New Hairstyle!

Last night I got my hair did!

I went to the salon, THE NAPPY HUTT, and Zakiyah gave me a lovely style. I was going to get a rod set but I didn't have the time to wait for that to dry. With all the hair on my head it would be at least 3 hrs under the dryer!! Ain't no body got time for that! So we stuck to 2 strand twist. I wanted something sexy, I do sassy hair well and I wanted it to be Mohawk inspired cause I do those well too.
That morning though was chilly due to the rain from the night before. I was wearing a sweater for a good part of the day and then moved into a black T when the sun came out. My brother in law said my outfit was very 70s lol. I took a picture before class with my friend Shannon and its "so college" it looks like a college ad photo from the 80s. I support that :)

But anyway back to my hair. So last time I had my hair done 3 weeks ago just about, I posted a blog called "Hair doesn't lie" and I shared with you readers about my hair thinning. Yes as thick as my hair is, it was thinning especially in the back and center of my scalp, unfortunately that was due to stress. That was pretty much the last straw for me and I attempted to make some changes in my daily routine. Started working out a little bit, getting more sleep, and focusing on things that did not cause stress! Well when Zakiyah started twisting my hair she gave me an update on my hair strands.
Good news is that its not thinning anymore.
Bad news is the thinning left a lot of breakage.
Damage was done and unfortunately its  temporarily permanent damage. luckily its only in the center of my scalp so its not like I'll see it everyday and only hair professionals would know the difference. My hair is thick and fluffy so when twisted it swells to its fullness. Well the hair in the middle doesn't swell and I have all these crazy strands of hair sticking out of what should be a flat twist, that's the breakage. The only thing I can do is wait for it to grow out and eventually I'll be cut off when I get a trim. So lets pray my hair starts growing exponentially faster!

Church last Sunday was beautiful so beautiful I need to write its own post about it. But I just felt the need to mention it here. Cause this morning I had my prayer with my spiritual mother and I was telling her about it and boy do I wish some people in particular were there.  My spiritual mother's prayer was awesome this morning. I love how I can update her on my week and we can talk about it and then pray to GOD in praise, gratitude, and call on him for action and guidance. We're praying for you, for ourselves, for our loved ones we see in trouble and when I say in trouble I mean without Christ. She told me that she loves to hear me speak, to hear the hope in my words that are nothing short of a blessing from God. I'm not perfect, I have my moments too. I have happy posts, sad posts, and even angry posts, but no matter the emotion my faith in God is never any less, I never doubt him, and I know to trust him in everything I do.

This week is a tough week for me emotionally but God also made it a busy one and he is filling it with events and people that will keep me busy so I have no time to sulk.
I am living.
I am living in the arms of a magnificent GOD.
Learning, succeeding, failing, and learning some more from those failures.
I don't let just anything happen.
Yes whatever happens happens, but I pray that those happenings are the will of God.
God blessed us with a choice.
The will of man and the will of God.
And I CHOOSE to have nothing in my life but the will of God.

Hair Doesn't Lie

A few days ago I went and got my hair done by my hair stylist Zakiyah. I was in a bit of a rush because the next day (Sat) I had International Festival and I have a hair show to work and I wanted to look good with a fresh twist out.
After she washed my hair and began the twists she asked my if I am stressing? I responded kinda confused. I was like I was but I'm not stressing right now I'm good. And then as she continued she was like, "Stephanie you need to stop stressing seriously!" And I'm like what are you talking about!?! She then shared with me that my hair was thinning...

I didn't know what to say. My hair is so thick for it to begin thinning may be hard to tell but she sees me every 2-3 weeks so she really knows my head the best. That news was alarming to me... My hair is thinning. I know I been going through some stuff lately but I felt like I was good, I made progress and I was cool. But your hair does not lie to you. Let me repeat your HAIR DOES NOT LIE!

Your hair is an extension of you, your spirit emotionally and physically. Your hair is a reflection and growing extension of your being. You ever hear of women going through a bad divorce and their hair start breaking off, or people going through lots of stuff and getting bald spots. Sometimes people go through a rough patch in their lives and they start fresh with new clothes, new home, and often time new hair! Cutting your hair differently or rocking a new style is a great way to start fresh. Showcase a new you and with your new growth comes your new happiness. They hair you cut away and tossed in the trash is the same as cutting away that debt, or divorce, or death in the family.

I'm not concerned about loosing my hair or anything so don't freak out. But this defiantly made me re-evaluate how well I think I really am. I say I'm good but apparently my hair feels otherwise...
I've been in prayer about it and mentioned it to my spiritual mommy. She wants me to pray with her 3 times a week until I get stronger. I'm determined to be content. I'm determined to be happy. I'm so blessed and talented I don't want to waste my time feeling anything but positive. At the same time I can't fool myself and I have to get stronger in every aspect of my life. God made me such a solider man! Even my boss when I talked to him he was like "for everything that's been going on you seem good." He said he'd never guess. At first I felt accomplished, I felt like good job Stephanie you got that wall back up separating you from revealing how you are feeling. I put up walls in grade school, now I have Jesus to help guard my heart. I want to be strong without the need of a wall. I want to be strong whether I talk to you or not...

I've got a hard shell on the outside. My body is no longer transparent. I'm opaque.

As for my insides.. that's still wet concrete and I'm going to work on it getting dry.
All in all I'm going to be fine, Glory Be to God.

 

Nappaversary SHOW!

The Nappy Hutt celebrated their anniversary with Dinner and Designs at the Andaz Hotel in Downtown Savannah! We had such a fancy fun night! We had over 20 models of assorted ages and one male model. Taliah Waajid herself was in the audience along with her Atlanta hair crew of family and friends! I was proud and happy to be apart of the night, The Nappy Hutt deserves the attention, the credit, and the opportunity! I know this event is just the start to more and more showcases for all the years to come. Even as I grow out of Savannah and leave SCAD I will always represent my Rising Nappy Nation Family. They molded me into the natural guru I am today! Sharing what I learn, methods, styles, and tips and more to the readers of this blog any natural beauty I photograph! In the picture in the top left corner is ZAKIYAH!! aka AMINI she is my frequent stylist and did the rocking twist out doo on my head you see there. She is only 18yrs old! This girl is gonna go far in hair and anything else her heart may desire, she's a great person to be in the company of its always a pleasure to be in her chair (on a good day ;) Just Kidding AMINI! <3 

The following images are just more from the night! I was really feeling my hair there is just something about volume that suits me and Ms. Shawn loves my hair in a fresh twist out. My outfit is brought to you buy Charmine of Charming a la Mode! My earrings are my new best friends lol. Ms. Shawn said my earrings were too conservative for the outfit so I had to go shopping real quick but I'm glad I found these babies. As my brother said "Storm wants her earrings back" lol. That little booger of a brother. He was just jealous cause I looked fly.

BEFORE!!

So my hair was actually a THREE DAY process! Amini washed and combed out my hair and blow dried it to utilize my length to maximize the volume in the end product of my hair.

 

 

THEN she began in the front her vision there was clear and concise. Mohawks suit my face! so to braid the sides was an easy choice to make. In the center of the front of my head I had two-strand twists. Now for the back that was a process. Originally I was going to have tuck and folds but when that wasn't working out Amini tried alternatives. Ms. Shawn wanted color though especially for the sake of the show you gotta be bold and go all out! OF COURSE I was not going to dye my hair so they chose Burgandy for my hair. and I'm not gonna lie I was really feeling it. On DAY 2 of my hair Amini came up with the spiral awesome yin and yang feeling in the back of my head and she also incorporated more color. The color is so intentionally placed it seems almost painted in the right spots I love it. After that I had to just keep my hair safe till the day of the show (DAY 3) and had my twist out!

AFTER!!!

A Phenom TWIST OUT

So I have so many pictures of my latest hair style that I thought it would be most appropriate to share the look and to describe how I was taught by Zakiyah (one of my hair stylist at the nappy hutt).

So here is the photo journey!!

This front portion here are two strand twists.  In the back of my head these are not braids/cornrows. These are actually twists agaisnt the scalp! They do the same job as cornrows but no pulling and pain!

side views of the hair do.  Zakiyah pinned up the back in the center of my head kinds creating a crown almost.  All my twists in the front followed and did the same.

 

 

The following photos are just me actually sporting the style. It awesome how it can transform from like a sexy conservative to a sexy sassy with the twist out. 

Now how does the twist out actually work?! Well the way I was taught is to take some product - I used Taliah Waajid Black Earth Product called "The Strengthener" Medicated. I take a little bit of product on my finger tips and run it from scalp to hair end and then I begin to rotate the twist in the opposite way it was formed, this causes the twist to unravel instead of being picked apart. be careful not to tear apart the previously twisted strands or else it'll get frizzy. Over time hair swells after a juicy twist out which gives your hair a fuller look.

 Now I had all these curlies bouncing every which direction and I pinned them in a way that gave it some order. In the very last image was the day I was going to get my next hair do and I let the curlies free with no pins. Oh yes and I'm wearing contacts :)

R.I.P. To those Hoop earrings that broke :(

October 2012 Hair at The NAPPY HUTT

September- October hair doo.
If you read my blog about "HELP TIGHT BRAIDS" it was from THIS hair style!
As beautiful as it was the over lapping did cause some pain for a few sleepless nights. AFTER that I was able to fully enjoy the hair style.

This style is a total original! Overlapping braids, and two strang twist "shag" in the bag and bantu knotted two-strand twist at the top.





I LOVE LOVE LOVE styles that are versatile. so when I was ready I pulled down my bantu knots and had a head full of curly fry twists to play with.


Sorry for the pictures being side ways when I'm on my phone it doesn't let me turn them :/







This style was completed by Zakiyah at The Nappy Hutt in Savannah, GA 31401

Natural Hair Do's

My speech teach Mr. Campbell announced from the first day of class how fascinating my hair is. I've been washing my hair every two weeks or so now and I have been trying my best NOT to tie it down into one style.
Each day is a new style and says something toward my outfit. I love this experimentation cause with my hair out on its own I'm challenged every day not to do the same thing I did yesterday! My mom hates when I do this but I love it! She says my hair own in its all mighty natural state is how "Mad Women" in Jamaica wear their hair... lol. Whatever!
The most I've gotten her to do is China Bump my hair or what you hair professionals call Bantu Knots. In the country, us Jamaicans refer to them as China Bumps and pronounce China "Chi-knee" lol. My late Grandma use to part her white hair and twist it and roll it into these bumps on her head. Its something I found funny before but the next morning when she took it down her hair was all wavy. Well for me Bantu Knots provide a thick coil that's springy and even tighter when I do it Jamaican style by twisting it first.

The best thing about my mom doing my China Bumps in my hair is that she got to use another Black Earth Product. She is stubborn and she has to use something before she believes in it. OR she'll believe in it if it was on one of her shows like Dr. Oz or the Doctors -__-
Anywaay she also thinks I ruined my hair...So now! She was combing my hair and praising how beautiful and long my hair still is and how I should show off my length and how no one knows how long and pretty my hair is because I wear it like rasta mad woman. lol.

The thing is that I'm happy with my hair and I no longer feel the need to show off my length like I used to. People who KNOW hair can look at my hair once and praise my length and bucket me with compliments. And if they don't know hair they'll think I cut it or I'm going natural, unbeknownst to them I've been natural all my life. I like keeping people guessing. As long as I'm loving my hair that's all what matters.
To me I have the best of both worlds. Long hair when I choose and short hair when I choose. And medium when I choose. Without cutting a strand! Wet/or Dry! Thats the POWER and CONTROL I have with my hair being natural! Do you have that authority with your hair?

Lots of my other styles come from the use of lots and lots of hair pins.
The products I use mostly are Curly Curl Cream and style N shine for my Bantu Knots.

The great thing is that I don't use this stuff daily. Once its in my hair I reactivate it by moistening my hair with water. It saves on the product too!

Enjoy the Pictures!!!!
(The Last Style is how my hair is currently)
I also enlarged the final style since I have some process images in here as well :)