So. About two weeks ago, I did something very brave (and quite comparable to a brief moment of insanity due to the season), and shaved about three quarters of my head into a tapered fade with loads of length on top, at the hands of the only person I will let touch my hair, Weena of Studio Nana.

In a city full of perms (some lustrous, others broken off) and weaves (top-notch and disaster zone-ish), keeping my hair natural has been a marker and a stress. Winters are extremely harsh, and summers were excessively drying. Weena sat me down and took care of all of that. Before cutting my hair, she really flattened my hair on the sides for the effect and patted my scalp to make sure I didn't have any lumps (a real fear of mine). After the cut, she even went through a few style options and recommended not only a few products to achieve them BUT ALSO WHERE TO BUY THEM. Every time I go to get my hair done by her, I feel like I'm being well taken care of, which is essential when I've heard of some salons putting perm or texturizer in the hair of naturals without their consent. It might mean going to the other side of the island, but trust me it's worth it.

Right now I'm working with the Queen Helene Cholesterol Conditioner and ApHogee Two-Step Protein treatment alongside the same companies Balancing Moisturizer for some serious restoration and TLC. I like how after I towel blot my hair and apply the moisturizer, my hair has got a good bit of slip without becoming damp, a great factor as I can also use it after my hair has unraveled. I used to use the Eco Styler Olive Oil gel for twist/braid outs and curl defining, but I've since then picked up Organic Root Stimulator's Smooth-N-Hold pudding, which gives just enough hold for a well defined twist/braid out without the super kinked look.

Labels: personal