Ask Alex Anything: What to do with my hair?

Hey There-

I heard about your blog through a friend and I love it! I thought you would be the right person to ask any questions about natural hair, since I'm having a hair crisis. I've been natural for a little more than a year now and I just love it, but I just don't know how to deal with it, I guess since I'm so used to dealing with permed hair. But even when my hair was permed I have been experiencing a lot of damage and breakage, now that I'm natural it seems to be worse. Constantly I've been wearing weaves (which I'm trying to get away from) so I don't have to deal with my hair. So my question to you is, what would you recommend to do or any treatments?

Thanks so much!

-Ackeela.M

Ackeela-

Congrats for being over a year natural! That is awesome and very exciting.

I can totally relate to your frustrations and "not knowing how to deal" with your hair, I think every natural has

experienced that feeling at least once on their journey.

My suggestions to you are the following:

1. Implement a good regimen that works for you and your hair.

Having a regimen is awesome because it puts your hair on a "schedule."

A good/regular regimen implemented in your journey will promote healthy growing hair.

2. If you don't know your hair type, find out. I think it is good to know what "type" of hair you have because

that way you know what products would be worth trying. (click here for a good resource)

3. Protective styling. The fact that you have been keeping your hair weaved isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Wearing a hair weave is a good protective style to wear during cold months.

Just make sure you are giving your hair a break every once and a while and be sure to moisturize your scalp while your weave install is in.

You can also wear twist outs and braid outs, these styles stretch the hair and can give you a long lasting style for up to 4 days.

4. Condition, condition, condition you hair! That is VERY important.

If you decide to wear your hair out (not in a weave install) be sure that you dedicate at least one day a week

to deep conditioning.

5. Depending on your hair type you may need more moisture to prevent breakage.

I hope these little tips helped!

Also, ladies, if you have anything to add/suggest to Ackeela feel free to do so in the comment box!

xoxo,

Alex

Ask Alex: To Straighten or Not to Straighten

This question is from Rachel and I am very glad that she sent in this question.

I actually have received similar questions that relate to this topic. 

I used to get my hair pressed a lot during my transitioning period, I will explain what I did

before heading into the salon to get a blow out and press.

Hey Alex!-

Just wanted to let you know that I religiously follow you on your blog and twitter!! I saw in your fotki that you had pictures of your hair pressed. I want to get it trimmed (I do every three months) and wanted to wear my hair straightened for a week maybe after the trim. I'm a little scared to do so though because I know the dangers of irreversible heat damage. SO... I just wanted your opinion on what to do to my hair before getting it flatironed and trimmed at a salon!! I know the stylist, she has straightened my hair before and actually is the one that did my BC! She's a pressed natural as well, so she def knows what she's doing. I'm just super-conscious about heat damage since this is the only time in three months I'm putting heat on my curls... Please tell me if I should do option A or option B or option C and why please, thanks! 

*Also, she is good at using either "natural" products or products for curly hair such as Namaste and Mixed Chicks 

A. go to salon with hair "dirty" with prepoo of a mixture of oils and let her shampoo, blowdry, flatiron and style my hair.

B. go to salon with hair washed and DC'd and dry in braids and let her blowdry, flatiron, and style my hair

C. your suggestion 

Thanks so much!!

Rachel

P.S. I ALSO have a girl-crush on you :) much love

***********

Rachel,

Thank you for writing me, this is a very popular question amongst my readers! I'd be happy to share with you what I did before getting my hair pressed. My steps were very simple. I would wash and condition my hair the night before heading into the salon. I would also leave a overnight DC in my hair and have my stylist rinse it out once it was time for my appointment. Since I know my stylist personally, she understands how picky I am on what goes on my hair. I bring my own heat protectent and my Avocado Shea Butter, both help seal my ends and protect my hair during the blow out and press. If your stylist doesn't mind you bringing in your own products, go for it! Especially if you know your hair likes what you normally use at home. Whatever you do make sure she uses a heat protectent. That is KEY to preventing heat damage. 

I hope this answer helped you!

Let me know how your visit goes.

xoxo,

Alex

Ask Alex- Out of the country with Natural Hair

Today's Ask Alex question is interesting!

I have never experienced a issue where I couldn't get my hair done

or find a solution while out of country.

Probably because I have never traveled abroad before.

Nelly, I tried my best to answer your GREAT question.

:)

Hi Alex!

 My name is Nelly and I am a very loyal reader of your blog.I'm currently transitioning. I've kept my hair in cornrows and box braids all summer. I plan on BCing once my natural hair has grown out to a comfortable length. HOWEVER, I'm studying abroad in Ireland for a semester and I am unsure what to do with my hair. I plan on getting new box braids the week I leave, but there's no way I can keep them in for 3 and a half months. I figured I'd have them in until October. But I don't know what else to do with my hair once I unbraid it. I want to keep it in a protective style, especially since Dublin is cold and rainy. I also worry about what will be available to me in terms of haircare products. I don't know if you traveled abroad but I could sure use some haircare advice.

Much love and Many thanks,

Nelly

Nelly,

It is so good to hear that you are wearing your hair in protective styles while transitioning!

That is the best way to allow your hair to grow and it keeps manipulation to a minimum.

I have never traveled abroad but I can say that after you take your last set of braids out

you can do some cool things with your hair.

You can wear twist outs, braid outs, flats twists, up-dos and more (depending on your hair length).

Also, to camouflage those straight ends you can put flexi rods or rollers on the ends 

of your hair to give the style you choose to use a cohesive curly look. 

I would also suggest investing in some cute head scarfs or beanie style hats (also called Tams).

These accessories can easily spruce up any outfit and/or hairstyle

while protecting your hair from the harsh winter weather.

As far as hair products, you will most likely have to start ordering from online stores.

There are awesome online natural hair care shops. 

I do most of my hair care shopping online

and I love it.

International shipping may be a little expensive though.

Another option for hair care products is to start making your own.

YouTube has GREAT "How To" videos.

You can easily find out how to make hair butters,

leave in conditioners, shampoo and more.

It's a fun and easy way to whip up things that you know work well for you.

You can buy ingredients in bulk from wholesalers online.

Best Wishes,

Alex

Ask Alex- When can I expect hair growth?

Hi Everyone!

Let me first start by saying THANK YOU for re-sending your questions!

That was SUCH a life saver.

I will be answering questions in the order in which they were received.

I hope to answer at least 2 a week.

I have been very busy and school is about to start so 

bare with me :)

Below is a question from a YOUNG new natural named Ayesha.

I was so happy to have such a young girl email me.

It's so great to know that our youth is becoming more conscience about their hair and how to 

take care of it.

Read her questions below:

Alex,

 I am a 15 year old girl who has recently BC'd so that I could go natural and get away from the chemicals. Can you give any tips on hair for going natural. What are the do and don'ts for going natural? And how long do you think before I see any result in my hair growing?

Here is the answer I gave here:

Ayesha-

Thank you for emailing me your question! I am so happy to know that you are a new natural on a quest to have healthy hair! I will try my best to answer your question. Let's start with your hair growing inquiry.To be completely honest, I can't tell you how fast your hair will grow or when it will start to grow long. Your hair is unique to you, that's what makes being natural so fun and exciting. Everyone's hair grows in differently and at a different pace, during the growing out process you will start to learn and know your hair. Eventually, you will see a pattern and will you may be able to calculate your own growth. Hair in general usually grows about a 1/2 inch per month but some researchers say that African American hair tends to grow at a slower rate. Diet, water intake, exercise and hair care can help with the growth process and overall health of your hair. To make growing out your hair easier you can always wear extensions such as, braids, weaves, twists. These styles in the natural hair community are called "protective styles". Wearing protective styles does not only protect your hair but they give you versatility while growing out your TWA (teeny weeny afro). The whole point of PS is to protect your ends from damage and breakage. When that is done correctly length can be retained and your ends will stay strong and healthy. As far as the "Do's and Don't" of natural hair here is a list of what I DO while caring for my natural hair. Like I mentioned before, once you learn YOUR hair you will be able to categorize what works for you. :)

DO'S

* Drink lots of water

*Take vitamins

*ONLY brush or comb hair while wet

*Use wide tooth combs when styling

* Stay away from products with alcohol

*Deep Condition regularly (I DC my hair 2-3x a week)

* Wear protective styles

*Trim every 6-12 weeks a(as your hair gets longer you may want to consider trimming)

*Massage your scalp with your favorite oil to increase blood flow (I used Vatika Oil)

*Use heat sparingly

*When sleeping use a satin bonnet or scarf to keep hair from drying out

Thank you again for submitting your question!

I wish you the best on your new journey! Congrats for going natural.

Much Love,

Alex 

Ask Alex-Uh-oh!

Happy Monday Beauties!
I hope everyone had a good weekend, I did.
I went to NY this weekend with my girls and we had a fab time!
There are a few pics on my Tumblr if you want to check them out.
Any who, I made a mistake today by accidentally trashing the "Ask Alex" emails that you all have been sending.
4 or 5 questions were un-answered and for some reason I cant retrieve them from my trash folder.
Can whoever emailed me within the past week, resend what you sent?
I want to get these questions answered for you ladies ASAP.

In the subject box put: AA Resend

I appreciate it!

Ask Alex- Hair Type

Happy Monday All!

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS weekend.

I did :-)

Anywho...

I received some good and some interesting questions this weekend

on my Tumblr and via email.

There was one questions in particular that stood out to me

and

quite frankly, I was bothered by it.

Take a look below and let me know what YOU think...

Question:

Um, hi again :) haha. I've decided to go natural. I currently have kinky twists in my hair and haven't started transitioning or even considered the BC but when I take them out I plan on letting my natural hair grow out and just chop off the relaxed hair. I was wondering if my ethnicity has anything to do with my natural hair texture. I'm African and was wondering if my hair will come out "tough" haha. I just don't want to be disappointed. HELP!! Thanks :)

Now, when I read this my first thing I thought was

"this girl is going natural for all the WRONG reasons".

I feel that if your main concern is hair type then you should not be going natural period.

I didn't really know how to answer this question

but I tried... 

See below.

Hey-

I am not sure how to answer this question. The hair texture that you will have will depend on your genetics and over all background. In my eyes there is no such thing as “good hair” or “bad hair”. To me going natural is all about self acceptance and embracing the hair that God gave YOU. It seems like you may be fishing for a certain hair type that you may not have. My advice to you is to NOT do that. You will set yourself up for disappointment if you are looking to have a certain hair texture or curl. It seems like you may be going natural for the wrong reasons. You should re-think your decision to make sure being natural is really for you.

Much Love,

Alex

What do y'all think about this question

and

how would you have answered it?

Didn't it seem like she wanted me to tell her what type of 

hair she would have?

Feedback is WANTED on this post.

Ask Alex-Shrinkage

Yesterday I got an email from one of my readers.

Her name is Alex too :).

Her question was regarding shrinkage and the appearance of her hair.

Read what she wrote below:

Hi Alex,

I was wondering if you ever had to deal with shrinkage? I'm just about 8 months natural but you really cant tell unless I twist my hair or pick it out. I don't do either regularly because I am scared of over manipulation. It does get frustrating because I know my hair is growing but it just doesn't look like it. 

Best Wishes, 

Alex B. 

Here is what I have to say about

the almighty SHRINKAGE!

LOL.

Alex B,

I feel your pain. LOL shrinkage and my hair are BFF's and because of my hair type I think I am even more prone to shrinkage. I haven't found a way to decrease shrinkage but I have gotten quite skilled at stretching my hair. I twist it at night to prevent matting and tangling and when I wear my puff I pick my hair out at the root only. I also make sure my hair is damp when I pick it out to avoid breakage. Do not be afraid to play with certain styles and methods. You have to go through trail and error to figure out what works for your hair. Shrinkage can be quite annoying, I know, but there are ways you can work around it. :)

Much Love,

Alex 

Question 2: Ask Alex

I have been receiving a lot of questions on my Tumblr page

about Natural Hair, which I think is VERY cool.

I received a few questions this week about growth, curl maintenance, transitioning, vitamins and ect.

Below is a question that I received about heat damage.

QUESTION: Hey I do you have a remedy or any suggestions for me? I used to have really really curly hair...like the springy type of curls but for whatever reason my hair refuses to curl now. Its very curly at the roots but not really anywhere else...

When I first read this HEAT DAMAGE is the FIRST thing that came to mind.

I feel so bad for girls who go through this with their hair.

It's like, some people can't find a middle ground when wanting to wear their curl hair straight.

A lot of it has to do with hair care and protection, many girls are very uneducated on how to take care of their precious curls.

Below is the answer I provided her with.

Answer: Do you use a lot of heat? If so, your hair is probably heat damaged. Unfortunately you cannot undo that and your curls wont revert back. All you can do is grow it out or cut it off to start over. :( Heat damage is a b****. 

I know that answer was kind of vague but that's all I could really say.

There isn't much that can be done when heat damage occurs.

Some  people say to try and re-condition the hair and the curls will come back.

I have never tried that but I have heard that it is not a very successful method to use.

Often times, people do not realize that hair is DEAD

and

all you can do is preserve it.

1. Ask Alex

I got a message earlier on my Etsy regarding natural hair and job interviews.

I was so happy to receive this question because I had the same worry when I first went natural.

Read below:

 Hi,

I read your blog almost everyday and I was wondering if you had any problems wearing your natural hair to job interviews or different jobs? I am newly natural and I'm senior in college, so I'll probably be going on more job interviews and I wanted to know if other naturals had problems with their hair at work.

Thanks

I think my answer to her was fairly simple:

Hey!

I am so glad you read my blog, that means a lot. I have not had any problems with jobs and having natural hair. I recently got a new job and I wore my hair it its natural state to the interview. There was no problem with it, especially if you look well kept and presentable.

I think you will be fine! It's is not about the hair (to me) it's about the job performance.

Much Love,

Alex

Anyone have any advice or insight to give this person?

I am sure y'all do!

Leave a comment and share your experiences!

Ask Alex

So this might be EXTREMELY corny but 

I am going to start taking questions from my readers.

I get a lot of questions about natural hair, especially recently

and 

I want to be able to post the questions that people as me on my blog. 

I think it will give incite to others and fellow naturals can also give

feedback and share their personal advice.

NOW, I am not a natural hair guru or scientist.

LOL, nor am I a expert but

I will try my best to help you.

You can take or leave my advice

but IF YOU TAKE IT

do so at your own risk.

LOL

P.S. if you just want to be nosey and ask me random questions about life... feel free.

email questions to: 1alexandra.smith@gmail.com