I have an easy one for you: Which Came First - The Chicken or the Dinner?

Adjoa's Hair 2

I've had a couple requests for info on Adjoa's hair: products I like, etc.

Here's a quick run-down of what we have found that works really well for Adjoa's hair.

I pretty much never use shampoo on her hair.  Nearly all shampoos strip oils, etc. from the hair {which is what you want if you have straight, white hair, but for black hair, you need those oils to moisturize and protect}.  When we wash Adjoa's hair, I typically do a co-wash {conditioner wash}.  It still cleans the hair, but does not strip the oils.

Occasionally I follow the co-wash with a deep conditioner treatment or even a leave-in.  It just depends on the day and what her hair has been like lately.  I have found that pretty much any natural conditioner works well at this stage, and by avoiding shampoo, you eliminate a lot of the synthetics that strip the hair.  We have tried, and liked, some of Curly Q's products and various organic stuff from Whole Foods.  I've also used natural or organic stuff from the baby isle at the grocery store.

Everything I've tried that I purchased at a salon or in the black hair care section I've been 100% dissatisfied with.  Adjoa's hair looses it's shine and it more difficult to work when we use those products.  Most also leave a film on her sleep caps or pillow cases that doesn't come out.

Miss Jessie's and Carol's Daughter get a lot of traction in the Natural Hair Care world, but a lot of their products aren't really "natural" or organic.  I've found those products to be a little too hit and miss for the price.  Some parents swear by them, but they are pricey and such a waste if you don't like them.

What I've done that I really like is make my own sprays, etc.  We use coconut oil, shea butter, tea tree oil, olive oil, etc. here and there.  I will typically put some conditioner in a spray bottle, add some water, and add one or two of the oils listed above.  I spray that on Adjoa's hair as a moisturizer.

If I'm putting her hair in braids, I will typically use the coconut oil and apply it directly to her hair.  I have found if I add the extra moisturizer or oil before I braid, the hair preforms so much better when the braids come out.  I can usually even get a few days of a "twist out" or "braid out" if I have used an oil before I braid the hair.

Here are some of the websites, etc. that I like to visit:
http://www.happygirlhair.com/
http://www.afrobella.com/
http://motowngirl.com/

I LOVE youtube for hair care info.  There are a TON of videos on natural hair care.  I usually search "natural hair care" or "natural hair care styles".  I can spend hours watching videos, jotting down other home-made recipes for hair care products, making lists of products, and checking out new hair styles.

People ask constantly how long it takes to do Adjoa's hair.  Most styles {unless I have it loose for a bit} take about 2 hours.  I pop in a movie for Adjoa, and we sit down for some mommy-daughter movie-hair bonding time. 

She holds still better {which is crucial for me because I'm not used to these hair styles and haven't done most of them before} and she loves watching the movies.  We have our moments.  I get frustrated sometimes {usually at my own ineptitude} and she gets tired of sitting there.  But she's always so proud of her hair and loves it so much when we are done.

Her favorite styles include beads and/or lots of colorful barrettes.

Personally, I think she looks beautiful no matter how her hair is styled, but I do love the afro.  It speaks independence and pride to me.  And it's the one style that white hair simply cannot do.