Box Braid Update

Hey friends!  Hope you all still consider me a friend even though I have been neglecting you big time!  Besides trying to squeeze in every little bit of quality time possible with my kiddos now that they are home on break, we have also had a wedding, funeral, birthday, anniversary, end of school year, soccer, soccer, and more soccer going on here the last few weeks!!!!!

I have to update you on V's box braids though because she is SO in love with them, that it finally happened.  The girl asked for locs.  Yup, she did.  She was able to put two and two together and realize that all the freedom I have been allowing her with her braids was pretty much what her sisters life is like with locs.  My reply to her was, "But wouldn't you miss your puffs and other styles?  Maybe we should give it a few more years and then think about it again?"  My powers of persuasion win again, because she thought this was a brilliant idea.  Isn't it great when your kids are still young enough to think you are SO SMART!

What we did decide to do was to keep the box braids for awhile longer!  I was going to switch to a different style and then come back to the box braids later in the summer, but I had a plan that I thought would be easier and V was so pleased to keep the braids!

I just gave her hair a really thorough washing with the first set of braids in.  Then I took out the braids a few at a time and put them back in.  I took out a few at a time because I was making them a little bit smaller this time.  So in some places where I had 2 braids, I put in 3.  Or where there were 4 braids I put in 5.  In some spots where there were really large braids I just split them in half.  But when I did this I made triangle parts this time.  Just to change things up!

The last set of braids we had in for 4 1/2 weeks.  I am hoping since these are a bit smaller I can stretch them out for 5 or 6 weeks.  At the end of the life of the braids when they are looking super fuzzy, I just keep them in french braids or pigtails and they are fine!

Here are a few pics of how we have styled the braids:

Half up French Braid

Two French Braids

With Bangs

Wavy Pig Tails (from the French Braids)

Two Cornrows into a Ponytail

Bangs only on one side

Those were all from the first set of braids.  These are the newer braids.  They have been in for almost a week now.  Last night she rinsed them in the shower and afterwards when they were wet we put them into 5 big braids to make them wavy.  From the pics it looks kind of sparse (especially in comparison to B's full locs) but in person this looks darling!  

I have a few other posts in my brain waiting to be written.  But I am making time with the kids my number 1 priority this summer!  Last summer I was going to school and I barely saw my family.  NOT GONNA HAPPEN this year!  So, please be patient.  If you don't hear from me for a bit, just know we are having a good time!

Katie

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.

Tidbit Tuesday

Did You Know????

That my son has wanted to get designs shaved in his head....FOREVER!

I have always said "no" because I knew I couldn't do it, and I thought it was sort of a waste of money to pay someone else to do it when I figure it will grow out pretty quickly.

If you all recall, when I posted about my experience with doing boys hair in the past, I told you about the time two years ago when the Young Man had grown his hair long enough for me to cornrow.  It was finger cramping work trying to get his short hair into cornrows that reached from front to back but I did it.  ONLY to have him turn around and take them out the next day!  I was so upset I shaved his head!

A few months ago he started growing it again, saying he wanted me to braid it again.  I kept saying..."are you crazy?"    Well, it is starting to get VERY warm here in Michigan and my boy really works up a sweat during a soccer game under normal conditions.  I figured he should shave his afro so that he wouldn't be so hot.  (I don't really like the way he looks with an afro anyway, I think he is much more handsome with short hair!)  I thought maybe bribary would work.  My money hungry son took the bait!  He would shave his head for $20!

He went to school the day after we made this deal and came home with a new plan.  He would be happy to shave his hair off if he could use the money to get designs in his hair.  DARN IT!  He got me!  I didn't really feel I should say no.  I want him to be able to express himself through his hair as long as he isn't asking for something inappropriate.  So here is the result -

My husband has a friend that doesn't have a barber license yet but is practicing cutting hair in his house.  He did a great job.  Young Man C LOVES it and got plenty of attention at school with this new style!  My sisters response was, "Katie, you could do this!"  I agree, I could do this, if I had the proper tools.  But even the hair cut and line up that C got from this friend is so much nicer looking than mine.  I just don't have the fancy top of the line clippers and trimmers!  Nor can I afford any new ones!

Young Man C has all sorts of plans for future designs that he would like in his hair.  His club soccer team just took second place in the WHOLE STATE OF MICHIGAN, and is headed to regionals in Wisconsin in a few weeks.  He might be sporting a new design for this very important event!

Katie

2011 Natural Hair Show in Atlanta, Part 1

Hey there everybody! We have a guest poster today, it's Lydia, the owner of Nandikids! She recently returned from someplace any KMC reader would LOVE to go, the Natural Hair Health & Beauty Show put on by Taliah Waajid in Atlanta! WOW! She is going to tell us about her trip to the show, in two parts....here's part 1:


Hi!  This is Lydia from Nandikids.  I’ve posted here once before on Tidbit Tuesday.  I started Nandikids a year after I brought my daughter H home from South Africa.

Being in Canada meant that we didn’t have great access to products needed to properly take care of her hair and skin needs.   I quickly tired of having to spend a fortune to import products only  to find I didn’t like them.   We are a huge fan of Taliah Waajid’s products so when I learned of their annual Natural Hair and Beauty Show I really wanted to go.

The World Natural Hair and Beauty show was held in Atlanta Georgia.  I wanted to attend for several reasons.  First, I wanted to scout out new products for Nandikids and to learn more about caring for Black hair naturally.  Secondly, I wanted to put myself in a situation where I was the minority.  My daughter is the minority every day.  At school, at home, at dance class…..  I thought it necessary for me to experience this first hand.

Attending this show was a terrific experience.  Yes it was a little strange to be one of four non-Black attendees (2 of the others were half of a mixed race couple).  And yes, we did get some inquisitive looks.  However, we were not made to feel uncomfortable.  Some vendors treated us like any other customer explaining the benefits of their product.  Other vendors took a minute to figure out why we were there.  Armed with that information, they were all over us.  This was especially true at the workshop that I attended.  The instructor made the class feel very comfortable asking questions.  My sister-in-law and I were the only non-black, non-hairstylists in the class.  I explained that I had a daughter that was Black and I wanted to learn more about caring for her hair needs and how to style it appropriately with my limited skill.

The next thing you know I was in the front row, then standing by the instructor watching as she worked, asking questions as she went.  Then to my amazement she told me to go ahead and practice cornrowing on her son’s hair.  I am terrible at this and have only attempted it once on H. 
In the end I got some great tips on managing H’s hair (how much product to use, what products to use) and styling tips ( how to maintain locks, how to tighten locks, better cornrowing and twist techniques) and some new cool products (strawllers for example).  I can’t wait to go again.

September show, anyone???

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Lydia's experience at the show!