(Some of my own transitioning hairstyles - visit HERE for more details)

I currently am using "Energizing Passionfruit Guava Shampoo" made by Organix. I love this shampoo because it is sulfate and parabens-free*.

- Can be purchased from Target

Right now I alternate between "Energizing Passonfruit Guava Conditioner" by Organix and "Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner" by Organic Root Stimulator. I use the Olive Oil conditioner when I decide to do my deep conditions underneath the dryer. Both are sulfate and parabens-free.

- Organix: Can be purchased from Target

- Olive Oil: Can be purchased from Sally's Beauty Supply

When I'm styling my hair, I use a number of different products, but my staple one right now is "Premium Grad A Shea Butter with Organic Lemongrass Essential Oil" by AAA Shea Butter (Company in Atlanta, GA). This works great as a moisturizer and smells absolutely divine!! This shea butter can be applied to the skin, hair and/or scalp and also has great healing properties (i.e. blemishes, scars). There are many other benefits to using pure, organic shea butter which you can read about here.

To give a little extra shine and cut down on frizziness to my styles throughout the week I use "Shine of the Times Finishing Hair Mist" by Giovanni and "Cantu Shea Butter Super Shine Hair Silk" by Cantu. I really like the Giovanni product because of some of its organic ingredients such as soybean protein, rosemary, nettle, wild bergamot, california poppy, and rose hips. The Cantu works well too because of the shea butter. Now here's one thing to note, which I recently learned. If you are looking for products that cut down on frizziness, you want to stay away from products whose that contain aqua (water). With our natural hair, you can imagine how that would work against us! : ) Both of these products include cyclopentasiloxane and cyclomethicone. These are basically silicone- based oils that are known for their ability to lubricate, be water-proof and provide shine. These are not absorbed into the scalp/hair follicles so remember to use a hair moisturizer before you use these!

If you have problems with dry scalp, using natural oils is best as they are great moisturizers and don't give off the greasy appearance that some scalp moisturizers give off (due to the inclusion of petrolatum in their products - can't be absorbed through scalp, but natural oils can). I am currently using jojoba oil and tea tree oil. There are so many others that you can try with your hair though. You can learn more about that here.

- AAA Shea Butter: http://www.aaasheabutter.com ( or check your local Whole Foods Market for 100% Unrefined Shea Butter made by other distributors)

- Giovanni: Whole Foods Market

-Cantu: Target

- Natural Oils: Whole Foods Market

* Note: Most shampoos have ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, which are literally detergents (aka soaps) and are responsible for the bubbly, rich lather we get when we shampoo. However, sulfates are known to be harsh and drying to the hair follicles. Here is an excerpt from published literature on the dangers of sulfates.

1. From "Dying to be Beautiful" by Peter Lamas

P.11-13

Most health-conscious consumers are aware of sodium lauryl sulfate, the most common ingredient found in shampoos, and its potential health dangers. But just how dangerous is this syynthetic foaming agent and cleansing detergent? A study cited in the Wall Street Journal linked sodium lauryl sulfate to cataracts and nitrate absorption (nitrates are cancer-causing substances), while a major dermatology publication suggested the chemical induced contact dermatitis. In its final report on the safety of sodium lauryl sulfate, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology stated that it has a "degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties." The journal also added, "High levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration." Here, some additional notes from the Journal on sodium lauryl sulfate:

- Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the manufacturing of sodium lauryl sulfate or by its interaction with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients within a formulation using this ingredient.

- Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart,liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question of whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.

- Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to the hair follicle could result from such deposition.

Used mainly because it is inexpensive and produces that rich lather we all associate with cleanliness, sodium lauryl sulfate usually composes about 50% of most shampoos that list it as an ingredient; about 40% of the product is water, and the remaining 10% comprises preservatives, fragrance, and color. And what about those natural extracts? They're often included in the water content (in other words, the herbal ingredients are watered down) and make up less than 1% of the total product. There are alternate ingredients that may be used to achieve that rich lather. They are much safer but are more expensive to produce, and therefore they are not used by most beauty manufacturers...

Sodium laureth sulfate: Used mainly in shampoo and conditioners. It is a close relative to sodium lauryl sulfate that causes skin irritation and dermatitis. Has ether added and is toxic.

(Apologize for the post being a "little" long today, but wanted to get this important info out to you ladies! : ) )

Growing up, I really only remember having relaxed hair. This is because when I was about 6 years old, my mom had my hair relaxed. She explained to me that my head of hair was so thick and full that she would have combs break in it while she tried to do my hair. After several sessions like these, which at times would lead to tears, she made the decision to make my hair more maneagable. This is when relaxers entered the scene.

So we'll just say right now that I'm one of those types of people who seek to change things ALL THE TIME, so throughout the years, my hair became one of them. When I entered highschool, I started chopping off my hair (which had been mid-back) and coloring it from reddish brown to nearly blonde (yikes..i know!) . Take that multiplied by 100 and that was my hair story throughout college. My hair was truly taking a beating but it didn't really start to show until this past school year as I started graduate school. My ends were breaking off badly and it was actually my mom and my sisters that gave me the inspiration for my next hair move.
See, my mom and sisters had gone completely natural within the past year and definitely had the healthy,shiny hair to prove. So in Fall 09 I decided I would also hop on the bandwagon. My first major mistake though was not really getting all the information I needed to be successful in this journey, so my first transition ended in getting another relaxer after 4 months : ( Second major mistake...making a decision about my hair because of frustration. Immediately after relaxing my hair, I regretted my decision and had to remind myself that sometimes the best things in life take hard work and patience.

This time, I was prepared to do things the right way. I started to talk to some of my friends who were natural and also started watching COUNTLESS videos on YouTube of girls who had taken the journey before me. This then led to me blogs dedicated to natural hair ladies, that provided valuable tips and advice. I now am EXCITED about this journey that I'm on and am learning new ways to take care of my hair every day.

I've created this blog to help me document my journey, to share what I've learned and also what has been working for me in order to inspire or help someone else on who is on the wonderful journey of...