2011 Natural Hair Show in Atlanta, Part 2

Hi everyone, happy Monday! Here is part 2 of Lydia's adventure at the Natural Hair Show put on by Taliah Waajid in Atlanta:

Hello again!  In this segment  I would like to talk about products I learned about while at the World Natural Hair and Beauty Show.  Those of you who follow Nandikids on Facebook know that I am a huge fan of Taliah Waajid’s products.  They are all natural and really do live up to their promises.  Nandikids is mainly directed at the needs of kids.  The recommended products at the show for kids were: Protective Mist Bodifier (my personal fav), The Great Detangler (a truly amazing product), Lock it Up, Kinky Wavy Natural Very Berry 3-in-1, and Kinky Wavy Natural Herbal Style and Shine.  

The most important point they stressed was that your child should not be crying when they get their hair done.  Yes it takes time and patience but it shouldn’t hurt.  The children’s line of products has more emulsifiers to make the hair more manageable and easier to work with.  

Every child’s hair is different.  So while the products will work on everyone, the way it’s used and how much product is needed will vary from person to person.  The workshop I attended used a volunteer model to show how to comb and detangle using Protective Mist Bodifier or The Great Detangler.  She then added a generous amount of Kinky Wavy Style and Shine and worked it through the hair.  This is to keep the hair moisturized while it is styled.  Simple rolling twists were put in the front of the model’s hair.  Lock it up was used where the hair texture required it.  The stylist left the hair at the back of the head loose and used a massage tool in a circular pattern to define the natural curl pattern.  She mentioned that the Very Berry 3-in-1 shampoo is gentle enough to be used every week and is not supposed to require additional conditioning.  Again this depends on your child’s hair.  I find that my little H still needs to condition her hair after using this shampoo.  

One of the volunteer models from the audience was a 7 year old girl who had just started growing her hair after it had been cut very short (because brushing and detangling made her cry).  Using the products mentioned, the instructor combed and detangled her hair and used the style and shine to bring out the girl’s natural curl pattern.  The very best part of the whole experience is not only that she didn’t cry, but she had an ear to ear grin when she looked in the mirror afterward.   

Other products I found included strawllers.  

This product lets you get the long loose curls (depending on the size you use) that a lot of our girls want.  I’ve tried them on H using Taliah Waajid’s Crinkles and Curls.  I found that I didn’t get the results I wanted but I think that her hair has to be a lot longer for it to work properly.  Currently her hair is only about 5-6 inches long when fully extended.  The product was being demonstrated at the show so I do know that it works.  The nice thing about this product is that the rollers have holes throughout that allow the hair to dry quickly without having to be under a hooded dryer.  

For those of you who like Kinky Curly Curling Custard, I found a comparable product called BlairCare Curli Jelli.  This product works the same way but is half the price and you don’t have to use any special shampoo and conditioner.  Nandikids has just added this product to their website.

Other things I brought home with me are a book about hair (Kids Talk Hair by Pamela Ferrell) and a natural styling instructional video .  These are exceptional tools for any parent learning how to manage their child’s hair.

The best part of attending the show is that you get to sample the products and ask any question you want.  My only regret is that I didn’t take my little girl H with me.  Given her age I didn’t think it would work out so well.  Next time she’ll be coming for sure!

Lydia

We hope you enjoyed Lydia's review of the World Natural Hair and Beauty Show. Maybe if you are near Atlanta you'll check it out! The Fall show is coming up Sept. 10 and 11.