My new video is now live on YouTube! I’ve collaborated with Beauty Bulletin and Mzansifro to bring you a tutorial and review for one of my favourite hair styles: The Braid Out. I achieve the style using products from Design Essentials.
Go watch it now, make sure you hit those ‘like’ and ‘subscribe’ buttons and share it with everyone you know. I would love to know what you all think of it, so please leave me a comment either here or over on YouTube.
Happy watching and love your curls,
As requested by some of you, I’ve just published my flat twist out tutorial for fabulously defined curls over on YouTube. It’s actually become on of my favourite styles so I’m really happy to finally be able to bring it to you.
Watch it in HD if you can.
Love your curls,
Introduce yourself
My name is Kasuba which means sunshine. I am originally from Zambia which is in South Central Africa. I am currently living, working, and building my legacy in Cape Town. I am the co-founder of Rockin Naturals, a natural hair product line that caters to the naturally conscious. In just under six months I will be marrying only the most awesome human being I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and then we will literally be BFFs (can’t wait). When I’m not being a mixtress, I work in Marketing and PR and facilitate youth camps and processes. I am passionate about literature, travel, good food, and family (sometimes in that order). I go to church every Saturday because I would be nowhere near where I am today if it wasn’t for God Almighty.
How long have you worn your hair natural and what made you decide to do it?
I have been natural for 2 years 8 months. Before I even knew I could maintain my natural hair, I had shaved my head and I rocked that look for close to a year. I then decided to start growing my hair in preparation for a relaxer. I would live in braids and weaves until eventually I felt my hair was long enough. I took down my braids and immediately relaxed my hair. The breakage was real! I couldn’t even style my hair properly. That was the deciding moment for me; a week later I cut my hair and with a little help (ok, a lot of help) from my older sister, Mwanabibi, I never looked back. I simply got tired of relaxers that promised me great hair but never delivered.
When did you first realise that you love your natural hair texture and what exactly do you love about it? Describe your hair.
To be honest, it took me a while. About a year into my journey I did a braid out that was everything! You know when all the natural hair stars and planets align and your hair comes out YourTube worthy? Yup that’s what happened and that’s when I fell in love with my tresses. I have really coily hair; like, it shrinks to more than half its length when wet. I love that it does its own thing. I wake up in the morning and I don’t know what to expect. When my hair was relaxed it was always limp but now it’s full of body and personality, just like me.
What is your hair regime, including products that you use. What do you do to keep it healthy?
Well, at the moment my regime is super simple because I am rocking a teeny weeny afro (TWA) again. Here’s what I do:
Wash
I wet my hair 5 out of 7 days a week because wash and gos are easier at this stage. Twice a week, I wash my hair with Rockin Naturals African Black Soap Shampoo. It detangles, cleanses, softens, conditions, and defines texture all in one, and it has peppermint so the tingling sensation is a bonus!
Conditioning/Deep conditioning:
I don’t normally condition after a shampoo because African Black Soap shampoo is sulphate free so it is not so rough on my strands. I do a weekly deep condition with yoghurt, honey, and Rockin Naturals Hot Oil Treatment – I love to mix hair concoctions! Although, since my second big chop, I have reduced deep conditioning to once every two weeks.
Sealing and Moisturising
For me sealing is the most important step in my regime because my hair loses moisture quite quickly. I seal with Rockin Naturals Shea Butter Hair Pudding which contains coconut oil and olive oil. My hair loves the stuff — the shea keeps it soft and fluffy and the cedar wood essential oil keeps dandruff at bay. When I don’t wet my hair in the mornings, I spritz it with Rockin Naturals moisturising mist. Although, at the moment, I am doing Mandy’s Winter Hair Growth Challenge, because long hair haha!
What have your experiences been as a natural, including reactions from friends, family and colleagues.
When I first cut my hair, one of my closest friends told me I looked like a man. That cut me deep because, when I was a child I went to a school that didn’t allow us to relax our hair so mine was always short. When I moved to a school that did allow it, I was teased about looking like a boy. After a while though, the experiences became more pleasant. More people asked me what it is I do to make my hair look so good. My family has been great. They are always so supportive of the things I do. Also, when I did feel like giving up, my fiancé was always there reminding me that it is part of who I am.
My second big chop has been a whole new learning experience because I am coming from a place where I have already accepted my hair and the stigma surrounding it. Now, when people ask me wide-eyed why I cut it I just say “It’s hair, it will grow back”.
Do you know of any other women/girls who wear their hair naturally in your community?
Shout Outs!
Because of the nature of my business I know many but a few have made an impact in my journey:
Mwanabibi Sikamo – my stunning big sister who has supported me through my journey and who has been like a mentor to me with regards to my business, my hair health, relationships, and life really. You get the point. I love you.
Timothy ‘Nice Beard’ Stuurman – not a woman, but he has been there from the beginning of my journey, encouraging me to build my brand and product range and, even if he’s balding, he uses Rockin Naturals products on his beard so technically he’s a natural. I love you.
Ashleigh Davids – confidently quiet, she has taught me about self-love and self-acceptance; beauty that shines from within.
Amanda Cooke – the passion is real here! She’s an inspiring woman always willing to lend a helping hand. A big haired sister with an even bigger heart.
Eleanor Barkes — we haven’t met yet, but I just know…
Have you experienced any opposition from anyone in your life regarding how you wear your hair? Have you ever been made fun of?
Like I said before, I have been told I look like a guy. Other than that, there hasn’t really been any opposition to the way I wear my hair. I have been lucky enough to be in circles where what I look like is secondary to the value that I add as a human being. Now, when I look back at people who teased me for looking like a guy, I just chuckle and think how sad it is to impose your insecurities on others.
Do you ever experience any moments of doubt about your natural beauty?
This was a big issue for me during my school years. I am dark skinned (and I don’t mean Garnier dark; I mean you better put your flash on if you’re taking pictures of me at night dark) and this was always perceived as unattractive. I began to believe I wasn’t beautiful enough. Now I can laugh at how ridiculous that notion is and, while sometimes I might feel unattractive because my hair is not co-operating, or my skin has decided it wants to mimic a Vaseline slathered child (you know, the Sunday look back in the day) on some days, I no longer doubt my beauty because it doesn’t only result from what I look like.
What is your hair goal?
It used to be neck length (NL), shoulder length (SL), bra-strap length (BSL) and whatever other length abbreviations are out there. I was so keen on having super long hair, I hardly ever trimmed it even if I knew I needed to keep my split ends in check. Now my goal is simply healthy hair. The length is a bonus.
What is your best hair advice to someone who is thinking of returning natural, but who is apprehensive about doing it?
Do your research and find out what works for your hair. It’s not one size fits all. Good hair comes from the inside.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt during your natural hair journey?
On a personal level, I have learned to listen to my own advice. I was always warning women about dying their hair and how drying it could potentially be and then I threw my advice in the trash and dyed my hair. It didn’t break but the dyed tips just needed so much more moisture than my roots, so it was almost impossible to take care of the two textures.
That’s where my second big chop and my second mistake came in. Since going natural, hair dressers have just not been on my list of people I can trust. Nonetheless, I decided I needed my dyed tips cut off so I went to one of those la de da hair salons that you find in the mall (because they’re trained for this stuff and they know what they’re doing supposedly). Biggest mistake ever! She cut my hair great and then we did a blow dry and a flat iron and the heat damage was appalling — looking back I probably should have sued or something because this has become a mini PR nightmare for me. A week later, I had to cut my hair again, hence my current TWA. Conclusion? Listen to your hair.
In certain parts of the world, like the UK and the US, the shift from relaxed to natural hair is referred to as the “natural hair movement”. Do you think it’s viewed in the same light in South Africa? What do you think of this phenomenon?
I definitely think the movement has spread to South Africa. More and more women are returning to natural. I honestly think it is more than just hair. It is empowering women to accept themselves for who they are and, in turn accept others. Personally, it is shutting out the messages the media throws at me, telling me my hair is not beautiful enough, sleek enough, long enough, conventional enough, and embracing it as it grows out of my head.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Just that they don’t need to take the whole natural hair thing too seriously. It’s a journey of enjoyment and constant learning. Do you — what works for others won’t necessarily work for you. Embrace your hair, not Tracee’s, or Amanda’s, or Nomthandazo’s.
Is there anywhere else where our readers can find you online?
Website/Blog: www.rockinnaturals.co.za
Instagram: @rockinnaturalssa
Twitter: @rockin_naturals
Facebook: Rockin Naturals
Hello Lovelies!
I’m so excited to announce that I’ve just published my first ever video tutorial over on my YouTube channel! For all of you who’ve ever asked how I achieve my big hair, I’ve made an easy to follow 5-step tutorial on how I do it. Maybe my routine can help some of you too. And remember, it’s not about the products, but more about the technique you use.
I hope you enjoy it and if you’d like to see more videos from me, make sure you like, comment and subscribe!
Love your curls!
Hello Beautiful Ones
I hope you’ve all had a brilliant week! This is just a short post to wish you all a lovely weekend. It’s been a busy week and I haven’t had much time to blog, but I wanted to stop by quickly and thought I’d post this picture where I’m wearing this lovely over-sized head-wrap. I feel like I’m properly channeling Erykah Badu with this one.
To say that I’ve been quite lazy with my hair over the last 2 weeks would be an understatement (I’ve even skipped my weekly deep conditioning sessions – oh shock horror!), so I’m planning a proper spa weekend for my tresses: an overnight coconut oil pre-poo and a tea tree shampoo in the morning, followed by a soothing masque as a deep treatment. It’s ok to fall off the wagon every now and again, but let’s not make this a habit!
Let me know what your plans are for the weekend, hair related or otherwise.
xxx
Introduce yourself.
My name is Justene Hilary Josias. I am 24 years old and I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I was born in Johannesburg but moved to Cape Town at a young age. I studied Politics at the University of the Western Cape. I am a music producer and singer and I have my own company called JuJo Productions, focussing on various projects. I attended Riana van Wyk Music school for 12 years before pursuing music professionally. I was on a television programme in 2007 called ‘Supersterre’, which was an Afrikaans singing competition. I actually took up singing because it helped me to speak more fluently after I had developed a stutter as a result of contracting meningitis when I was 4 years old.
How long have you worn your hair natural and what made you decide to do it?
I have been wearing my natural hair for the past 2 years. I did the “big cut” on 3 March 2013. I was working on a project that required me to cut off all my hair and to re-grow it from scratch.
When did you first realise that you love your natural hair texture and what exactly do you love about it? Describe your hair.
The first month was very hard as was I used to wearing long hair for 5 years before I cut it. I just decided I have to accept my new look and it grew on me from there. I come from mixed parents. My hair texture is more to my father’s side, who has Sotho roots, than my mother’s Muslim roots.
I love that my hair is extremely thick. When I was younger, my hair was so thick and course that the hairdresser felt the need to relax it. That was the worst mistake ever. Since then my hair was often relaxed until the age of 19. Then I started to do Brazilian straightening until March 2013 when I did the big cut.
I love that my hair is a pure afro. It is not curly, it is kinky. I have a type 4c curl. My hair is dry but big. It looks hard but it is soft. My hair does not touch my shoulders no matter how long it gets. It just grows upwards. The colour has changed from dark brown to light brown as it’s been growing. If my hair had a sound, it would be “loud”. It stands out. One day it’s long and thick, the next day it’s fluffy and thin.
What is your hair regime, including products that you use. What do you do to keep it healthy?
When I initially started my natural hair journey, I used multiple products like Dr Miracle Curl Care, Twisted Sista, Dark and Lovely Cholesterol Treatment and Protein Feed to name a few. I also used some home-made creams and recipes. In the beginning when I had a small afro I used Soft and Free Moulding Gel and Hair Spray to define my curl. The longer my hair got, the fewer products I began to use as it started to weigh my hair down. I brush my hair only once every 3 weeks. The more I brush it, the thinner and flat my afro is. I try as much as possible not to stress my hair with various hair styles. If I do decide to do a style, it will be low maintenance like adding a simple headband or making a Swiss Roll.
Currently, I am using Tres Emme Naturals shampoo and conditioner. I wash my hair with these products maybe once to twice a week. I do feel sometimes that it weighs my afro down, so I do not use excessive amounts. The other available weekdays, it will be a wash and go where I wet my hair with water only and no product. I do give my hair an apple cider vinegar rinse every 3rd day to get rid of the oil build up.
I also take hair vitamins, namely Nu-Hair. I have been using this since I did the big cut. This has given my hair the strength and thickness it has today. I use these supplements every three months. If necessary, I use them when I am in stressful situations when I can feel my hair becoming thinner as it tends to fall out more. I use coconut oil once a week on my scalp when it gets flaky due to maybe over washing or dry scalp.
When I sleep, I use a silk scarf to wrap my hair. If I do not feel like it, I sleep on a silk cushion to retain moisture. I drink 3 litres of water a day. I am bit obsessed with water. I also eat lots of fruit and vegetables because they are readily available in my town. This contributes to healthy nails, skin and hair. You need to understand, having an afro exposes your face much more than straight hair does. Your face and neck are exposed, therefore it has to look healthy and clear. Water really helped me in this department.
What have your experiences been as a natural, including reactions from friends, family and colleagues?
When I cut my hair initially, my family and friends were so supportive. They made me feel comfortable about my new look. I had low self-esteem while growing up. So when I did not have long hair anymore, I thought I was not good enough. I did not even realise I had this problem until I did not have any hair to hide behind. Once I started doing different hair styles, I started to ease into knowing who Justene truly is. Both my eating patterns and clothing changed. I needed to pay more attention to my clothing because my hair looked so different. You naturally stand out. People on social networks and on the street always stop me and say that they love my hair and look. The opposite sex loves my confidence. There were some people though who thought that I wasn’t “black enough” to have an afro. They took it as a personal insult to their race for some reason. My work colleagues love my hair though. The overall response has been positive.
Do you know of any other women who wear their hair naturally in your community?
Yes, I know quite a few actually. These are some of the women I truly admire on my natural hair journey: Victoria L Oxford, Lauren Van Der Schyff, Ashleigh Davids, Deslynn Malotana, Desne Jodamus, Shireen Mentor, Jenilee Carolus, Robyn Jessi, Roxanne Francis, Melissa Johannisen, Lisel Melo, Terri-Ann Browers, Carly Hendricks, Glene Vlotman, Chandre Petersen, Natalie Denton , Chante Bailey, Amy Jones, Andrea Coetzee, Donna-Lee De Kock , Lee-Zan Malgas, Leandra Coetzee, Oslynne Williams, Tasneem Hendricks, Chemonley Hartley, Janera Carelse, Kim Lategan, Sharnte Dickson, Simone Thomas, Tracey Leak, Robyn Arendse, Amy Campher, Requel Petersen, Kaylee Sayce, Adelaide Coetzee, Albida McMillian, Grace Petersen, Joy Petersen, Tracey Daniels, Canvas Fielding, Danielle Cupido and Karen Petersen. There are so many other women who I either meet over social media or in the street, or who I know personally who rock their hair amazingly.
Have you experienced any opposition from anyone in your life regarding how you wear your hair? Have you ever been made fun of?
I have had a few people who do not like me wearing my hair in its natural state, especially the older people who knew me with long straight hair. A few women actually stopped me in the road and grabbed my hair to find out why I would wear a wig when I had nice long hair before. A young boy stopped me in the middle of the mall and asked why I wear my hair like Winnie Mandela. I found it quite funny until his mom told me that he is referring to the struggle South Africa went through, so wearing my hair like this is a sign of “poverty”. I felt offended actually. Some people, especially the females from various African cultures would get mad at me because I am English speaking and wear my hair like a Zulu woman, as they would say. So there have definitely been some negative reactions, but they never over power the positive comments I receive.
Do you ever experience any moments of doubt about your natural beauty?
I did have hair doubts in the beginning, when it was completely short. I could not do anything with my hair until l I read some blogs and watched YouTube videos. Once I spoke to a few other natural haired beauties, I gained more confidence. Since then I’ve never looked back. The messages and feedback I receive from people who have returned natural because they saw my hair, make me realise that people do not have to know you for you personally to have a positive influence.
What is your hair goal?
My hair goal would be to have a thick, long, bum length afro. Not curls. A kinky afro. I know it would be very hot but I’d love that!
What is your best hair advice to someone who is thinking of returning natural, but who is apprehensive about doing it?
I would say going natural should not be a decision you make because it is the “in” thing. You will get frustrated because you need lots of patience to do this. In addition, if you are not sure what your natural hair texture is, you will get despondent. Do your research – speak to as many other natural haired women. Organise a few women in your network you can talk to daily and who you can ask advice from etc. Check out YouTube videos and join forums. I learnt a lot just by reading blogs and natural hair pages. They give real women with real questions honest answers.
What is the biggest lesson you have learnt during your natural hair journey?
I have learnt how to love myself without my hair being the main reason for my beauty. My hair does not define who I am. It enhances who I already am – a strong, driven South African woman. I love my body, I love my skin and I love my hair. I don’t even remember the last time I was at a hairdresser. I haven’t touched a hair dryer in almost 2 years. How my life has changed from spending at least 1 hour everyday flat ironing my hair to less than 5 minutes a day. I love myself so much more. In addition, I’ve learnt to have patience, something I was never good at. I’ve even found out that my hair changes colour during the different seasons, so I’ve learnt to accept myself more than anything.
In certain parts of the world, like the UK and the US, the shift from relaxed to natural hair is referred to as the “natural hair movement”. Do you think it’s viewed in the same light in South Africa? What do you think of this phenomenon?
I do not think that it’s a movement in South Africa yet. We are still a developing country. We are still trying to figure out who we are as the country tries to accept itself as being African and not conforming to American patterns. We are just trying out new things and finding out what we like and do not like. In addition, it’s quite obvious the products available for natural hair are not very readily available in South Africa. As the market expands, much more interest will be placed on natural hair and then gradually it will become a movement.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I am willing to help any lady who is going through her hair journey – whether it’s to answer questions or to connect you with others who are also going through a similar journey. I will always try my utmost best.
Is there anywhere else where our readers can find you online?
Currently I’m working on my blog, but in the mean time you can find me on Instagram: @justenejosias, Twitter: @justenehjosias and email: justenehilary@gmail.com
Image Source: Pinterest
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Samara Taylor and I am California born and raised. Ten years ago I picked up and moved to Virginia and this is now home!
How long have you worn your hair natural and what made you decide to do it?
I’ve worn my natural hair for 5 years now. Initially I wanted to stretch out my relaxer to go on a healthier hair journey, but during that time I stumbled upon natural hair. After discovering this alternate way to wear my hair I was sold and was convinced to never relax again.
What is your hair regime? What do you do to keep it healthy?
I wash my hair once a week along with deep conditioning and styling it. 2014 has been a year that I got regular trims to prevent breakage and tangles. That’s important along with deep conditioning and maintaing a clean scalp.
What is your favourite go-to hair style for days when you don’t have a lot of time?
Most likely a textured bun or a braided crown.
What is your best hair advice to someone who is thinking of going natural, but who is apprehensive about doing it?
Don’t do it unless you are ready to put in time doing your natural texture. Don’t do it until you’re confident, or absolutely sure about your decision. Don’t do it until you’re ready to receive unsolicited opinions from others.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt during your natural hair journey?
Learn your own texture and what styles work best for you. Stay patient with your hair.
Do you have a favourite life lesson? If so, please share it with us.
Give yourself a chance. Be unique and confident in who you are and what you have to offer. Don’t look to the left or right at what others have and are doing but look to God where our help comes from and he will grant you the desires of your heart when you seek him first.
Just when I was getting incredibly frustrated with the state of my curls, I decided to try something new over the weekend, well an old hair style but with new products and just like that, my faith in my curls was restored. I’d actually had a product review planned for today, but if you follow me on social media, you would have noticed me going crazy with the selfies over the last few days.
Why? Because I decided to do a style that I don’t do very often these days – The Wash & Go.
It’s a style that many naturals say they can’t really get the hang of. I’ve said before that one of the reasons I don’t do it very often is because my hair is more prone to tangling than wearing it in a stretched style like a twist or braid out. Also, the longer the hair gets, the more prone it is to tangling. I suspect it’s the same for many of you. Add some single strand knots into the mix and you really have a recipe for tangles galore. But with a few twists and tweaks to my technique, I have found the ultimate method to achieve the perfect wash & go for me.
To add to that, can I just say that my curls were absolutely popping! I’m really not obsessed with having every single curl defined, but oh my word, was every single curl on my head defined this weekend, with absolutely no frizz. Even though I still have single strand knots, I’m starting to think that maybe they are not such a nuisance after as all my strands were curling properly from the roots to the ends. I firmly believe this is partly due to my recent trims as fresh ends are more likely to be healthy ends.
So why wash & go
Every time I opt for this style after a long leave of absence from it, I wonder to myself why I don’t style my curls this way more. After all, it is the quickest way to style the hair and gives a true reflection of my natural curl pattern. It’s what my hair does naturally, sans manipulation of the curls.
The key is to do it on clean, well moisturised hair. Feel free to use these steps, and even to modify them, to create your perfect wash & go.
1. Cleanse the hair by either co-washing or using a gentle, natural shampoo.
2. Apply conditioner / deep conditioner and detangle. Rinse out.
3. Apply leave-in conditioner followed by oil to seal in the moisture. Make sure you apply the product while your hair is soaking wet. This way you won’t give the hair a chance to start frizzing up by applying product to damp, already frizzy hair. If your hair starts to dry because you’re applying product in sections, just re-wet it using your spray bottle.
4. Apply a styling product such as gel (an alcohol-free one) or a creme styler for hold and/or a butter for extra sealing and softness.
5. Air dry or use a blow dryer on a low setting to speed up the drying time. Do NOT touch the hair while it’s drying. Honestly, I never used to take this step seriously, but it does contribute to more frizz, so try your hardest to only touch your hair once it’s dried.
6. Once the hair has dried, pick at the roots with an afro pick or wide-tooth comb to create extra volume.
Voila! Well moisturised, frizz-free wash & go curls. To maintain your fabulous do, read this post.
I’ll admit, I couldn’t get enough of my curls this weekend! Here are the selfies to prove it.
Love your curls!
My hair has been doing quite a number on me recently. On the one hand it’s really healthy, shiny and strong and I’m retaining a lot of length. But on the other, I’ve seriously been battling single strand knots and it’s been driving me up the wall. Of course the knots aren’t visible in these photos, but I do think my ends appear rather dried and frayed, which is as a result of the knots (although it could be that my hair hadn’t dried properly). I recently trimmed my ends while in twists and immediately after that I went in search of knots on individual strands – you can read that post here – and while I got rid of a lot, it feels like I still have a long way to go with them.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll have to cut off at least another 1 – 2 cm fairly soon. So I’ve made a decision. In the interest of being able to see all the knots, I’m 99% sure that I’m going to blow-dry and probably flat-iron my hair when I’m in Cape Town in December. I’ll enquire with my curlfriends on stylist recommendations, someone who knows how to work with natural hair and just take it from there. I’m hoping that having my hair straight will make it much easier for a stylist to give me an adequate cut. I also feel like I just need to have this done once and then I’ll be fine to trim my own ends again as needed once I’m back in Japan. It’s entirely possible that I’m making a mountain out of a mole-hill, but when it comes to my fro I’d rather err on the side of caution.
Regarding these photos, it does still amaze me that my hair can go from small to big in a matter of hours. In these images, I’m sporting a fresh braid-out with a side sweep and some of the hair tied in a mini side pony tail at the back. Very simple but I felt quite pretty and in a matter of hours, it had magically grown, just the way I expected it to.
Love your curls,
ELEANOR J'ADORE 