Nia Naturale

Helping you appreciate your natural hair crown one post at a time.

[nianaturale]

A Beginner’s Guide to Protective Styling!

I recently expounded upon the life of being an efficient, lazy Naturalista and the ease of wearing my hair in a protective natural hairstyle until my next wash day. Many of you may wonder, “Are two-strand twists the only protective style?”, “Can I switch up my protective styles to make them more wearable?” “What are my options?”. Luckily, there are a plethora of protective hairstyles to choose from that can last as short or as long as you desire. I would recommend wearing a protective style no longer than one to two months because your coils need time to breathe, and there will always be built up shedding that needs to be released. Here is my guide to protective styling. Are you ready? 

1. Faux Locs, Marley Twists, Box Braids, and Crochet styles 

Many Naturalistas and black women in general love installing braids, twist, and loc extensions in their hair because of the ease of manageability, style variation, and chic-ness. There are many variations of twists and braids to choose from, such as Marley twists, Senegalese twists, and Goddess Locs. These braided and twisted extensions can also be crocheted into the hair as an alternative to direct installation! Because of the style variation, these hairstyles are some of the most common protective styles in the natural hair community. However, prepping your hair for these styles is essential to the longevity of them and whether your hair will result in growth after the style takedown. Before installation, be sure to wash, deep condition, and use the LCO, LOC, or your preferred moisturizing routine to prep your hair for installation. The last thing you want is breakage after your style takedown because your hair did not receive the proper moisture prep. 

2. Wigs Galore

Another standard protective style is wearing wigs! Wigs happen to be the most versatile protective style and the most beneficial. Depending on the type of wig you purchase, your natural hair will be wholly covered, resulting in the most growth due to no manipulation. There is a wide range of wig types and styles to choose from. Some people like to switch up textures, and others prefer to mimic their hair texture with their preferred wig. Whatever you decide, have fun with style versatility and be a new person every day if you choose! The most important thing to remember is moisture prep. Implement the same routine I mentioned previously and decide if you want to flatten your hair down with braids or flat twists. I feel that flat twists cause less tension on the hair and will result in less shed hair, resulting in more length retention.

3. Protect Naturally

The last tip in my guide is to wear your natural hair in a protective style. No, it does not have to be two-strand twists. There is an assortment of styles to choose from, such as braided or twisted up-do’s, loose buns, cornrows, mini-twists, crown braids or twists, head wraps, and more! Get creative with your styles, but always remember to implement your moisture prep routine. I hope this style guide gave you all some more ideas about protective styling and your options for your natural hair. Let me know your favorite protective style or if you all have any questions!

Keep it coily,

Nia

[nianaturale]

How to decrease drying time to obtain the best twist out results

Have you ever had a last-minute date come up, a photo shoot, or any short notice event that requires you to style your hair the night before? Does your hair take forever to dry? Is it prone to being a “hit or miss” when it comes to style results? Well look no further my natural sisters, Nia is here to help! Here is my guide to achieving the best twist out results by merely decreasing your drying time.

1. Use a styling product that is lightweight to decrease drying time. This is such an essential step because depending on the density of your hair, it could take over 24 hours to air dry thoroughly. When you have to style the night before an event, you should use a lightweight styling product as opposed to a heavy butter because lighter products take less time to dry. This will limit the number of twists that end up still being wet in some areas.

2. Two strand twists over flat twists. Typically, I prefer a flat twist out over two-strand twist outs because they stretch the hair more at the root and provide a more defined look. However, to save time on drying your hair, a two-strand twist out is the more efficient option. Are you worried about shrinkage? Stretch twists from one half of your head to the opposite side of your head and bobby pin in place; do the same to the second half of your twists. This will keep the twists in a stretched state, so you will still have added length to your style without compromising drying time.

3. Desperate times call for hooded dryers. We’ve all been there; we were worried that our hair wouldn’t dry in time, and our twist out would be ruined. If you know this has happened to you, cut the air drying and purchase a hooded dryer. They decrease drying time so much so that you could style and unravel your twists on the same day! Be cautious of your temperature settings. I would recommend setting your dryer to low heat instead of high because you want to reduce the amount of heat reaching your hair to the best of your ability. Use this method as a last resort if you are absolutely against using heat too many times throughout the year. It can be your safety net to ensure you obtain the best twist-out results.

I hope these three tips help you achieve your best last-minute twist out results! They have been my saving grace, so I know they will help you all as well! Until next time my friends.

Keep it coily,

Nia

[nianaturale]

Confessions of a Natural Hair Blogger…

It’s a fantastic feeling to know that your blogging interest can actually be used as an aid in someone else’s everyday life. It’s a beautiful feeling to know that you can help people achieve their goals by simply blogging about topics you’re enthused by. However, it is also essential to know that bloggers or influencers alike are not perfect!

I may provide generous tips and tricks to have the healthiest natural hair care routine, but please know that I am, in fact, a “lazy natural.” It may be a shocker to you all considering how adamant I have been about having a routine in my previous blog posts, but taking care of your natural hair is a lot of work no matter how enthusiastic you are about it. This post affirms that there is nothing wrong with being a lazy natural, and you will not be kicked out of the natural hair care club because of it! It should be noted, however, that you should try to be the best lazy natural around so that you won’t compromise your hair potential and growth.

Now, two distinctions should be clarified when it comes to being a lazy natural, which is being a straight-up lazy natural or an efficient, lazy natural. Your goal (if applicable) should be the latter. A straight-up lazy natural is someone with natural hair that believes the sentiment of taking care of their hair and watching it flourish but just does not feel like doing the bare minimum to have thriving hair. This includes incorporating a wash day routine, deep conditioning, and re-moisturizing throughout the week, etc. Conversely, an efficient lazy natural can be described as someone who has a busy schedule and does not have time for pro-longed re-styling sessions, re-moisturizing during the week, etc. The difference is that an efficient lazy natural, for example, will incorporate protective styles that retain moisture, so re-styling and overall hair care are limited. However, length retention and health are still seen.

I am an efficient lazy naturalista. Wash days can be a pain because of my detangling process, so I make it easier for myself and my hair. Lately, after washing my hair, I will moisturize my coils using the LCO method, followed by two-strand twisting my hair in small to medium sections and wearing it in that style until the next wash day. This process works so well with the ongoing pandemic because I rarely leave the house so that I can leave my twists covered in a satin scarf! My moisture is always fully retained until my next wash day, and this dramatically reduces my detangling time in the shower!

What kind of naturalista are you? Are you a productive, routine based natural? Are you an efficient lazy natural? Are you a straight-up lazy natural? Let me know!

Keep it coily,

Nia

[nianaturale]

“…but Nia my hair is drier than the Sahara Desert!”

Yup, you’ve reached the point in your natural hair journey where you can’t decide on a consistent moisture routine. We’ve all been there sisters and brothers, so you are far from alone! As a Naturalista, moisture should be embedded in your everyday hair vocabulary. Our hair is an extension of our body, so similar to your body, if you do not give it the nutrients it needs to thrive, it will suffer. Our bodies need the essentials to survive, which are water and food. Our hair needs the same thing, except our food is our hair products! Today I will let you in on my *not so secret* moisture routine to keep my coils pillow-soft. Let us begin…

LOC or LCO?

To moisturize my hair, I use the L.C.O method. This acronym stands for liquid, cream, and oil. Another variation of this method is the more recognized L.O.C. or liquid, oil, cream method. I prefer the L.C.O method because I feel that oil acts more as a sealant than a cream. This works best for me, but please tailor your preferred way with which your hair resonates. The L.O.C. method is catered to naturals with courser textures that need to really “loc” in moisture for their hair for a few days. If you have a looser texture, you could still utilize this method, but your hair might prefer lighter products depending on your curl density.  

1. L-iquid

This first step of the moisturization process acts as your moisture base. It prepares the hair to receive the benefits of your styling products or cream. Your liquid may vary depending on what your hair likes. For some naturals, this step could mean only applying water to the hair or water mixed with conditioner. For others, this step could mean using your favorite leave-in conditioner to your hair. For me, I apply both water and a leave-in conditioner. Utilizing water first allows my hair to expand and receive my leave-in conditioner well. It also provides additional slip or manageability. My holy grail leave-in conditioner is the Melanin Hair Care Multi-Use-Softening Leave-in Conditioner (stay tuned for a future post featuring the products from this fantastic brand!).

2. C-ream

This next step is where you can play around more and try different styling products! Your cream will add additional moisture to your hair, define your curls, and seal in the moisture you received from your liquid. Creams can vary by density, and some naturals prefer to use a lighter or heavier cream depending on the texture of their curls. If you’re going for a lighter cream, I would suggest using a curling cream or pudding. If your curls demand more moisture and sealing, I would recommend a butter. For butter, I have been using Melanin Hair Care’s Twist-Elongating Style Cream. This is my absolute favorite style cream because it incorporates five natural hair butter like Shea, Cocoa, Mango butter, etc. It also helps detangle the hair while reducing knots. It usually keeps my hair hydrated for up to seven days!

3. O-il

This last step is my absolute favorite…because it’s the last step, ha-ha! The oil is what ties everything together. It locks in all of the moisture that you previously added to your hair and gives your hair that additional shine. There is an array of nourishing oils on the market that provide so many essential properties for robust and healthy hair. A couple of my favorite oils include Jojoba, Castor, Olive, and Grapeseed oil. I use an “all in one” packed oil by Melanin Hair Care called the Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend. It has the perfect balance of nourishing and sealing oils that will give your hair that additional shine without the oily residue.

Okay, my friends, I hope you enjoyed my guide to keeping that moisture LOC’ed in your hair! If you have any additional questions, feel free to submit one in the “Questions about your crown?” tab on my blog. I cannot wait to share more natural hair tips with you all as your journey progresses.

All products mentioned can be purchased here: https://melaninhaircare.com/collections/all-products

All Products

All Products

Keep it coily, Nia

[nianaturale]

My Top Three Tips for Beginner Naturalistas!

It’s eight o’clock in the evening; you just impulsively big chopped your hair, and now you’re thinking, “What have I done? I don’t know the first thing about taking care of my natural hair!”. Never fear my curly friends; Nia Naturale is here to save the day (and your sanity)! Referencing all of my trials and tribulations throughout my natural hair journey, I have compiled a guide of my three tips to help you all on your journey to healthy hair. Let us begin…

1. Sleep with a satin or silk pillowcase!

Yes, all of the YouTube natural hair videos you watched before viewing this blog have declared that their first tip is “patience.” Fortunately, I am not like other bloggers. My realistic first tip is to sleep with a satin or silk pillowcase. A satin pillowcase has saved my hair’s life the many times I was feeling like a lazy natural! Whenever I did not feel like going through the laborious “wash day” process, I would loosely twist my hair and fall right to sleep. I knew that I wouldn’t receive any breakage or frivolous damage to my hair because even in my slumber, the slippery texture of the satin fabric protects my hair. Sleeping on cotton pillowcases can cause unnecessary breakage to your hair over time, so if all else fails and you are having a day where you can’t deal with your crown, become friends with your satin pillowcase!

2. Do not over-wash your natural crown!

Most, if not all, big choppers relish in the ease of washing their “TWA” or teeny-weeny-afro because of the manageability and forgiveness short, natural hair seems to have. Some enjoy the comfort so much that it results in washing their hair three times a week or more! If you are unaware, it is recommended for people with natural hair to wash it one to two times a week, sometimes extending to two weeks, depending on the texture of the curls. This brings me to my second tip; do not over-wash your natural crown! Your scalp naturally produces sebum, which flows down the hair shaft and contributes to hair growth, moisture, and length retention. According to an article by Healthline, “Sebum is an oily, waxy substance produced by your body’s sebaceous glands. It coats, moisturizes, and protects your skin.” (Padroja, 2018). Since sebum is also produced on your scalp, it provides the same properties for hair. For naturals, we must retain as much moisture on our strands as possible throughout the week to maintain healthy hair. Washing your hair too often will reduce the amount of sebum able to reach your strands and protect your follicles from drying out. As much as you may enjoy washing your hair many times throughout the week now, you’ll thank me for this tip in the long run!

3. Deep condition, deep condition, and did I mention deep condition?

Deep conditioning is the most underrated step in many natural hair journeys. Some curly girls and guys overlook implementing a consistent deep conditioning routine in their natural hair wash day routine. There are various deep conditioners that have different beneficial properties, such as moisture and fortification (protein balance). I prefer incorporating a deep conditioner that has a balance of moisture and protein into my routine. This form of deep conditioner will prevent me from getting moisture overload or a protein overload. It has a healthy balance of both, so in turn, my hair will not be brittle (from protein overload) or extremely porous and frizzy (from moisture overload). My curls will remain defined, elastic, and soft. I encourage all of you Naturalistas to deep condition your hair once a week or on every wash day (if you wash your hair in farther time intervals). For bonus points, I suggest deep conditioning with heat (steam) and a plastic cap to trap the moisture into your curls!

There are many more tips that I will be sharing with you all in due time, but mastering these three will set you on a consistent path to growing healthy hair. What are some of your favorite hair care tips that you’ve learned so far? Let me know by clicking the tab, “Share your crown stories” on my blog! Until next time, friends.

Keep it coily,

Nia

1. Cammy Pedroja,” What is Sebum and Why Does it Build Up on Skin and Hair?”, Healthline, November 26, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/sebum

[nianaturale]

What’s the deal about my natural hair?

Welcome friends! I am thrilled to offer this space to talk about all things natural hair! I grant you access to my crown. My afro holds all of my deepest secrets and moisture from my hair products. The journey to loving the crown I call my natural hair was a long one, and I am still on the path of that curly brick road. I know what you’re asking; what’s the deal with your natural hair? Well, I am glad you asked. Friends buckle up. You are now on the rollercoaster ride of my natural hair journey.

I feel I should make one thing clear; I have always been natural. Not every natural hair journey begins with a relaxer, and my journey falls into the category of heat damage. Before I fell in love with the flat iron, my older sisters guarded my hair as if it were their own. They always ensured to wash my hair thoroughly and braided it into energetic braiding patterns. The rules set in my family were that we were to only flat iron our hair on “special occasions.” These occasions included Christmas, school picture days, and other significant family events. During my childhood, those were the most exciting times for me. I was enamored by how silky and smooth my hair would get once straightened. I enjoyed my “hang-time” and how my hair would flow in the wind. As I got a little older, I was taught how to straighten my hair. Straightening my hair, friends, was the catalyst for getting my heat damage. 

I would straighten my hair too many times to count, often using the highest heat setting and no heat protectant spray. In the natural hair community, this is mostly looked down upon. At the time, I was not aware or educated on the fact that repeated heat added directly to your curls would fry them with prolonged use. Essentially, you lose all of your curls, and they become frail and straight. Luckily for me, I caught my hair before the worst damage could take place. My sister had already begun her road to natural hair redemption, and she pointed out my hair damage to me. The YouTube natural hair community was in its early stages during this time, so we had minimal resources to guide us; however, my sister and I began repairing our hair together. 

We cut all ties with heat styling tools and purchased products that brought out our curls. I began, “transitioning.” Transitioning is a phase in the natural hair journey where you do not heat style your hair, refrain from relaxers, and began caring for your natural hair. We did precisely that. I slowly cut off straight pieces of my hair and became entirely natural. In one year, my hair had grown longer than I had seen in my life! I appreciated my hair for what it was. It was (and still is) unique in so many ways. It can adapt to many climates, it can take up so much space, and it can withstand so many different hairstyles. I love my hair! 

Unfortunately, love was not enough. Because I was a part of a dance company that required our hair to be straightened for competitions, I had to wear my hair straight more than I would like. This caused me to get a little bit of heat damage, and I began to see some breakage. That’s not all, friends! I also thought it was a brilliant idea to experiment with color. This, as you can guess, was the tip of the iceberg. My hair was dry and brittle. Enough was enough! I had to do it. I did the big chop. That was probably the most freeing moment of my life, and my hair thanks me. Not only was it the healthiest it had ever been, but my hair grew back to its most extended length in just under two years. 

My natural hair journey continues with many trials and errors, but it’s all a learning process. I am fortunate that I broke the mindset of trying to live up to Eurocentric beauty standards. I am lucky that I love who I am and the hair that I was blessed to have. I am fortunate to love me.

Keep it coily,

Nia