My Ramadhan Hair Trend

So that special time for every Muslim across the globe has arrived, RAMADHAN!!!!!!

Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the month during which Muslims observe fasting from dawn (Fajr Prayer) to sunset (MaghrIb Prayer). Most commonly, those who are not Muslim know that Muslims fast from food and drinks, but fasting is so much more than abstaining from eating. This is the month where we strive to be the best believers of Allah. . .with the intent to continue this trait beyond the holy month of Ramadhan. Paying charity, respecting your community, abstaining from inappropriate language are just a few good deeds Muslims practice greatly.

In our household, my children have ditched Doc McStuffins for Baba Ali and Zaky and Friends on YouTube. My husband and I have ditched feeling the urge of pulling out our hair out at the sight of seeing the children argue over who should brush their teeth first. We give clear and precise messages on how the children should be patient with one another in which we adapted from a method called Conscious Discipline. . . and Islam.

Simply, life is life with an upgrade!

And my hair is fasting as well. Seriously! I’m not at all concerned with it. I plan on maintaining two nice french braids to the back until the last day of Ramadhan. Of course I’ll shampoo and condition with my Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition and moisturize it with coconut oil. But I’m not at all concerned with extreme styling. Its just more important things to focus on during this holy month. My girls have their usual single twist in which are very versatile so we’re good!

After the Holy Month of Ramadhan we have a celebration called Eid-Al-Fitr. The night before is when everything gets crazy in our house. I’m doing hair, trimming my husband’s beard, getting clothes together, and decorating the house. Until then, my hair is on strike!

Do you have questions about Ramadhan? Are you fasting? What’s your Ramadhan hair trend?

My Girls & The Hair Type Discussion

So I have 3 beautiful little girls ages 6, 4, and 11 months. The two oldest girls’ hair is at the mercy of mommy, and require different hair routines. Naz, age 6, has a 4C hair type and requires the following regimen:

• Shampoo once per month
• Co-wash once per month
• Leave-in conditioner whenever its needed
• Moisturize frequently
• Braids or twists at any size
• Styles last 1 -2 weeks (a busy mother is like “winning”)

Mayyah, age 4, has a mix of 4A/4B hair type and requires the following regimen:

• Shampoo once per month
• Co-wash once per month
• Leave-in conditioner whenever its needed
• Moisturize frequently
• Braids or twists at medium to large size
• Styles last 2-3 days (a busy mother is like “wonk”)

As you can see, the difference among their hair regimen is their styles and how long they last. Naz’s hairstyles last longer than Mayyah’s. Mayyah’s hair requires frequent maintenance as it tangles very easily. Braids and twists, which turns into braid and twist outs, are common styles for them. I’m not a fan of ponytails, beads (anymore), and bow bows. I have a very busy lifestyle (homeschooling, work, and a demanding little baby) so the girls’ styles are reliable, I guess you can say.

We use the following products:

• Shampoo & Conditioner – Garnier Triple Nutrition
• Leave-in Conditioner- Cantu Shea Butter
• Moisturizer- Mommy’s Secret (basically I use natural ingredients. My favorite is coconut oil which is just awesome for detangling.)

Our most commonly used tools:

• Shampoo brush
• Styling brush
• Wide tooth comb
• Rat tail comb (for unraveling the ends of braids and twists but NEVER for combing)
• Spray bottle for water (our best friend)
• Banana clips
• Head bands
• Clips for decoration
• Bobby pins for updos

Hair is a big deal/issue in our culture. Am I allowed to say that? There has always been the topic of good hair versus bad hair. In our society, Naz’s hair would be considered “bad hair”, and Mayyah’s hair would be considered “good hair”. Nonsense! This is how some people categorize hair, although, there are no such categories as good and bad hair. My girls don’t realize the difference in their hair types as others do. I’ve actually had quite a few bias individuals compare my girls’ hair ignorantly in front of them. They still didn’t have a clue what was going on. Currently, and forever, I will politely address any individual who has the audacity to criticize my girls’ hair texture. They’re both beautiful girls!

Nasu in Mommy Mode

A Natural Hair Journey

Taylor’s Journey!!!

My natural journey began in 2005. At the time I was a newlywed with two step-children. One was a 11 years old shining girl, Taylor (who I sometimes call Cakes). Very bright, and true in her opinions. When I went natural, I did a cold-turkey big chop. Taylor was like, “I would never”. When I think about that day, it cracks me up every time.

8 years ago

Taylor witnessed me through my positive ups and downs; making comments like, “oh gosh”, when I would straighten my hair and shake it in front of her. When Taylor went off to college, something happened. Something awesome happened. She says to me, “Sooooo, I’m going natural right. . .” My mouth dropped! I started patting myself on the back (hey, I’d like to think I was sort of an influence. I was proud!).

I started clipping Taylor ends little by little. By time Taylor was ready to go back to college, we had totally cut out the relaxer. I could see the discourage in her face but I knew it would get better. And it did! Read Taylor’s story below.

I love you Cakes!

Aww! Simba!

From the time I was born until I was about 10 years, my mother kept my hair natural. She would always tell me that she would spend hours on my hair just to make sure my style held up.

She was too cute

She told me that she loved my hair and how beautiful it was but by the time I was 9-10, she had had enough. She was desperate and did what she thought was best for both of us by finally giving me a relaxer.

. . . Teens!!!

From that age until my senior year of high school, I was addicted to the creamy crack. The longest I would wait to get perms was only about 5 or 6 week because I felt like my roots were growing in too quickly. Even though I still loved my hair and loved relaxers, I would always notice that my hair never grew past my shoulders. No matter how much I clipped my ends or deep conditioned my hair, it never grew past that length. I knew that something had to be wrong. There was no way I was taking this much care of my hair and I still was seeing NO growth.

Freshman!!!

Once I started my first year of college, I began to do a lot of research on ways to grow my hair and everything I came across, talked being natural and how natural hair will equal growth. Instantly, I knew what the problem was. Relaxers were basically killing my hair and I had no idea! After researching for a few months and talking to actual natural women, I decided to take the leap and go natural.

Natural Blowout

The first 5 months were the easiest for me. Though I was getting growth in my roots, I was able to hide them by wearing my hair normally (flat ironed) or in buns which worked very well for me.

Transition Stage

From 6-11months, the transition got way harder! I had so much new growth attached to my perm that I could no longer blend all of my hair. This was one of the worst times for me because I had nothing to do with me hair. So I decided that every month I would cut off some hair so that the transition would be easier for me while I was in school. By the time I was 9 months transitions, I had ear length hair.

:)))))))))))))

Once the 11 month of my transition came along, I felt like it was time to me to left go of the relaxer and length and I was finally able to do my big chop!!! I was sooo happy with the results. I was finally able to buy natural products and do my hair the way I had dreamt!

Naturally Grown

Now in 2013, I have been completely natural for one year and I can truly say that it was and is still one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life!!!!! To anyone transitioning, keep at it! I am telling you, the end result is so worth it!!!

No need to fear the sweat

Taylor’s doing the castor oil challenge. Wish her the best!