The natural friend says to the relaxed friend, I need something that will help lay my edges down. Nothing I’ve tried is working. They always poof up. So I continue to listen to see what advice is going to be given. You know edges are edges, relaxed or natural, we like to slick ‘em down. This young lady is going through a list of all the things she’s tried, which were making my ears bleed. Mind you….I’m holding back every ounce of me not to interject. I pretend to keep looking at products, until she says “I’ve tried all those things but for the most part I just put water and Vaseline on my edges and brush them up.” HOLD UP, PUMP YOUR BREAKS!!! My heart sank to my feet. I didn’t know whether to stop in the middle of the aisle and start praying with her or what. Why in the world would someone be using Vaseline to slick their edges down?

Of course, I introduced myself and told her about the Meetup group so she wouldn’t think I was a complete stalker. I then educated her on the wonders of gel and a satin scarf. Even her relaxed friend was all over going to Sally the next day to get some Ecostyler. Who knew something so simple was a little known secret. Gel and a scarf will lay your edges down, if you didn’t already know. I had to do some research to see if other people are using Vaseline and they sho nuff is!! I can’t believe it. What are your thoughts. Comment or email me. Have you been using Vaseline on your hair?

• 10% off Loc Maintenance and Style from Twisted Rootz Natural Hair Salon
• 20% off total online order from Jinsa Essentials
• $15 off Coils from Soul~Flower Natural Hair
• $15 off 60 minute session from Body Complete Therapeutic Massage

Membership has its privileges! #teamnatural #naturalhair

To join, visit http://www.meetup.com/Winston-Salem-Natural-Hair-Meetup/

Contest Rules:

• Referrals must live in the Triad
• Referrals must be natural or transitioning
• Member must email Organizer the names of her referrals

We are now at 183 members and we’re half-way through the year. I believe we can grow this group to 300 members by December 31st. Remember we need more active members.

Here are some recruiting tips.

1. Carry around business cards to hand out. There are some generic ones already made up for you to just print from your own printer. You could also make your own.

2. Tell everyone you know and meet in the streets….natural or not. Many of you I met in the grocery store, Target, the bank, through work or church.

3. Grab some people from the facebook page. So many of the people who have liked the page aren’t members of the group.

Good Luck!
Let me know if you have any questions.

~LaQuisha

This is the one place where you can mingle with the most popular vendors, bloggers, and vloggers, as well as, take advantage of some wonderful workshops. However, I did not have a chance to attend any workshops I wanted to attend because I was in that line so friggin long! OMG! If there is one thing that HAS to improve with this event is the entrance procedure and they did not give out shopping bags this year. Seriously…. standing in line for an hour or more is absolutely ridiculous! People were leaving and said they’d rather order their products online than to stand there waiting, not knowing how long it would take tot get in. I mean that line was wrapped around several times. Eventually, they came up with a plan to get a lot of us in, but people were so ill by that point. That is not a good look! The show is not just about buying products, it is an entire experience of fellowship with the Natural Community and should be a pleasant one.

Thank God some of the old faithfuls were in the house and brightened my day once I was finally in. It was great to see Pamela Jenkins, owner and creator of Koils By Nature. I have been using her line since 2010, when I met her for the first time at the Charlotte Natural Hair Show. She makes the ABSOLUTE BEST leave-in conditioner I’ve tried to date, especially for detangling. It was the best when I had a TWA, it was the best when Aleshia was transitioning, and it’s still the best now that we have length,color, and even more thickness. I also use the hair and body butters, and gel. I’m trying out the new deep conditioner today. I can’t wait to see the results. Of course, the oh so friendly and forever smiling Sarah Elliott, owner and creator of Sarenzo Beads, was in the building! Not only did she have her creative, one of a kind, earrings and other accessories for sale, but also the bath and body care line that she and her husband, Beau, work so hard to get out for us. We have been trying out the Tea Tree Lemongrass Scalp Scrub and love it so far. I will defintely be trying more of the Bath and Body line. Thank you ladies for doing what you do! And let me not forget that Sarah introduced me to the beautiful Dawnyele from YouTube. Her hair is even more gorgeous in person!

Overall the show was great and I’m looking forward to the next one. I’ll be reviewing some of the products I purchased soon. It was nice to see some of my Meetup group members and other naturals who I chat with online regularly. I hope to see many more of you there next year!

Koils By Nature Products can be purchased at African American Art in Greensboro, if you’re in the Triad or online. Please check vendor websites for more information and other locations to purchase. I will be creating a vendor list in the near future.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I’m pleased to be able to share this poem with y’all. The author gives hope to all that no matter what you’re going through, things can and will get better with a little faith. It’s deep and makes some powerful statements that are sad, but true. Read it, meditate on the message, and share it with your friends and family. It was written by my honey, and I’m proud of him for being the man of God that he is, recognizing the challenges faced by many. Not only does he recognize it, but he serves the community helping those in need. I love you Michael, and thank you for allowing me to share!

The day I was born, I immediately started dying. The pain as well as the truth about life began to hurt so bad that I ended up crying then eventually lying. So I ask myself, “Who should I trust”? Well, I really don’t know if man will remain loyal or even be true, but in the end as life lessons start to unfold, I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Tell me something, will it be me or will it be you?

As a child I always wanted to learn as well as quickly grow. Well I’m a grown man now but things appear to be all the same so I’ll just continue playing my position in life’s endless game. I’m nothing more than a servant, working hard day by day, carrying life’s many burdens on my shoulder served and presented nicely with as well as on a sterling silver tray.

Where life has me stuck today, hopefully that’s not where I always will be, but until that day of peace finally comes, I’ll just continue serving the Lord & His people waiting patiently.

Hate the sin but love the sinner is what every saint should have been told, but let me ask you this one question, Do you really think that repentance will erase the guilt & the bad memories releasing the world’s vindictive hold on your soul?

Nah, not a chance! Because, the world doesn’t forget, nor does it rarely have the compassion to ever forgive, so from here on out, do us all a big favor, stop telling yourself that this is how God’s love really feel.

You should be tired of struggling when times gets hard as well as tough. Faith the size of a mustard seed is all you need when the storms of life start raging & gets rough. And now you’re frustrated, hungry & broke on top of that. (With a show of hands, where are all my fathers at?) Man, that sweet little baby girl shouldn’t have to go through that.

She didn’t ask to be here. She didn’t have a say. You brought here into this world, C’mon dog, real men don’t play. So you laid down & did your thing without a commitment nor giving her mother a ring. And like Casper, you disappeared like a ghost and simultaneously that sweet little baby girl became a bastard like most.

On top of that, your life just seems to keep getting worse & worse. Things went from sugar to everything that’s not legit & right about now the devil is in your ear telling you to quit. You knew what was right but you still continued to do what’s wrong. More than over a year has come and gone now & you’re still singing that same old song. It will all lead to destruction because your plan was quickly destined to fail. Tell me something, does the devil have control over your mind as well as your body? Wait, let me guess, is your soul up for sale?

If you haven’t figure it out by now, you can’t do this all on your own. Yeah I know, you’re probably wishing you had listened to grandmama when she said, “Baby boy, if nothing else, please make sure that seed is sown”. She knew you wouldn’t do what she asked so she went ahead & got down on her knees & said a prayer especially made just for you. “Lord, please stay with this fool no matter where he may go or what he might do. Quite honestly, he ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but Father God I think he’s smart enough to follow you & your teachings if he’s led. So I lift him up to You because I’ve done all that I can. I pray in the name of Your son Jesus the Christ, if nobody else; You’ll teach him how to become a real man”. Amen!

So remember, it’s never too late no matter what you may think, God will show his grace & mercy faster than your third can blink. Sam Cook said, “There will be a change”, but do you know when or if that day will really come? Now you’re extremely exhausted from running like a river. Slow down, because at this pace, death will be the only outcome.

Yeah, we heard Obama say “Yes we can”, unfortunately, his Democratic nor economic plan will lead us to the promise land as only Jesus can. For it is written that “He is the way, the truth and the light”. You can’t buy your way into the kingdom, so stop hustling, no matter how much silver or gold you’re holding onto tight.

So who cries for the little boy or girl? The children you forgot about & left all alone, Am I my brother’s keeper you pondered then simply asked, if not, by tomorrow that same sweet little baby girl you walked out on earlier will be dead & gone. (Do you remember her?)

As I lift up my eyes toward the hills before I go & take my next step. It is starting to become more & more clear every day the reason why Jesus wept. It’s because of you & me. He hung, bled then died so we may live as well as ultimately be free. Unfortunately, we’re still not doing what He asked or where we’re supposed to be. And as a matter of fact some of us are off lost shucking & jiving, playing as well as sleeping around with the enemy.

So in my darkest hour when time is lost, not really knowing if tomorrow I will ever see, as life lessons unfold & it’s game begin to end, I finally figured out who’s truly loyal as soon as I opened the door asking Jesus to come on in. We sat & we sup over conversations about His dad. He looked me in the eyes then He grabbed my hand asking me “If I truly understand the love his father has for man”?  He said, “My Father’s love is already paid in full with a lifetime guarantee, but unlike the world, my Father forgives then He forgets, no matter what sins we all commit”.

Now I stand, built up from being broken, weary & worn without one plea. He did it for grandmama & those in the past so I know He’ll do it for you because in the name of “Sweet Baby Jesus” He’s already done it for me. The Lord is my Shepard I shall not want, for nothing more to have peace within, as He saved a sinner & a wretch like me, once lost & now I’m found, once blind & now I see.

Shalom!

Michael F. Perry

See what I mean?!!! My twists were large ones. Image how much definition I would have, if I did small to medium-sized twists. I must stock up on this Twisting Butter. I get the feeling I will use it a lot. The jar also states that it can be used to do wash-n-gos to help with moisture and elongation. I’ll have to try that as well. Wondering what other products I should try from this line. Have you tried any of the Camille Rose Naturals Products?

In North Carolina these products can be purchased at Healthy Home Market in Charlotte and Good Hair Great Hair in Raleigh.

First, let me tell you how I found out about this place. I was at bible study on Monday night asking Pastor about a Jamaican restaurant in Raleigh, where I used to eat, when I lived there. Then one of the member said “You know there’s a Jamaican restaurant here?” NO! I did not know that…where? I didn’t even write the information down because I was going to remember that.  And sho nuff Tuesday, I made my way over there for lunch. The folks were barely opened yet. It was like eleven something. Someone was a little excited. I could not believe my eyes. This place was only 7 minutes from my office, right across the street from the Social Security Administration. Thank you Sis Kim!

If you are not very familiar with the Carribean culture, you may not understand some of the references, but take my word for it, this place is thebombdotcom. The outside of the building looked just like a Caribbean restaurant should….not fancy and commercial. I walked it in, and the beautiful tropical decor reminded me of Jamaica and Florida. Then I saw Patties and Ting. Yep, I’m in the right place On this particular day, I placed my order to go, but they have a very nice size dining room. After drooling over the menu, I decided to order lunch for myself and dinner for Michael since Aleshia was eating with her performance friends after school. I thought that would be a nice surprise for him. While I waited for the order, I enjoyed one of the patties. I was prepared to wait about 25 minutes, as with most Caribbean restaurants. It’s worth it to get hot, fresh food.

Pictured My order: Fish Flamae - grilled fish topped with sautéed shrimp, onions and peppers in a curry sauce served with rice & peas and cabbage $8.95                His order: Jerk Chicken – chicken marinated in special hers and spices, slowed cooked on the grill served with rice & peas and cabbage $5.99 - Lunch Specials

When I tell you this food was delicious…I mean we went back the next day for dinner. I’m completely off my eating plan this week, but it’s ok to have some cheating time now and then. I had to work late, so we called in the order, and Michael came over to my office to have dinner with me. We ordered something different this time. Brown Stew Chicken and Curried Goat. I tasted some of all four plates, and everything is delicious! I would highly recommend “Yeh Mon” for lunch, dinner, or special occasions. They have free delivery to businesses (Lunch Only) with a minimum $25 order and they cater. The menu has all of your standard Caribbean dishes, as well as americanized kid combos and vegetarian choices. The restaurant has only been here one year, so many are not aware of it. Give “Yeh Mon” a try, and spread the word. Looks like we’ve found our new spot. Oh and to the Winston-Salem Natural Hair Meetup Group, you can best believe we’ll be meeting here soon! Enjoy! 

“Yeh Mon” is located at 1345 Lockland Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 336-724-2111

City Twists by The Damn Salon, Charlotte NC

Recently, I had the chance to interview someone who has a very touching story about how and why she started her Natural Hair Journey. Continue reading, and I know you will appreciate the love and knowledge that is shared.

Q: Please introduce yourself and tell us how long you’ve been natural.

Nakia: ”Hi. My name is Nakia Davis. I am happily married and the mother of three wonderful kids (whew). I have been natural for 26 long months now and loving it more and more each day.”

Q: Why did you decide to go natural?

Nakia: ”I decided to go natural back in 2010 when my sister was diagnosed with Non-hodgkins Lymphoma. Chemo would be a part of her treatment plan and I knew that she would lose her hair. I called my husband and said what would you think if I cut all my hair off while my sister goes through her treatment. He said, that’s fine with me because I think you look good with short or long hair. So I had microbraids and I cut them right off at the root and went to my cousin’s shop to have her tame it up a little.”

Q: Wow! That’s amazing and so awesome of you to endure the process with your sister! Describe how this journey has been for you.

Nakia: “This journey has been rocky from time to time. Being that it was a spur of the moment idea, I had no clue of how to care for my hair. So before I started progressing forward, I actually went backwards with breakage in different places. But now I know that I must never comb dry hair…..always, always comb if needed, when it’s wet!!! LOL”

Q: What is your hair type?

Nakia: ”If I had to give my hair a TYPING, I would say about a 4c but I really don’t rely on that scale too much. My hair is different textures in different places. Some areas feel very coarse and other feel soft and fine.”

Q: What challenges have you had with your hair?

Nakia: ”I faced the challenges of breakage when I first began in February 2010. I would wake up in the morning and just pick my hair out. It would pop off all over the floor. But then, it did not dawn on me that I was damaging my hair. So even now, I am still dealing with those areas growing back. That can be very frustrating at times because there are styles I want to try and then I realize I have a short area there. The other challenge is when I had a perm, I found that my hair was very full, long and thick. Now I have the thickness and the length is coming along but I don’t feel like I have the fullness which agitates me soooo much! But I am learning to cope and know that patience is the key.”

Q: We know you’re a product junkie. What products work the best on your hair?

Nakia: ”I am so in love with all of HairVeda’s products. I have found that her products make my hair very soft and they define my kinky coils beautifully. I also love B.A.S.K. Beauty line, Entwine Couture, Reve’ Essentials, Be Beautiful and Coco Curls Natural Hair Care. There’s a few more that I like but we will stop there. Yes, Laquisha has it correct, I am a die hard PJ!! LOL”

Q: What is your hair care regimen?

Nakia: ”My current regimen consists of me washing, deep conditioning and twisting weekly. I detangle my hair during the pre-poo stage. Before washing, I start that morning with a plastic cap on Keyme (yes, that’s what I call my hair) saturated in oils. At least once a month, I sit under my Huetiful Steamer to help retain moisture. I twist on a daily basis as well as massage my scalp with JBCO every other day.”

Q: What is your go-to hair style?

Nakia: “My go to style is twist outs. I love them and how they stretch my hair. I have at least 75% shrinkage after I wash my hair so I twist daily to help elongate it more and more each day.”

Q: Let’s talk about this afromungus tattoo on your back. What inspired that particular design?

Nakia: ”That tattoo not only represents when I went natural, but it also represents when my sister had to face her biggest battle. It’s bold and resembles a strong woman. The design comes from representing the AuNatural me! She has a flower in her hair, big earrings and eyeshadow. All those characteristics are how you will see me on any given day. My eyeshadow and hair accessories always have to match. So when you look at the Afromungus tat on my back…..you see Nakia AuNatural!!”

Q: How has been natural changed your attitude, self-esteem or perceptions on life?

Nakia: ”Being natural has changed my life in so many ways. I’m learning daily how to be patient. With the hair goals I have, I will not awake and they magically be there over night, so I’ve learned that patients is a virtue. It’s ok to get frustrated but snap out of it and focus on the main goal, which is beautiful, healthy hair. It has also given me the biggest boost in confidence. I feel beautiful and actually very, very free. I feel as though when I cut off my hair, I also cut of layers of disappointment and negativity that had been holding me back. I would always wear big, baggy clothes to hide away the hurt and disappointments I was experience. You couldn’t pay me to take pictures. Now the tides have changed. I wear my clothes to fit me, not worried about others opinion of my natural hair and I love wearing my makeup and all my beautiful accessories. I no longer feel the need to hide behind chemically treated hair, hanging down my back to define me or give me security in the world that I fit in and I am beautiful with all this long beautiful damaged chemically treated hair. I love my kinky, curly coils and would not have it any other way.”

Q: What advice do you have to anyone wanting to go natural or currently struggling to make it through the journey?

Nakia: ”I would just say before starting your journey, be sure to research. No, you can’t take all the advice you may run across but don’t start off blindsided. Educate yourself on what you need to take care of your hair and what works for you. And don’t let other’s opinion dictate your decisions on what goals you would like to accomplish with your hair. As long as you are happy, that’s should be all that matters. If you have a Facebook page, follow bloggers and other sites so that information pops up in your newsfeed and you can read up on it when you get a chance. Education, education, education is the key to obtaining the beautiful tresses you are seeking!!!”

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Nakia: ”There’s not really much more to say. I think I have pretty much summed it all up in the interview above. But I will close with Just Be the Natural You and love being who you are. Being natural is how God created us! He’s not ashamed, why should you be!!!! XOXOXO”

Nakia “AuNaturale” Davis

Then I thought I knew what I was doing, so I tried again. LOL

And again at 1 year.

Wow! What a journey!