months until you feel that you've got a handle on managing your hair. My suggestion is to peruse through YouTube, other natural hair blogs, and natural community facebook pages.My favorites are curlynikki.com, naturallycurly.com & urbanbushbabes.com (but there are thousands of other sites as well).  There are sooooooooooooooooooooo many wonderful tips out there & so many girls/guys that are experiencing the same fears/emotions as you.   I created an account on YouTube & I add all of my favorite natural hair videos into a playlist and watch them OVER AND OVER. You'll find that each time you watch the video you'll learn something new...seriously. Don't be afraid to try new things. I always try new hairstyles on Saturdays (during the school year) or free days during the summer (just in case it doesn't turn out as planned). You'll see that with time it will get easier to manage your hair. Trust me, there are still times when I freak out because I still don't feel like I completely know what to do with my hair. Just remember that patience is a virtue (I think that expression was made to describe our hair haha!). With a little bit of patience & a little bit of time, you'll find that your hair isn't quite as frightening as it seems. 

I hope that this answers your questions & I have faith in your natural hair journey.

Keep it natural,

Jackie