Black Hair Mindset

As you start your healthy hair journey and for those of you already on a healthy hair journey for a minute, stop an think about your mindset about your hair and your children's hair. This journey is more than about finding the right product or technique to work for your hair. It is bigger than just retaining length and defining your curl pattern. I would say that 1/2 of your journey is a change in mindset towards your Afro textured hair. Most people do not give this part of their journey much thought if any thought. They just skip ahead lurking on hair boards for that one product or technique which will make their hair FABULOUS to them. Before you find that wonderful product mix or technique your mindset must already be that your hair is FABULOUS.

If you are honest, what are your thoughts towards your hair?  Does it bother you when I refer to black hair as Afro hair? Once while answering a question I made a reference to Afro hair, the lady who asked the question responded by stating, that her hair is curly not Afro textured. I explained to her that when I say Afro hair I am referring to black peoples hair. I use the terms interchangeably. If your hair can puff out into an Afro then that is Afro hair. And since I was standing in front of her, I could see that she did indeed have Afro hair, with a looser curl pattern. All Afro hair is curly, with degrees of curls. But she thought her hair was separate from Afro hair, that was her mindset about black hair. Mind you the lady was a black person with Afro texture hair. We all have a particular  mindset about black hair. Have you ever said or thought these things about your hair or about your children's hair?

"My hair is rough"

"My hair is so nappy I am tempted to go back to the creamy crack!"

"My son has a nice grade of hair, but my daughter, I have never seen hair so kinky."

"My hair is to nappy to do a wash and go."

"Boy go get the brush so I can brush your nappy pappy hair!"

"Girl I need a touch up my roots feel rough."

"Sorry but I just can't deal with my nappy hair!"

" Yea she can use that, because she has that good hair, but this stuff on my head, will not cooperate!"

"I just cannot get my natural hair to look presentable!"

Do any of these statement sound close to what you have said to someone or thought to yourself? Most of these are very common phrases and adjectives we use to describe our black Afro hair. We consistently call our hair: nappy, kinky, rough, woolly, unruly and much more. We do not need any other group to talk about us because we do a good job of that ourselves. But do you ever expect your hair to be beautiful if you continue to call it ugly names, every name except what it truly is, coily/curly. When you call your hair kinky or nappy you are saying that your hair is something odd or abnormal. These two words are not nice words to describe such a glorious gift from God. If you keep saying your hair is rough and cloudy and needs to be tamed, then that is what your hair will be. You have what you say, so your hair continues to act in the manner in which you refer to it. Then you become frustrated and go back to chemicals while carrying a sign which says, "Natural hair is not for everybody."  You have become a self fulfilling prophecy, by the way you spoke in reference to your Afro crown. Now you have ventured back into the world of the creamy crack.

The Healthy Hair Equation

25%  The "right" Products

25%  The "right" Techniques

50% Individual (positive) mindset

=100% success (longer stronger hair)

In which area do you lack?

I separate the natural hair journey into 3 parts: 1/4 products, 1/4 technique and 1/2 individual mindset. If your mindset is not right towards your God given natural coil or curl, then you will defeat your journey by the words you speak and the negative thought patterns you repeat. Start today and be honest with yourself about your hair and how you feel about it. Be honest about your hair goals and desires. Start keeping a hair journal and for one week write down every thought good or bad you think about your hair. After one week, read back over what you have written and ask yourself why do you think you feel the way you do about your hair. Meditate on what has happened in your life to make you think this way about your beautiful crown. For example some people hate shrinkage and constantly let people know it. Well it is not that they actually "hate" shrinkage they just do not like having the appearance of short hair. But if they keep repeating a though pattern of "I hate my curl pattern because it shrinks so much, I wish I had a looser curl pattern with less shrinkage", their hair will never grow and flourish for them because they think so negatively towards it. As a matter of fact I know some women the more they complained about shrinkage the more their hair would shrink. All you have to know is that short hair is a season, treat it right create positive thoughts and in no time your hair will hang on your shoulders and past it. Do not waste time with negative thoughts about your hair, when you hair does not have to stay that way, it will grow. In the meantime enhance it with some same texture hair extensions so you can see longer hair and start to feel better. Enhance it do not cover it up.  This change in hairstyle will change your mindset when you look in the mirror and in a short time you will no longer need to enhance your length with extensions, your natural coily/curly hair will be long enough to have lots of hang time.

All natural two strand twist out

Grow hair fast using the New Moon Phase (revised)

 
Do you know that if you trim your hair in the new moon phase

when the moon is waxing that it will make your hair grow back two to three times faster? Yes, the moon has a major impact on hair growth! I know the concept of cutting your hair to stimulate growth is a concept that does not make sense to some of you reading this, however in life not everything will make sense to you, but that is no evidence that it will not work for you. You cannot lean to your own understanding, sometimes just accept and believe by faith that a thing is true and that it will work for you. The concept of using the moon phases to create increase is not a new one, since biblical times man has used the moon to tell them when to plant, trim and fertilize. The same concept which farmers use to reap a bountiful crop can also be applied to increase hair growth and thickness.

Testing the method

I put this method to the test on August 17th, I trimmed my hair all over taking off around 1/2 inch, but from my bang I cut 2 whole inches. I cut so much because I wanted to clearly, be able to see and measure with accuracy any hair growth I incurred after my cut. On August 17th my bang measured 11 inches, I cut off 2 inches which left my bang at 9 inches. I wrote down my notes in a hair journal then  I continued the CoilyQueens haircare regimen as I always do. My first length check occurred on September 1st, at which time my bang still measured 9 inches, of course I was somewhat disappointed, but it had only been 13 days since my cut. I did my next length check on September 22nd and to my delight,  my bang measured at 1 and 3/4 of an inch! My hair grew almost 2 inches in 35 days. Delightful an amazing! 

August 17th, bangs cut to 9 inches

Measurements taken 9/22/13 almost 2 inches in 35 days!

How to cut your hair to increase the length and thickness using the New Moon phase

New moon equals increase growth. In order to increase your hair growth rate and thickness you must cut your hair during the new moon phase, when the moon is increasing into a full moon. Do a search for a lunar calendar and mark the day you are in a new moon, it maybe different days according to where you live. You want to mark the days in advance when the new moon is increasing toward a full moon. This may sound more difficult than it actually is, you can find websites that will tell you when your area is in the new moon phase and waxing. You want to cut your hair around the last 3 eligible days as the new moon is increasing into a full moon. You can trim a little or a lot, the amount of hair you cut has no bearing on the amount of growth you may receive. 

Dates revised on 12/03

Trying to make it easy for you!

After receiving feedback from some of you, I realize that different sites have conflicting suggested days in which you can cut your hair to increase growth. So I did  more research and compared days amongst  3 different websites. There is one date which all three websites agree on and that date is December 9th. Two of the websites  agreed on December 14th.

• Farmers Almanac

• Lunaf Moon Phase

I used the Moon Phase calendar, in combination with my spiritual discernment, and selected the best days you can cut your hair to increase your hair growth. Remember you want to schedule your hair cuts after the new moon phase, as it is increasing into a full moon. Next full moon is December 17th.

Best days to cut for December 2013:

4th (capricorn)

5th (capricorn)

8th (pisces)

9th (pisces)

10th (pisces)

14th (taurus)

 

Will you try the New Moon method?  

If so, please leave a comment below, and list the day you chose to do your cut, how much you cut and how much your hair grew after 35 plus days. Your hair may take longer to see growth than mines did, so the 35 days is just a generalization. It seems timing it just right does take accuracy. But done right you will be amazed by your results. Nothing to buy or do daily besides taking care of  your hair by having a good haircare regimen. Need help with your regimen? Regimen help here.

So there you have it ladies my hair growth secret! 

Before you go please subscribe to this website, once you subscribe you can then leave a comment below and I will respond to your question. Being subscribed also makes your eligible for free hair coaching.  

The number one way to retain all your hair growth

Kinky Twists extensions

If  you are on a healthy hair journey and browse any of the hair forums,  then you have seen the term "protective style" used very frequently. Many women will put on a lace front wig and say they are protective styling; I guess this is better than saying you are wearing a wig. So you may wonder what is protective styling and what is its purpose?  Protective styling is a term which was made up by the online natural hair community. Just like hair typing (by Andre Walker) the natural hair community took hold of it and it stuck. A protective style is any style in which your hair is protected from daily manipulation, for over a period of time. 

Sew in with front left loose

When your hair is protected from the day to day manipulation over a period of 3 weeks or more, then you will retain most of the length you gained during that period. Many argue, within the natural hair community, that your ends must be tucked and secured to qualify as a protective style. Truth is there are different levels of protecting anything, think about birth control. Truth is this term, since it is a made up term, it leaves the definition of it opened to interpretation. So you are left to practice protective styling as you desire. There are ways you get better results from "protective styling".  These suggestions you want to strongly consider if you goal is healthier hair.

Better results from your protective style:

Secure and tuck your ends from any type of manipulation.

Keep your protective style for 3 weeks at least.

Do not keep your protective style longer than 8 weeks.

Cleanse your scalp while protective styling

Be sure your hair is well moisturized before doing a protective style

Moisturize hair while in the protective style

If your protective style covers your scalp, such as a wig, be sure to allow your scalp to breath daily.

A better way to retain all  your hair growth

"Coily Queens No Contact styling"

Over 20 years ago, I made up the term "no contact styling", this was around the time I realized how much not combing your hair daily will grow your hair. I had been wearing braid extensions for over 7 years at the time, and the extensions allowed me to keep most of my hair growth. So when people would ask me, whenever I wore my hair out, how did I grow it, I would say by wearing "no contact" styles, like braids or weaves.  Now the no contact styling, is only one part of the equation, in growing your hair to great lengths, but it is a very important part. 

My favorite "no contact" style kinky twists

What is "no contact styling"?  

Styling your hair in a way that you have no contact with your hair strands, for a period of  2 to 8 weeks. You only have contact with your scalp. Having contact with the scalp is essential to no contact styling. The "no contact" refers to the hair strands only.

Can you give some examples of  "No contact styling"?

Any style using extension hair to cover your own hair such as: box braids, kinky twists, a full sew in or your natural hair cornrowed down to stay for 2 weeks. So a sew in with just my front left out would not qualify as a "no contact style" because you will have daily contact with the front of your hair. This small thing does make a great difference, I wore a sew ins for over a year and I had  leave out because it looks more natural this way. When I decided to stop wearing the sew in, my leave out was 2 inches shorter than the rest of my hair. I did not overuse heat, nor treat the leave out harshly, but still just the little manipulation I did apply daily was enough to make a huge difference in the growth retention.

Prepping your hair for "no contact styling".

The prep part is very important and greatly affects your final results from the no contact styling. For steps on prepping your hair for no contact styling please see Miss Vee's Braid, Retain and Grow Method.

Start your 6 months "no contact" style challenge today and have beautiful long hair by Summer.

Remember the "no contact" only refers to the hair strands, you must still give care to your scalp by keeping it clean and lubricated for the best results. 

Leave your questions about "no contact styling" below. 
Thank you for reading and taking the time to stop by my site. 
Remember to subscribe to this blog so you can get all future updates.
Do the work and believe in yourself
Happy healthy hair growing.


 

Should I Shampoo or Co-wash my hair?

Co-washing: when you use conditioner to cleanse your hair in place of shampoo.

What is the purpose of co-washing instead of just shampooing the hair?
To try and cleanse the hair without drying it out in the process. Until recently, there were not a lot of non sulfate shampoos readily available to the consumer. Traditional shampoo has to many harsh chemicals in it, in particular sulfates, these sulfates dry your hair out. Sulfates not only clean but they strip all of the natural oils from the hair and leave most curly texture hair tangled.  For this reason many curly coily naturals turned to washing their hair with conditioner only. They found that using conditioner in the place of shampoo left the hair clean and moisturized.

Does conditioner clean the scalp good?
No, while some conditioners have a small amount of cleaning properties in them, they are not formulated to clean the hair. A conditioner is formulated to be applied to hair that has already been shampooed. Conditioner does not clean just as good or better than shampoo.

Is this a problem?
Yes it is because just like the rest of your body the hair needs to be cleansed properly and on a regular basis. Daily you accumulate dried sebum, salty sweat, dead skin cells, germs from your hands and hair tools, dirt and air pollutants on your hair. Conditioner alone will not remove all of this from your scalp. You need a product which is formulated for the purpose of cleaning the hair. Continuing to co-wash long term can lead to blocked hair follicles, scalp fungus and other scalp irritants. 

Well why do so many people continue to co-wash?
Because co-washing gives you immediate results and people love quick results. Co-washing does leave the hair very soft and way easier to untangle after cleansing. Also many do not know that their scalp is not being cleaned well when they conditioner wash, but once they read this article they will know. 

Shea Moisture shampoos are sulfate free

So if sulfates dry my hair out and conditioner washing does not clean my hair, what are my options?

Today you can easily walk into any beauty supply store, drug store or department store and find a bottle of non-sulfate shampoo. The hair companies have paid attention to the coily naturals and understand that many have figured out that sulfates are bad, bad, bad for the hair, so they stopped buying shampoo. Well now you have a variety of non sulfate shampoos available to choose from. For a few dollars more you can invest in a conditioning cleanser.

What is a conditioning cleanser?
This product is formulated with milder cleansing agents which are non sulfate. So they clean your hair and condition it in one step without drying your hair out. If it is a good conditioning cleanser you will not have to deep conditioner afterwards, thus saving you a step and cutting 45 minutes from your shampoo routine. The conditioning cleanser will give you the result of co washing, except it will cleanse your hair properly. If you suffer from very dry hair I recommend a conditioning cleanser over a non-sulfate shampoo.

Now you know what co-washing means and what it does and does not do. You know the importance of cleaning your scalp daily and what could potentially happen when the scalp is not properly cleansed. So now you decide for yourself which method would be good for you. You already have my recommendation. 
Healthy hair journey to you!


 

The Coily Queens Liquid Gold Hair Growth Challenge

Join Coily Queens for this spectacular informative hair growth challenge!

We combine the Coily Queens regimen with the wonderful proven results of the Liquid Gold hair growth oil and Beauty Vites Vitamins. If you have participated in other Coily Queens challenges, then you know there is no half stepping and you are not left alone in your hair despair.  All Coily Queens  challenges are very informative and produce great results, if you are willing to follow the suggested tips of the regimen.

Start  your hair growth journey now!

Longer & Stronger Hair Growth!

The Coily Queens Hair method is designed to reduce your tangles, eliminate your single strand knots, keep your hair moisturized for days, strengthen your hair strands so you can retain more hair growth and increase your slow hair growth. Now how could you not try a regimen which can produce all of these changes? Do not miss this amazing opportunity!

Healthy hair styles the best!

Challenge starts on October 20th
Challenge is ongoing you can join at anytime.

Where?
On facebook in facebook groups, so you must have a facebook account that shows your profile picture. If your picture is a character or blank your request will be denied.

What are the challenge rules?
Bring a positive attitude, no negativity is allowed whatsoever, if so, you will be deleted from the group quickly.
Must have a FB account with a profile picture of yourself.
Must actively participate and post at least once per week to remain in challenge.
Must be willing to try the Coily Queens regimen listed here on this site.
Must be actively using the suggested Liquid Gold products, during the challenge. (no substitutions no exceptions)

Products needed from Liquid Gold to participate in this hair growth challenge. 
Normal/oily hair:
Liquid Gold Hair growth oil (sulfur based) 9.95
Green Magic Hair Growth Cream: 13.95
Beauty Vites (hair, skin & nails) vitamins: 1 months supply 14.95
OR chose products for  Dry damaged hair:
Amaka Hair Oil (non sulfur based) 19.95
Whipped Ginger cream 7.95
Beauty Vites (HSN) vitamins: 1 month supply 14.95

These are the suggested products, the only ones you must have for this challenge are the Beauty Vites hair vitamins (which have almost the same ingredients as the Hairfinity vitamins) and your choice of hair growth oil. Pick b/n the Sulfur based growth oil or the Amaka (non-sulfur) hair oil.



Click this link If you want to participate you can sign up here now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1394288127471397/

Then quickly place your product order by following  the picture below and you will be directed to their webpage where you can see a detailed description of each product and the ingredients.

Hope to meet you in the challenge!


 CHALLENGE UPDATE:
As of Jan 18th we will have completed 3 cycles of this challenge. Each cycle is 4 weeks around 31 days. We started on October 20, 2013 and ladies are getting great results. Hair textures are being improved, moisture retention is better and ladies are getting 3/4 to one inch of new growth in 31 days. How you might ask? By combining a good regimen like the Coily Queens Regimen  with the very effective Liquid Gold   products. The sulfur oil is working wonders and the green magic cream is a hit. You still have time to join and start the New Year off right concerning your haircare.If you want to be apart of an informative positive group then join us and grow your hair long and strong.

CHALLENGE UPDATE: 9/2014
We are quickly approaching one year of doing this amazing easy hair growth challenge. The participants are consistent, loyal,  driven and focused! If you question whether the liquid gold sulfur oil and beauty vites make any difference, do not waste time asking that question anymore. I can tell you they do make a difference in your hair growth from the scalp per month. The best thing about these products is the price. Beauty costs sometimes but I do not believe in breaking the bank for the sake of beauty.  This challenge has enabled me to gain well over the normal rate of 6 inches per year. Absolutely amazing for my 4c fine hair strands.

JOIN TODAY SO YOU CAN FINISH OUT THE YEAR REACHING YOUR HAIR GROWTH GOALS!!!