Not gonna lie but...

I'm getting sick of natural hair blogs in general. Not any in particular. The undying obsession with having long hair and the whining to have the approval of men is just peeving me to death. In an attempt to be counter-cultural, I feel like a lot of women are sliding back into the perception of beauty as a virtue, something to strive for and develop. This kind of thing doesn't exist in the queer community and it intrigues me.

I'm going to quote Toni Morrison on this one:

“The concept of physical beauty as a virtue is one of the dumbest, most pernicious and destructive ideas of the western world, and we should have nothing to do with it.” Black is Beautiful is a “white idea turned inside out…Concentrating on whether we are beautiful is a way of measuring worth that is wholly trivial... and preoccupation with it is an irrevocable slavery of the senses.”

I'm not trying to claim nirvana or anything like that; but I'm over my hair. I'm over it. I accept it like I accept my knees, nose, fingers, toes, my bum and elbows. It's occurred to me that my hair doesn't require any more attention than other parts of my body; and to elevate it to the glory of my existence is just ludicrous to me. To devote hours of blog-reading to the maintenance of my hair to the point of over-information is nothing but a distraction from the development of actual virtue (whatever that is). It really is "just hair" to me now. My biology knows nothing about politics, what men and women think, and what style looks the cutest. My biology just "is". My biology just wants to "be".

So this blog will no longer be about my hair... because I'm over it. My life demands more meaningful occupations. I now completely understand why Najahface deleted her YouTube channel.

Wow

We've had some pretty balmy weather in the past couple o' days. It's been extremely hot and extremely humid. It was 32 degrees Celsius today and with humidity it was 42!

The only sentient being that was enjoying this weather was my hair. It's never stayed so soft and so moisturized for an entire day! I can't stop touching it.

A Major Setback

So, I had to take down my two-month old twists (which were just starting to lock) because my ever-present but normally benign eczema had been flaring up for the past month, leaving really disgusting and large flakes embedded in my twists. And in order for me to have the condition treated properly, it's best that I have loose hair (says the dermatologist). My twists were rather thick and so to apply my doses of cortisone cream I would need easier access to my trouble spots.

I'm not entirely saddened because who wants dreads with huge scalpy flakes embedded in them? No one? Thought so.

And in lieu of it all, my growth is astounding!
This is me after a good wash, deep condition, detangling, moisturizing, sealing, twisting, and twist out...

Masala Chai, an orgasm in a cup for spice lovers

I can never get enough of spiced ANYTHING. Here's my recipe for chai. This recipe contains cloves (which can be done without if you want. I heard somewhere that pregnant women should avoid large amounts of cloves in their diet. So mommies-to-be might want to either nix it or significantly reduce the quantity. I'm not a doctor; but ask yours!) =D

If you're entertaining, this'll make about 5 large cups... and probably 10 of those cute little tea cups with no handles (it's probably better for first timers in small quantities).... anyhow!!

**note... when i make this, i don't really measure things... you kind of just get the hang of it after a while. But if you've never made it before, you can start of with these measurements and make it more personal in time. Every Indian family has its own nuanced chai recipe. So there's no exact way to make it.

Masala Chai
(Masala = spice & Chai = tea/sweet tea with milk)

5 cups of water
1 and 1/2 tbsp of loose black tea leaves or 1 black tea bag (You can experiment with green tea and other dark teas if you're a thrill-seeker)
1 cup of cow's milk (or soy, or almond milk, even goat's milk!)
1/2 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper (yes, really!)
2 tsp of ground cardomon (or 3 seeds per cup)
2 tsp of ground nutmeg
28 cloves (or generally 14 cloves per 2 cups of water. It depends on your taste)
6-8 pieces of thinly sliced ginger root
1 tsp of vanilla extract ( I love how it adds flavour that just rolls over your tongue)
4 tbsp of brown sugar, or white sugar, or honey, or all of them mixed together! (to your taste!)

Stir constantly, and avoid covering the pot because it'll foam up. Bring all of these to a boil for 10-15 minutes. If you like it stronger, boil longer!

And to add my Jamdadian (Jamaican+Trinidadian) heritage to the mix, you can spike a shot of rum to each cup if you're looking for a good time! Oh lawd!

Ginger Tea

so very invigorating for the mind and body. Ginger tea can reduce the intensity of migraines, calm nausea (great for the pregnant ladies), reduce gas, aid digestion,

4 cups of water
6-8 slices of peeled ginger root
1 slice of an orange peel (about 5cm by 2cm?)
1 tsp. cinnamon
a dash of grated nutmeg
Brown sugar to taste

Boil all of the ingredients together for 10 minutes (at least) If you like your ginger tea strong, boil it longer.

Deux mois and labyrinths... minus Bowie

Friday will mark the second month in my locking exploit. I must say that the past month has particularly been difficult. Anxiety has been a close enemy of mine-- not just over the matter of my hair locking but over the school year that is ahead of me. This summer has brought a downpour of graces, involving me being awarded with two fellowships that will fully fund my grad program, and the offer of two jobs as a research assistant and teaching assistant. Of course, it would be logical to think that one is perfectly competent and fitting for possessing such status; but I can't help but be afraid that I might not meet my own standard, or the standard at which I am perceived by my faculty... or that I'll just plain fuck it all up. I'm trying to be positive, trying to tell myself that I am deserving of these rewards because of my five years of hard work at the undergraduate level, and trying to capture the negativity with self love. But it's so hard and too much to manage at times. There are moments when I feel so strong, motivated and eager to encounter the upcoming year. And there are other moments during which I feel so small, cowardly and meek. I can't let this anxiety stagnate me. That would be the worst thing for me to do. I have to keep going and take it slowly.

I walked the public labyrinth in downtown Toronto on Monday. It allowed me to transpose my anxiety into physicality, with kinetic energy, walking the winding path as if it were the depths of my twisted heart, walking through the mirages, past the trolls and through the murk of my feelings of inadequacy. I reached the center, which was so clearly defined in fixity, steadfastness and prominence. And as I stood in the flower of the labyrinth, I could see over all of the insidiously winding circuits that had led me to such a vantage point, knowing that it had been worth it all.

Interestingly, this all applies to my venture of locking my hair.

The labyrinth in Toronto Trinity Square Park

360-ish

Decorating on a dime

In the Fall, I'm moving to another town to begin my MA program. So this summer has meant busying myself with finding cheap furniture and accessories with which to dress up my new apartment. Last week, I acquired a solid oak table (for FREE!) from a lovely sikh man who lives down the street. He put the table by the curb, as if to leave it for the garbage truck to take it away. As my mother was walking by the man's house, she noticed it's good quality and condition and rushed home to tell me about it. Together we dashed back to the man's house to retrieve the table from the side of the road. Score? I think so! 1UP me!

Tomorrow, I'm going to paint the table black. And to go with the table, I've got some chairs that need refinishing (also thrifted for 5 dollars apiece). I've done one so far. Below is the before and after The other will get done along with the table.

do do do do....

Hiya!

(38 days)

Student ID

I'm starting grad school in the Fall; and that means getting a new student card and ID photo... muahaha. I decided to wear my hair out for it.

Et voila!

Pretty Much a month

Ok so my 1 month will be on the 17th. But here are pictures anyway =P

Three and a half weeks

It's been three weeks and then some and my twists are starting to tighten up. I'm able to shampoo every few days and rinse every day without them unraveling. I can't wait for them to grow out more so that the parts stop showing.

Next week will be one whole month.




the stupid flash makes my hair look dull and white =\

My new obsession

This is Harmony. Her MySpace page is here

How is Castile Soap Made?

Hello fellow naturals and castile soap lovers! Ever wonder how castile soap is made? Check out this video to find out.

Foaming vegan soap and other homemade bath products

For those of you who are newly-converted Castile Soap enthusiasts, like me, you may have already noticed that when diluted, the soap is rather watery. I've found that this causes me to use more soap than I normally anticipate to use during a washing session. This afternoon, while trudging through the netherworldly cabinet underneath my bathroom sink, I came across a foaming soap dispenser. A lightbult subsequently went off and I dashed to my soap stash in my room to pull out my favourite Dr. Bronner's hemp peppermint liquid castile soap. I dumped about 2 oz. of castile soap into the bottle, and then filled the rest of it with water. The moment of determining my success or failure would come after the test...

*Teesha presses down on the pump*

What elated me thereafter was the pouring out of thick, frothy, cloud-like foam that emitted a heavenly peppermint aroma.

"SUCCEEEEEEEESSS" I shouted, as my words triumphantly echoed in the bathroom. I then raised my fist in the air for victory.

From hereonafter, there will be no watery castile soap mess. My frugality is furthermore sustained, as more soap will be saved with the glorious foaming dispenser *inject maniacal laughter here*

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I no longer use any chemically-infused products on my body. Why not? Since I've decided to stop using chemicals in my hair, why not go all the way and cease to use them everywhere else? All of my cleansers are now castile-soap based; and my black and ashy skin now loves me back for it. I never wear make-up, almost as a rule, because I find the daily face-beating ritual silly, frivolous and addictive because of the way the cosmetic industry feeds from women's anxieties as well as they create them. Hell, I never even wore make-up to my high school prom, five years ago.

Here are some of the concotions I've been whipping with things I've had in my organic stash and kitchen for a while now.

Honey-Peppermint Facial Cleanser
Thanks to Towards Sustainability for sharing this gem!

1 cup of vegetable glycerin
6 tbsp. honey
4 tbsp. liquid castile soap

Sugar Body Scrub (I don't remember the measurements that I used, but whatevs. I listed the ingredients from greatest to least)
White sugar
Almond Oil
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil (You know you're of west indian descent if you have this in bulk! =p)
Vegetable glycerin
Honey
Loose green tea leaves

(you really don't need all of the ingredients in here, just moisten the sugar with whatever oil you've got. The rest are just frills. I got curious, that's all)

Shower Gel (in a 750ml bottle)
1 cup of vegetable glycerin
6 tbsp of honey
4 tbsp of Almond Oil/Olive oil infused with essential oils
Fill the rest of the bottle with Dr. Bronner’s castile soap

::UPDATE::

I forgot to mention what's currently in my shampoo

Castile Soap-based Shampoo
8 caps full of Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Hemp Castile Soap
2 cups (or three?) of water
Half a cup of rosemary tea
1 tbsp of olive oil infused with about 8 drops of Rosemary Oil (yeah, I caved and bought some)

I'd say, keep the sugar body scrub in a cool dry place when you're not using it. But as for the shower gel and the facial cleanser, they're good to be kept in the shower for a long while without having them spoil on you.

Revolutionize the world by making your own cosmetic products. It's cruelty/oppression-free and hella cheap. Up yours, inhumane and unrelentingly capitalist cosmetic industry!! Product junkies, free yourselves!

-t

Rosemary

I'm sure you've all heard somewhere in the natural hair community that Rosemary stimulates hair growth and blood circulation. So being the cheap bum that I am, I decided to boil some ground rosemary to extract its nutrients rather than just running to the health food store for its essential oil. I know the rosemary is organic because it was grown in my mother's garden.

What I did is I spooned the rosemary into a coffee filter and ran it through my coffee maker. This was all very experimental since I have never used a coffee maker to make tea (which is what the rosemary is now, essentially). And it turned out to not be fucked up! It smells heavenly and is a beautiful earthy red colour. I'm going to put some of this in my shampoo and daily spray for some added nutrients...... sooner or later I'm going to try drinking the stuff as tea.... =P

My favourite Freeformers on Fotki

Here's a list of some of my favourite (damn you spell-check for not accepting the Canadian spelling of the word) freeformed dreadheads on Fotki. I, personally don't have an account and refuse to pay for one; however, I am a frequent lurker in the darkness of cyberspace.

Yasu last one
Mochalocks
TalkingYam
Statontc2
BlackAngel Playah (my absolute fave!)
Soul-Rebel
Missharvin1
queenjahzara
Kesiah
nappyheadedblackgirl
somethingfree
chococanelleII *she twists occasionally, but I love the thickness of her hair

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Hemp Pure Castile Soap as Shampoo

What works for me may not work for everyone else. But what I've found to be far superior to every shampoo/conditioner/moisturizer/facial cleanser/shower gel I've ever used is Dr. Bronner's castile soap. Diluted (4-5 caps full per 250ml of water), it makes the best shampoo for me. It lathers, clarifies and even seems to condition my hair after a good wash. The feeling of the peppermint on the scalp is also cool and refreshing. Now I can't help but sing Dr. Bronner's praises.

Shampooing is something I do every other day to every couple of days. That's only because I sweat a lot and I'm obsessed with smelling clean =). Using Dr. Bronner's full strength would surely strip my hair of moisture, with the frequency at which I wash it. But diluted, it's absolutely fine for me to do it every other day.

I use it for everything now, from showering to washing my face. I don't think I'll ever buy another special purpose soap, when this one seems to do everything well for me. I have a feeling that I'm going to save a shitload of money in the long run. Goodbye Product Junky-ism.


Ingredients: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut & Organic Olive Oils (w/ retained glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil, Mentha Arvensis, Citric Acid, Vitamin E.

Simple and few ingredients. All organic. Fair Trade. Pretty economical. =)

And one week passes...

Back in the game

Hey folks!

I'm back in the game! The locking game, that is! I'm going through a transitional period in my life and I'd like my hair to document that change. In a couple of weeks, I'll be the first in my family to graduate from university. And recently, I have been granted admission to a graduate program, which will be starting in the fall. There's probably no better time than now.

I carefully parted my hair on May 17th and twisted it. I've changed shampoos and am now using Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap instead of the Druide peppermint shower gel because it's much cheaper and lasts longer. Washing happens every couple of days because of the warmer weather and because I'm a clean freak. When i'm not shampooing, I still allow my hair to get a little wet in the shower.

So far, I'm in love with Dr. Bronner's and his eccentric religious ravings sprawlled all over the label. Of course, I use it diluted: 4 caps full per 1 cup of water, in a spray bottle and that stuff later's like a dream.

When I make my first impression on the people in my graduate program in the fall, I want to make a bold and radical statement with my hair. I think that thick, freeform locks will be the best way to do it... aside from my lefty politics =P

Pictures or a video will come soon.

ALL-ONE!