Dear My Fellow African American Youth,

Now is the time, today is the day to STAND UP ....but not fight . No cussing , no angry twitter/ instagram post. We must stray away from what is expected. We must continue what they fear the most, our intelligence. The people who are killing our generation are  not afraid of us and what we can do to them physically. They are afraid of us doing and being what was always intended. They are afraid of us having degrees, becoming presidents, being their doctors and lawyers ..having children with their children. The people who are killing us are afraid of our progress. Now is the time that we stay in school and we earn those positions in power so that eventually justice WILL be served. We can fight back today but that isn't going to stop another young black male or female from being gunned down tomorrow. We need to understand that it is up to us as black youth to work twice as hard to get to where we need to be so that these senseless killings will not be a factor in our future; we won't have to fear our own children to come being gunned down because they "thought" he or she had a weapon. Justice will be served but it starts with us. 

Forget #TeamNatural or #TeamRelaxed ! Here are my tips for #TeamHEALTHYhair 


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                                                                                                                                                                    So what exactly is Natural and Relaxed hair ?

Relaxed hair is the chemical processing of your hair using a cream that makes your hair permanently straight. Many Black women relaxed their hair so that their hair is a lot more manageable and it is also more accepted as a professional hair style for Black women.

Natural hair is your hair in it natural state and texture. No chemicals are used to stimulate the texture of your hair. African American women's typical natural state of hair can be described as"course" or kinky. In the past few year it has been a huge trend for Black women to get back to their roots , their natural hair roots that is and go natural. Many women have cut their hair short cutting off all relaxed ends . This process is called "The Big Chop". Women are also doing something called" transitioning" which means they are choosing to grow there hair out without cutting and relaxing their hair in hopes of eventually being fully natural.
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The Controversy      

With the going natural trend on a rise. There is now a strong natural hair community. Not all, but some of the natural hair community has been known to bash women who are still relaxed saying that they are ashamed of their roots . Women who are still relaxed are also known to bash women who have gone natural claiming that they look "nappy".

My Thoughts        

I am currently 4 months post relaxer and am on a healthy hair journey. I am not opposed to relaxers nor do I think Black women need relaxers. As black women, the fact that our hair is so versatile is a blessing. Being relaxed or natural I feel is purely a preference. Instead of bashing one another lets focus on how we can ALL achieve healthy hair  :)

TIPS !

1. MOISTURE- every hair type (relaxed or natural) requires moisture. Moisture helps our hair to feel and look healthy. Moisture is also important for hair growth. Don't forget to moisturize ! Examples of moisturizers are Hair lotion, leave-in conditioners, curl defining creams etc

My favorite hair moisturizer: Cantu Shea Butter leave-in conditioner 

2. Drink PLENTY of water. Water hydrates your body and aides in all around health including Hair Health.

3. Cover your hair nightly with a silk or satin scarf and or cap. This will help preserve hair and especially edges.

3.Read the ingredients of every product used in your hair. Make sure the ingredients are hair loving for example- natural oils (coconut,jojoba,olive,grape seed,almond) instead of things that can weight down and dry out hair such as mineral oil and alcohols.

4. Regardless if you are natural or relaxed heat should be kept to a minimum. Heat is VERY damaging to the hair. Try using tools such as flexi rods that can give you beautiful curl without one ounce of heat and if heat is a must never use it without a great heat protector spray!

5. A natural oil. This is a very amazing product to use on our hair. My natural oil of choice is raw coconut oil sent from my family in Jamaica. Natural oils can be found in your local grocery store as well as some beauty supply stores.Our hair works amazingly with natural oils it's kinda hard for me to explain but using a light natural oil influences growth, moisture and repair to your hair. I LOVE IT .

6.Deer Conditioning- Deep conditioning once a week is great to maintain healthy and strong hair

Hair Vitamins

Hair vitamins such as Biotin and famous brands such as "Hairinfinity" are used to enhance hair growth. With using these be cautious, not everyone's the same. You may not get the same results as well as you body may react differently from the next person. However , these are great and help so much with healthy hair growth. When using these plenty of water is a MUST.

Conclusion  

My biggest tip is to HAVE PATIENCE cause our hair is beautiful and it does grow ! :) 

xoxokaneica

                                                                

How to achieve the "natural" look. 

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 Guess y'all don't know who this is. Rapper, Nicki Minaj has taken a new twist on her signature look. Transitioning from pink wigs, heavy make up and over the top accessories,shown in the photo below, to her natural hair, soft makeup and minimal add-on's to her clothing. Many , including myself, appreciates this side of Nicki. Young girls who look up to her will no longer feel the need to be over the top with their makeup to look like their favorite rapper.

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So how exactly do you achieve the" no make" makeup look? (SN: i am NOT a professional :))

Makeup is all about what looks great on YOU. Focus on what you need and are comfortable with.

If you happen to have any dark circle or blemishes, use a concealer as close to your skin tone as possible and put a layer over any problem areas. Using a concealer closer to your skin tone helps to give you the most natural even look. Once again using only ONE layer helps your make up not look "Cakey"  .

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Try to stay away from foundation ! foundation is amazing for special occasions but for everyday, foundation can be the one factor of your makeup that causes you to not look "natural". If a concealer is not enough to cover anything  you feel is a problem area on your face instead of adding foundation seek a lighter option. Couple lighter options include a tinted moisturizer, bb cream or even a gel or water based foundation. 

Okay so you may be thinking that liquid isn't your thing , You're a powder girl ! So how do you look natural by just using a powder foundation ? Powder foundations are the easiest to become cakey and look like you have makeup up on because the powder may not sink into your pours as easy as liquid make up. No worries ! With powder foundation , really with any foundation, I suggest you getting one professional picked out for you at your local department store. It is important that you find a powder that blends really well and matches your skin tone very well. My trick to achieving a natural look using a powder is to apply wet. Whether or not you are using a compact sponge or cosmetic brush just apply a little water or a setting spray for example MAC's fix plus or ELF's mist and setting spray. This will help the powder melt right into your skin !

Ladies , there is NOTHING wrong with wearing makeup everyday. Just make sure your make up doesn't cover the real you. When you look in the mirror with or without your makeup on your view of yourself should never change. Don't ever forget you ARE beautiful.photo cred

xoxokaneica