Your Hair is YOUnique- Get to Know It

I have met those newly naturals who love their hair but don’t know much how to prove it to their crown….I have talked to those women having hair problems but can’t really tell you much about it…..I have received tons of emails and messages from natural women wanting to develop or reinforce their hair regimen. All of them with one common problem: they do not know their hair!

Your face is unique, your nails are unique, your body is unique and your hair is unique too.  That’s why it is crucial that you know your hair to be able to manage it, style it and make it grow to its fullest length. Let’s consider four factors in getting to know our hair.

1- Its type -Your hair has specific care and styling needs based on its texture, that’s why it is important to find your hair type. For more information, refer to my article about hair typing.  https://afroalice.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/decision-made-what-comes-next/

2- Its porosity– To retain length, to be healthy, your hair needs moisture.  Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture.  Your hair cuticle determines how easily moisture and oils penetrate and goes out of the hair.  Therefore, knowing your hair porosity helps you in choosing the proper products to keep your hair moisturized and healthy.  For information on determining your hair porosity, refer to this article. http://www.naturallycurly.com/texture-typing/hair-porosity

3- Its growth rate– The mistake a lot of women do is comparing their hair length with other same-age-hair pals.  This is not correct.  Hair growth is genetic and is also affected by external factors like care, environment, situation and etc.  Knowing your OWN growth rate helps you stay away from the comparison and really know your OWN hair.  To calculate your hair growth, refer to this article. http://www.provenhairgrowth.net/hair-growth/rates

4- Its state– Getting to know your hair implies keeping track of its situation. When you know your hair state, you can better prevent damages, you can solve hair issues quicker and more efficiently and you avoid comparing your hair with others’.   Do you have dry hair? Do you have oily scalp? Do you currently have dandruffs? Do you have sensitive scalp?  Are you stressed?  Did you recently have a surgery? Do you live in a cold, humid or hot environment?  Do you work indoor or outdoor? How is your diet? Do you exercise?  Genetics? How do you care for it?  Your hair has a history and its state relies a lot on it. 

Get to know your hair, fall in love with it, treat it as unique (anyway it is).

 

Afro Alice Hebdo – Meet the Face Behind Opinion des Femmes

 Afro Alice has taken the time to interview a very remarkable figure in the Facebook haitian community, Rachel Misère.

 1- Tell me about yourself.

First of all, I am very honored to be interviewed by an awesome Fanm Vanyan like you, who is doing a great thing for the Haitian natural hair community. I am a servant of the highest God, I am simple yet I loathe mediocrity. I also like to help others and encourage them; in addition, I like to have fun and be inspired by everything and everyone. I like nature and try to be outdoors whenever I can.

Rachel Misère

 2- Tell me about Opinions des Femmes

I always had a passion to help women – Haitian women, and my people. I’ve worked with the Haitian Community. Therefore, I have seen and heard everything that is oppressing Haitian Women. I had an urge to do something about it so I ‘’ bat bouda’m, mwen leve pye’m ‘’ (dust my butt and get on my feet).  On October 5, 2012, a platform was created by me with an amazing, beautiful and strong team consisted of 5 Haitian women, hence Opinions de Femmes.  It is a community for Haitian Women to come and feel at home, it’s like a virtual home for my Fanm lakay to express themselves fully, to learn, to cry, to ASK for help, to enjoy life, to educate, to advocate, to encourage, finding solution, to support each other and learn new ways to live life to the fullest.

 3- Any upcoming project for Opinions des Femmes?

Yes, Opinions de Femmes is a ‘’ Lakou’’ in progress. We are still crawling yet we have BIG dreams for the future. We are working on creating a logo and a magazine; we hope to get an office based in Haiti and abroad where we want to create a community for women.  The rest shall remain a surprise!!!! Stay tuned ladies.

 4- How and when did you return natural?

After my hair got damaged by a perm in March 2008, I decided right away that keeping it natural was the best decision.  I cut my hair, the ends precisely, and braided it for the following years. My mom usually sends me Minoval for my roots and always advises me to wash it with Herbal essences, which I did for a while. However, I started taking care of my natural crown in September 2010; I have discovered the natural hair community then, and was grateful.

 5- How did people surrounding you react to this change?

I had a great support system during that time and still do. My parents are a big advocate for natural hair, my sister is a great cheerleader and most of my peers are natural as well, so the reaction was pretty positive.

 6- Who is your hairspiration?

My hair inspiration is my sister, I once saw a picture she had when she was natural, I was in awe ( she’s going back to natural now, thank God, probably after my constant winning for her to go back, 🙂 ),  she had a mega afro and that’s what I am striving for, a big and healthy afro.  My other hair inspiration is Jenell from Kinky Curly Coily Me, I’ve seen her hair grow from a TWA to shoulder length. 

 7- Who did support you?

My support was my family, close friends and the natural hair community. Other women with natural hair motivated me as well; it has become acceptable now to wear our hair freely and without judgment. Although, you are going to hear ignorant comments from ignorant individuals, when I see other natural women in the street, as soon as our eyes meet, we smile, it’s like to say ‘’I respect you ‘’ and that is an encouragement!

 8- What do you love about being natural?

Being natural gave me a boost of confidence to wear my hair the way it was created; it also encouraged me to wear more colors. It saves me money and help me embraced myself fully as a Haitian Women.  I like the fact that I can do various styles with it; I can wet it whenever and wherever, overall I like the relationship I have with my hair.

 9- What is your hair regimen?

My hair regimen consisted of washing it once a week, with a natural shampoo I purchase at Whole Foods called 365, and the great Tresemmé Naturals conditioner. Right after that I used the L.O.C (Liquid, Oil, Cream) method; I then spray my hair with oil, either Jojoba, almond or argan, afterward I seal it with the raw Shea butter.  During the week I sprayed my hair with a concoction of oil I made with water and oils; I added various oils, argan, avocado, jojoba, castor, and olive oil to keep my scalp moisturized because it gets dry often. It does wonders for my hair.

 10- What is your opinion on the natural hair revolution going on in the States and in Haiti?

My opinion is that I am more excited to see Haitian women wearing their hair natural, as you are aware, our community don’t appreciate’’ Fanm tèt grenn’’ and  I think it was a stronghold that needed to be fought and we are doing it peacefully and with class. So I encouraged any women going down that road to ignore the naysayers and wear your hair however you choose. More power to our Haitian Women. Enjoy your life ladies to the fullest and we at Opinions de femmes love you! Kenbe fèm, pa febli!

 11- A message to the natural hair community?

Enjoy yourself, be genuine, eat healthy, be patient, support one another and stay connected to your roots.

Afro Alice Hebdo- Versatile as Rebeca Gerlus…

Afro Alice is back with the interviews and this week, we are pleased to introduce you a fiery hot naturalista, FB page owner, poet, entrepreneur: Rebeca Gerlus.

Tell me about yourself.

Hello, my name is Rebeca Gerlus and I am a proud Haitian woman. I live in Haiti and am the founder and Chief Executive Office of Youth & Young Adults International Agency.
Aside from running the Agency, I truly live for fashion and everything artistic especially in the hair industry. I have always loved to do my hair, to rock different styles and be out of the norm when it came to it. I love to see diversity and love to imagine looks that will create a stare.

Versatile Hairstyles

How and when did you become natural?

Since the year 2008, I had been thinking of becoming natural. Back then, I was rocking my perm but was still doing a lot of funky looks. I realize that I wasn’t really the type to always wear a blow dry; I was becoming more bored with the look and was always doing curly looks. In the year 2010, Haiti was hit with a devastating Earthquake. I flew back to the States three weeks after the quake but I wanted to come back home. I felt that God had really done something good in our lives for everyone in my family survived except our uncle who passed away. My house did not crumble, so I felt extremely blessed, because of that I wanted to give God something I cherish incredibly. I LOVED my hair; I was very attached to it so I knew it would be the ultimate sacrifice. I decided to move back to Haiti and bought a plane ticket for March, a month before my departure; I took my scissors and cut off my hair. I was wearing braids and just cut my hair from it, I than went to the barber and had him fix it for me. A few days before my departure, I again went to another barber shop and had my hair faded. Truly it was one of the BEST cut I ever did! I felt so free, so renewed, so fresh, and so happy. It was a feeling I will never forget and till this day think it was the best cut I ever did.

How did people in your surroundings react to that change?

My family were a bit shock, they knew how attached I was to my hair but they didn’t say anything because my mother, sister and cousin were already natural. They all had transitioned so perhaps it was a shock to them the no hair thing but they are so used to my “in the moment” nature.

Tell us about Versatile Hairstyles.

My page Versatile Hairstyles was created once I noticed how so many people were truly enjoying my many looks. At first, to help me on my journey, I started to watch youtube videos, I watch many people but the very first one was prettydimples01. I watched her fervently and got inspired a lot! I then started to follow other youtubers but my inspiration came from within. I just let it flow with my hair, sometimes thinking of a style, doing it on my hair, seeing something from someone and creating my own version. I don’t like to wear what others have; I can see a style from someone and create my own that is what inspiration is to me. So truly youtube has been an ENORMOUS supporter! I learn extremely from other people talents. As I was doing my styles, I kept taking pics, and sharing them on albums on my personal Facebook page. When I was on my third album, I realize that it would be better to create a page, so I thought of a name, remembered someone post underneath one of my pictures saying how my hair was so versatile, there came the name J I name the page VERSATILE HAIRSTYLES because to me, my style is not limited to the natural look, its versatile, so it comprise any & everything we can do with our hair, accentuated with the natural look.

What’s your hair regimen?

I don’t really have a regimen for my hair. I am natural but color treated, I always manage to moisturize and use products that work well with my hair and my color journey. I believe that being natural is a learning process. It is your journey with your hair, to learn what works and doesn’t, to try out different things, to be bold and just dare!

What do you love the most about your natural hair?

Natural hair can be pretty boring IF you don’t know how to style them. What I love most about Versatile Hairstyles is that it gives you a lot of choice to help with styles, lots of funk, and just many more. I love being natural! It’s the best decision I’ve made for myself when it came to fashion. I am able to do so much more, I am fortunate to know how to braid so I can pull any look. I am now experimenting with cuts and OH BOY can say no more lol! I love it love it love it love it!!!!!!!! I am really enjoying being natural, I have NEVER EVER flat iron my hair and don’t feel the need to. The most I do is blow dry to give me a blow out, big look. I live in a hot Island, we get more heat than cold so I am not going to waste my money, plus I truly don’t feel the need for it.

Any project you are working on related to natural hair?

I have MANY MANY MANY projects coming up for not only the team natural in Haiti but for the versatility! I will not spoil the surprise but can tell you all to seat tight and just wait for our upcoming activities J

A message to the natural hair community?

I will tell people to really do what is best for them and just go for it if you want to. For the newly natural hair sis, I will say to

1- Be patient with your hair

2- Never style your hair dry always make sure it’s moisturize with water therefore manageable

3- Let yourself explore and experience all your hair has to offer

4- Learn how to work with YOUR texture

5- Find products that work best with your hair

6- Don’t let any style stop you just because your hair is in its natural stage

7- Don’t change your hair because of professional environment; learn how to do professional styles

8- ENJOY the journey for it is truly amazing

Afro Alice

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