tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326475112012-01-26T10:04:31.906-05:00The official blog of Naturally You! Magazine Publisher, Kaya Casper.Adminnoreply@blogger.comBlogger701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-49766841479159546962008-07-08T22:36:00.007-05:002008-12-11T19:21:02.810-05:00

This is the style I got done at Jessie's for $10 three days ago.The redness at the nape of my neck is a birthmark!I bobby pinned the ends up and turned my fuzzy sides into itsy bitsy twisties.

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-70852130459929348022008-07-06T13:53:00.007-05:002008-07-06T14:24:39.647-05:00

I'm not sure what's "Jamaican Style" about this salon since the stylists seem to be Dominican, and the standard service seems to be the "Dominican Blow Out" that many naturals have grown to love or admire from afar. Personally, I am afraid of putting high heat in my hair, but I must say those stylists really know what they're doing - if straight/bumped hair is your thing.I stumbled across this

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-39725566496961300602008-06-28T00:03:00.001-05:002008-06-28T00:17:27.459-05:00

In the spirit of taking it back to the old school, I decided to find out what my local Rite Aid had in the "ethnic hair care" section. I picked up a jar of All Ways "Natural" Super Gro "Conditioning Hair Dress" aka grease, something I haven't used in at least 10 years. My mom, sister and I really thought we were doing something when All Ways Indian Hemp came out years ago.I also got a bottle of

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-49494135806922724852008-06-20T18:16:00.007-05:002008-06-20T18:50:16.546-05:00

Wearing my hair in two cornrows (well, really flat twist-ish things since I don't know how to cornrow) really takes me back.Two cornrows was my sister's staple style back in the day, along with super short red shorts with the white piping and long white socks with the two stripes at the top...if you grew up in the 80's you know what I mean.I wore the style from time to time too, when I wasn't

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-59894028317375259452008-06-18T22:56:00.003-05:002008-06-18T23:06:20.891-05:00

When was the last time you had this "complaint"? For me, the answer is never! But today, lo and behold, my hair was so darned soft I couldn't do anything with it! I'm so used to the resistance of my coils when I pull my hair into a puff, but today my tie just wouldn't hold. It kept sliding right off. I tried an afro, but my hair just flopped over instead of going straight up and out like usual. I

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-32864371618683836442008-02-20T08:25:00.012-05:002008-06-12T08:48:22.323-05:00

And a cultural event or two...Baltimore ’s Natural Hair Care Expo was established in 2002 by Malaika Tamu Cooper and is fundamentally a network of African-influenced cultural/creative micro & small enterprises. We focus on the promotion of natural hair care and of traditional and contemporary functional wearable art with a strong focus on alternative medicine and holistic health. The network is

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-39384030024012234362008-02-12T19:50:00.001-05:002008-12-11T19:21:04.281-05:00

My friend Tony doesn't maintain his locs. It's been done 3 or 4 times in the past 6 or 7 years since he's had them, and I think I'm being generous. Because of this, he has experienced dryness, damage, and lost a few locs.Tony maintains that he likes his locs as they are; he wants freeform locs with their own personality and he has certainly achieved that.Though I am all for the freeform-ish look

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-45996066133145464762008-02-02T12:58:00.000-05:002008-02-09T23:11:49.968-05:00

I was recently interviewed by Erin Anthony, author of a new book called Nappturosity: How to Create Fabulous Natural Hair and Locs. Click here to hear an audio clip from the interview. The full audio as well as a transcript of the interview is available in the ebook, in Chapter 3: Plan, Prepare & Pamper. Nappturosity: How to Create Fabulous Natural Hair and Locs is available for sale now. Erin

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-30629820618082795952008-01-02T16:40:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:05.709-05:00

So a bit of time has passed since my last photo update, but I have been taking a few pictures though I never seem to find the time to actually post them. I am now at 26 months locless; October 29th of '07 was my two year nappiversary. Isn't it funny how we count our hair time in months just like we do with babies??? Strange but true. Without further ado...In the end of August, I got this really

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-79023373101524764162007-11-14T14:23:00.000-05:002007-11-14T14:48:14.965-05:00

Another question from myspace!Good morning, I spoke with a classmate who recommended your website, and I saw that you are on myspace. Anyhow, I have relaxed hair, and I have made the decision to grow out my natural hair...I am at a lost. It will be two months since I have last had a relaxer! I am excited, and I am wanting to know what I should do while my hair is changing. I do not want to cut my

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-40635565739421268652007-11-09T22:17:00.001-05:002007-11-09T22:35:55.761-05:00

I received this message on Myspace recently:I hope all is well! Funny thing, I was searching around on the Naturally You! Magazine website, trying to find a section that could tell me about some decent natural hair salons in DC. I was actually trying to find one that someone may have left some favorable feedback on (I'm being very wishful!)I know you are very busy keeping us up to speed on

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-33957255307192014832007-11-06T21:31:00.000-05:002007-11-06T21:55:31.729-05:00

I received this message on myspace recently:I can't stand to spend almost $100 just to get my hair done in styles that i could do if i saw a picture and practiced at home. (i'm telling you, i refuse to get my hair done in BK, NY because it costs sooo much $$$!) I have natural hair (as you can see in my pics) but it's getting so hard to manage, especially now that it's getting longer (when i blow

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-53358353335713221872007-09-19T13:43:00.001-05:002007-09-19T13:49:05.679-05:00

This is my "Naturally You!" playlist on youtube. I will keep adding to it as I find more natural hair videos and celebrations of the beautiful, divinely created Black woman. Be sure to subscribe to the Naturally You! channel to stay up to date with new hair videos!www.NaturallyYouMagazine.comkcasper@NaturallyYouMagazine.com

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-81755118990575290532007-09-19T02:26:00.000-05:002007-09-19T02:34:43.180-05:00

I got this in my inbox today:CURLS is proud to announce that actress Nia Long, will be using CURLS on her new ABC show, “Big Shots.” CURLS was flattered when Nia’s, stylist contacted us for CURLS samples to use on her hair. Nia liked our products so much that we have already sent out a second package! Nia will be using the following CURLS (www.curls.biz) products:Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-7442775313174339122007-09-03T22:06:00.000-05:002007-09-03T22:12:39.629-05:00

This Glamour Magazine editor said something that a lot of people think. As wrong as it may be, a lot of people feel that afros and locs are inappropriate or unprofessional at work.Problem is, for most of us, changing our hair texture to something more "acceptable" is totally unhealthy, time consuming, and expensive. Know what though? A lot of these guys who think straight hair is so much more

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-33712026619030925312007-08-17T11:45:00.000-05:002007-08-17T11:59:15.207-05:00

So I went in the post office a couple of weeks ago, and the guy behind the counter (who I've never met or seen before) says, "Two questions: How can I help you? And what is that scent you're wearing?"I started to say I'm not wearing a scent, but then remembered, "Uh...rosemary and grapefruit."He looked puzzled for a minute, and replied, "Is that your perfume, or you had it for breakfast?"I

Adminnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-85612337233398105702007-07-23T10:14:00.000-05:002007-07-27T11:21:31.880-05:00

I got this in my inbox a few days ago from a Naturally You! model. I thought it was quite amusing so I thought I'd share with you all.So I brought my Naturally You magazine to work. The one with you on the cover and me on the inside. I showed it to my coworker that I'm really cool with and she showed it to a few other coworkers. They LOVED the pic of me. :-)It got one of my coworkers even more

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-30772589969916850782007-06-26T23:52:00.000-05:002007-06-27T11:19:36.730-05:00

Really, they do. Not to say that bad men don't like fros, or men who don't like fros are bad, or that some good men don't like perms...or twists or locs for that matter. But I am saying that good men like fros. Don't doubt that for a minute. They may be different men than the ones you attracted with your fresh perm or fly weave, but they are good men. Don't be afraid to rock your fro for fear you

Adminnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-34806808007793256262007-06-21T10:22:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:06.024-05:00

I got the book "Val & Nadine: one sista's comic interpretation of going nappy" from author LV Burns a couple of weeks ago. I am a fan of the Val & Nadine blog, and was excited to see it in book form. Here's the email I sent to LV:So, when I got the book in my box, I immediately ripped it open. I then sat in my car in the post office parking lot for 20 minutes reading it - I had to make

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-53594160982931420562007-05-11T07:13:00.000-05:002007-05-11T08:08:31.492-05:00

I received this question in my inbox yesterday, and I thought it was interesting so I wanted to share it with others who may have the same thoughts.I have a question: Is there a way to go naturally “gracefully”? I am really considering going natural after 10+ of having relaxed hair. I am going natural for several reasons, but was wondering, what is the best approach to this? Should I grow out my

Adminnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-47946753784390140912007-05-08T19:35:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:06.829-05:00

Seriously. Some kids yelled this out at me as I walked by today. Thanks for your help guys, I didn't know that. lol. There was a time when only Black people knew what "nappy" meant (for the most part) - now it's a household word! Moving on...Today is the last day of my latest staple style - the shrunken puff. Tomorrow I will be getting my hair done at Exavia's, and of course I had to commemorate

Adminnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-36928739049307057662007-04-17T14:46:00.000-05:002007-04-17T14:47:03.449-05:00

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-65710949150026270342007-02-19T14:29:00.000-05:002007-02-19T14:33:07.044-05:00

I received this email today:Please visit me at my space and check out the trailer for my film. Compressing the film so small, took away from the quality, but you can see it....some of the clips in the trailer are not in the movie..also, you might have to cut and paste the link or click on the link at the botton below the signature. Have a wonderful day.http://www.myspace.com/new_growth Michelle

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-5882368031377585512007-02-05T20:28:00.000-05:002007-02-05T20:31:25.992-05:00

I just wanted to quickly report that my head got grabbed two times within the past two days.Hair Toucher #1 was my cousin from Georgia, in town visiting. She said, "it's soft..."Hair Toucher #2 was a guy I met in a coffee shop last week. Today he grabbed my head and said "I've been wanting to do that."Warning: Wearing the wash n grow fro may lead to Hair Toucher Attacks! Be careful out there...

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-7468629919644242842007-01-13T23:39:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:08.232-05:00

So after wearing my box braids for about a month, I was not feeling too excited about parting my hair for a new set of braids or twists.Nekea encouraged me to try the wash and go 'fro. My first time around with loose hair, before locing, I never liked my wash and go 'fro mostly because I thought it wasn't shaped right. I thought my hairline looked funny. I didn't like the look of a perfectly even

Adminnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-77474786408561551742006-12-23T01:32:00.000-05:002006-12-23T01:32:47.195-05:00

Received this in my inbox not too long ago:PRESS ADVISORY Contact: Taalib-Din A. Uqdah202-421-8945tauqdah@aol.comFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE "PA RESIDENTS URGED TO OPENLY DEFY THE irrational LAW" National Association calls for open defiance of new PA law governing a cultural and traditional practice. The American Hairbraiders and Natural Haircare Association, (AHNHA), a nationally recognized

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-23826188651112127372006-12-20T14:57:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:09.344-05:00

I found these hair goodies at the Rite Aid in my area:They were all relatively inexpensive, and they had a lot more stuff I wanted to pick up but I had to exercise some control. So far, I've used the Conair clips to hold my braids back on the sides.These braids are about two weeks old at this point. Super shine courtesy of my herbal cocktail topped with Kinky Curly Curling Custard.Check out my

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-57482132309260405562006-12-19T20:12:00.000-05:002007-04-17T14:44:35.337-05:00

This post stays at the top - scroll down for the newest entries...Navigating the BlogLook to the right ===> underneath my profile and links for a list of topics on this blog, a list of previous posts organized by date (click on the little black arrows to see the list of titles), a search tool, and you can sign up to receive email updates when this blog is updated.Thanks for stopping by! Love,

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-68684384676176255662006-12-19T19:57:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:17.883-05:00

Thierry Baptiste, a master loctician located in Indianapolis, did not get the memo. Are these styles super fly or what!?I promise you can mimic these styles with box braids or twists if your hair is not locked.Oh, and did you check what Thierry did with the buttons from Akoma Marketplace!? Wow.Click on the pictures to enlarge.Love, Kayawww.NaturallyYouMagazine.comkcasper@NaturallyYouMagazine.com

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-10630774183401568372006-12-18T09:14:00.000-05:002006-12-18T09:41:56.923-05:00

Lina Sims has put a lot of work into perfecting her hair care routine - and you can reap the benefits! ;-) Check it out:Caring for natural box braidsCurly two strand twistsTransitioning from one style to another the easy wayHow to color your hair with hennaProtective styles for healthy hair and growthEnjoy - thanks Lina!www.NaturallyYouMagazine.comkcasper@NaturallyYouMagazine.com

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-16548558736709010842006-12-15T09:18:00.000-05:002006-12-15T09:52:05.135-05:00

Before throwing that new product out the window, read this:1) The new product you're using may mix with products you already have in your hair, in a good way or a bad way. Notice how the product works on your freshly shampooed hair, versus when you already have products in your hair from previous days.2) Products may work differently on sopping wet hair, damp hair, or dry hair.3) Combining

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-59314085768324731122006-12-12T09:10:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:18.902-05:00

After wearing my cornrows with two strand twists in the back for a day or two, I decided to convert the twists to braids. I say convert instead of redo because I took out each twist one by one, combed through, moisturized and braided instead of taking them all out and then redoing the whole section. One by one is a lot more manageable for me, not to mention no re-parting!I left the cornrows in

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-15839321534520032432006-12-07T09:03:00.000-05:002007-09-20T20:09:52.813-05:00

That's the simple truth of it. I have read about a few sisters lately who have been convinced by stylists that texturizers will make it "easier to transition." That is true, if you're trying to transition from one chemical process to another.If you get a texturizer, and you didn't want a texturizer, ie your goal is to be chemical free, you will have to cut the texturizer out just like you have to

Adminnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-6078890301527773032006-12-06T08:52:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:19.759-05:00

I love headwraps. I wore one on a daily basis during the grow out phase after my second chop back in 2000-2001. I haven't wrapped much since then. I tend to like solid color wraps, particularly black, and I don't see many of them in the fabric or size I like.At the recommendation of several sisters on some of the natural hair boards, I decided to see what Walmart had to offer in terms of fabric.

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-71912681888668931152006-12-05T09:12:00.000-05:002008-12-11T19:21:21.014-05:00

These are my two strand twists at 12.5 months. Taken on 11/14/06. They don't seem that much longer than the picture from August, but fatter/fuller. The parts are a bit bigger.Remember this one? I actually liked my twists better at this stage, because they were spikier and seemed to last longer.Because my twists started to shrink like crazy and I was getting tired of it (I wore two strands for 5

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-30743805295595349822006-11-21T09:30:00.000-05:002006-11-21T09:36:57.836-05:00

Mom, that is. Thanks so much to all of you for your show of support in the past few months. In August, we had a surprise party for our mom, just to let her know how special she is. And she turned 60 this year!Want to see the pics? Click here. You can also catch a glimpse of Toya's nearly four year old Sisterlocks, and my every-which-way two strand twists.Thanks for being a part of the Naturally

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-13583373170125547722006-11-15T16:32:00.000-05:002006-11-15T16:58:37.706-05:00

Check these out:Alise's Sisterlocks - lots of pictures, including traditional locsWhen You're Getting Locs You Can Wash Your Hair - "public service announcement" :-)Why I Wear My Locs - poetryHair Me Out - Sisterlocks journey with photosKidz -n- Locs - The site for kids with locs!Loc FAQ at NappturalityLoc Photos on Flickrwww.NaturallyYouMagazine.comkcasper@NaturallyYouMagazine.com

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-39580210020054694702006-11-07T04:04:00.001-05:002006-12-12T09:29:45.457-05:00

For my first 4-5 years natural, pre-locs, I wore an afro puff a lot. It was probably my most common style. Back then, I blew my hair out with Wild Growth Oil, into a super soft and round cloud, held in place with suede lace. I used a blow dryer with comb attachment, on the hottest setting. I'm ashamed to admit I "slicked" my front edges down with Pink Oil Moisturizer gel (oh my!), and tied it

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-32905220216062503682006-10-30T10:56:00.001-05:002006-10-30T11:43:16.109-05:00

It was actually yesterday, the 29th, but it took a minute to make my little collage. It's been quite a journey, and I have now been natural almost 9.5 years. The first picture is the earliest I have on my computer. I initially went natural in May of 1997.The last picture, with the puff, shows my hair at the one year mark since the ultra low cut on October 29th, 2005. My hair grows at average

Adminnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-38254184518175780102006-10-22T02:42:00.000-05:002006-10-22T13:57:03.471-05:00

Sigh. Too much for words.From ligali.org (equality for African people):‘Black’ hair magazine promotes immoral and harmful productsMon 18 September 2006"The magazine claims to be ‘for the beauty conscious black woman’ but has been criticised by the community for endorsing products that encourage African women to ‘lighten’, ‘brighten’ and ‘bleach’ their skin tone. The process often includes the use

Adminnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-59149717567757404092006-10-21T00:25:00.000-05:002006-10-21T00:34:51.510-05:00

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day.He said he asked a woman once, "I guess I would be messed up if I didn't have this hair huh?" (She had complimented him on his "pretty hair.") She replied, "Well it is your best feature." It made him uncomfortable enough to start wearing a hat frequently. This is an attractive, educated, and successful Black man, yet all this sistah saw was some "

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-24295009823129432212006-10-05T23:31:00.000-05:002006-10-24T14:35:30.340-05:00

My hair is now a few inches long, which means my twists sort of flap over my ears, aka dog ears. I don't really like this, so I got some barrettes to clip the sides back. These are the same two strand twists I did in July, with about 80% of them unravelled. I have lost count of the number of times I have co-washed and rinsed them. A day or two before unravelling them, I washed the twists with New

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-71737800307008672192006-10-03T21:05:00.000-05:002006-10-24T14:35:50.525-05:00

Here is an easy style you can do on your natural hair, that will last at least a week and look different every day. No jumping ahead, look at the photos in sequence!Warning: this style involves Jheri Curl rods. If you're going to have flashbacks, you may want to take a few deep breaths before clicking. ;-)Yes, Ms. Jenifer has shoulder length hair, but don't be afraid to try a variation of this '

Adminnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-21403378590157124222006-09-30T03:58:00.000-05:002006-09-30T04:36:21.149-05:00

Yesterday, I volunteered as a dresser for a fashion show. Overall, I was very impressed with the organization and presentation of the show.One of the models I was working with plans to chop her permed hair off tomorrow. She waited to chop it, because she guessed the clothing designer may want her in the show as she found her - with shoulder length straight hair. She was right.Her roots were

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1159508057251758082006-09-29T00:26:00.000-05:002006-09-29T00:34:18.316-05:00

I met Chanelle Washington a few years ago. At that time she had recently released her line of body products, Indigofera. I really liked them, and particularly fell in love with her Fresh Pineapple Body Butter. The scent is nothing like any of the alcohol based body splashes you will find in stores. It smells like, well, fresh pineapple.Since then, Chanelle has continuously expanded and improved

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1159423467279105922006-09-28T00:52:00.000-05:002006-09-28T12:58:04.523-05:00

I do. I went to a small business seminar tonight, and as usual surveyed the room for naturals.Here's the breakdown:The sista taking registrations at the door had curly natural hair, probably between shoulder and bra strap length when stretched. Sista in the front row had locs, a bit past shoulder length. Some were dark brown, some copper colored. Sista behind her had what appeared to be a perm,

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1159334398431466112006-09-26T23:41:00.000-05:002006-09-27T09:54:16.550-05:00

I was listening to WURD, and Kimberly Rollins of Oxsun Natural Hair Salon was on. They were talking about braiding laws and licensing.I can understand that a lot of licensed cosmetologists are for regulation, considering that they have spent a lot of time and money to earn and retain their license. On the other hand, I think braiders are making a lot of money - relatively speaking - and the

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1159254769294779072006-09-26T02:05:00.000-05:002006-09-28T09:33:28.373-05:00

From RastaGroup.com:People who wear locks and twists tend to have itchy scalps because unlike traditional hair styles where the scalp and blood circulation are stimulated by combing or brushing, locks and twists are not combed or brushed. The lack of stimulation causes itching. Did not know that.When I was wearing my twistKnots, my scalp started itching like mad. I pulled out my trusty bottle of

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1159195889370913102006-09-25T09:36:00.000-05:002006-09-27T09:57:43.266-05:00

A friend of mine called me yesterday to talk about locing her hair.I offered her all the advice in my mental rolodex - what size parts to use, how to get the desired level of uniformity (or lack thereof), what method to use (freeforming vs double strand twisting), how to keep it "professional" enough for work, etc. We talked about mutual friends' locs, and how they compared to what her locs might

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1158809322900083202006-09-20T21:54:00.002-05:002006-09-21T19:10:20.210-05:00

For some reason, I noticed that my twists lend themselves well to knotting. As I was twistSplitting (breaking each double strand twist into two smaller twists), I began to knot each one - very loosely mind you. It was a good way of getting each finished twist out of the way, since I was working "in the field," (ie at Mom's house) and I didn't have my hair equipment.Gradually I realized I could

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1158516174014679912006-09-17T12:54:00.000-05:002006-09-17T13:21:27.623-05:00

Akoma MarketplaceGet the latest issue of Naturally You! in a quick, easy, wonderful downloadable format. Yes, download it and start reading within minutes! get it now >>They also have the hottest new luxury bath products to hit the web - Nic's Naturals. You'll have to click around a bit to find them (yup, I want you to see the other products on this site, you caught me), and you will be glad you

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1158438078327097982006-09-16T14:24:00.000-05:002006-09-23T01:55:45.840-05:00

It's a question I haven't really figured out the answer to.Is it "ok" to go the extra mile to grow your hair super long as a Black woman?Does trying to grow your hair as long as possible indicate a lack of self esteem (I'm not good enough as is), a negative fixation (I must focus attention on percieved improvement of my outer self), too strong a focus on "European standards" of beauty (long hair

Adminnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1158067659994813812006-09-12T07:55:00.000-05:002006-09-15T16:43:12.206-05:00

Yes, 29 years ago today, right around this time of morning, I was born. I'm not a big birthday celebrator. I used to always spend time with my family some time near the anniversary of my birth date, especially since my brother's birthday is six days after mine. As I've gotten older, that's become less important. It's more important to me now to always spend time with the family when I can.My

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157973208710362152006-09-11T05:49:00.000-05:002006-09-17T18:56:03.936-05:00

My hair is super thick, especially in the crown. This is good, but parting it into sections is frustrating to me. My hair prefers to cling together, which makes it great for locing, but not so good for parting into sections with ease.Because of this, I avoid unravelling my twists at all costs. I keep my twists in to save the parts, even through rinsing. I think it's been over two months since I

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157783856184053582006-09-09T01:11:00.000-05:002006-09-09T21:29:36.446-05:00

I read the following "instructional guide" in a bulletin on Myspace, posted by one of my Myspace friends, Soulfully Soulful In The Solar System.I immediately requested permission to repost it, but Ms. Soulfully Soulful said she was not the author. She was kind enough to take a moment to track down the author, Mecca Woods, who gracefully granted permission to repost.This "step by step

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157725981962316032006-09-08T09:27:00.000-05:002006-09-08T09:54:52.690-05:00

There have been 3,269 page views, and 1,394 visitors to the Naturally You! Blog since the first post on August 13th, 2006.This is about double the numbers from my last update 10 days ago.Want to know how many people are reading your blog? Get WebStat to track your traffic!Thanks so much for reading, and sharing with a friend! Click here for a list of all the posts on the blog (Sorry, I am a

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157551014582486042006-09-06T08:34:00.001-05:002006-09-06T20:26:51.260-05:00

I recently posted the news to our Yahoo! Group that I had added journals to our Naturally You! Boutique. One of our members asked if I had any journaling tips, and indeed I do."My Natural Journey" Journal I typically journal in ebbs and flows - when I have a lot on my mind, I journal a lot, up to several times a day. When I don't (I always do, but sometimes am more at peace with that than others)

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157190299633864442006-09-02T04:39:00.000-05:002006-09-05T21:41:41.310-05:00

Ok, so I am still very new to blogging, and trying to figure it all out. I don't feel like the navigation on blogger is very good, ie there should be a page to click on where you can see all the listings, as a list, not as full posts.Because my posts tend to be super long, clicking on the archive for a week can take a long time to load. So, I did a feed into our website, which lists all of the

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157180984925516432006-09-02T01:56:00.000-05:002006-09-02T02:45:53.733-05:00

I haven't had a chance to thank each person individually for the outpouring of support of late. I wanted to take a moment to thank you all publically, just to let you know how much it means.You have taken the opportunity to place an order.You have gone out of your way to pass the word to your lists.You have read my sometimes extraordinarily long blog posts, taken it all in, and provided

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157148394546249852006-09-01T16:48:00.000-05:002006-09-04T07:45:01.756-05:00

At Naturally You!, we have very carefully developed our departmental outline.I started the magazine with a very loose concept of what readers would like to see, and have gradually tightened it up over time, primarily based on your feedback. A lot of the decisions we have made about our content have come directly from reader comments and suggestions.I would love to know more about what you want,

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157113670767095952006-09-01T06:16:00.000-05:002006-12-18T19:46:25.539-05:00

Erykah Badu's opening to "Call Tyrone" has been echoing in my head for some reason.Lately, I have met quite a few people who make a living with their art, either in whole or in part. I find it very inspiring. Before I decided to go to Rutgers (RU!), I wanted to go to FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and become a clothing designer. I had a sewing machine, which I begged for from one of those

Adminnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157071666029992542006-08-31T19:29:00.000-05:002006-08-31T20:14:29.180-05:00

Thanks for writing!This is for my personal "kcasper@NaturallyYou" inbox. It doesn't include my other folders...our advertising box, info box, service box, letters box, submissions box, myspace box, etc...If you just go by that number, it's really only an average of 400 emails per month, which breaks down to about 13 per day, which really doesn't seem like that many. This is after I deleted all

Adminnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1157011887739240902006-08-31T02:47:00.000-05:002006-09-01T08:28:42.013-05:00

SkinSt. Ives Apricot Scrub has been a staple in my skin care routine for a long time. Semi-recently, they released a version of this product for oily or acne prone skin. Love it.Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm tingles. It makes your lips soft and moisturized without any color or flavor. They say it's their most popular product. I know why.HairGreg Juice is a good alternative for those who are not

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1156892026207816232006-08-29T17:47:00.000-05:002006-08-31T00:54:04.593-05:00

In the past six days (since I started using Webstat to track traffic on the 23rd), this blog has received close to 700 visitors and over 1,600 page views. Considering that this blog is only 16 days old, that's not bad at all!I appreciate the time you have taken to read and comment.Please take a moment to add this blog to your news reader.Thanks so much!Peace ~Kaya Casper, Publisherkcasper@

Adminnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1156778890652183002006-08-28T10:24:00.000-05:002006-08-30T07:31:39.303-05:00

Garrett MorganSince the invention of a hair straightening liquid by Garrett Morgan in the early 1900’s, Black women – and some men – have used harsh chemicals in various forms to straighten tightly coiled hair. These chemicals, even in their present day form, can cause damage - from dryness and breakage to permanent hair loss - yet Black women have continued to use them for manageability,

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1156632334348070962006-08-26T17:31:00.001-05:002006-08-27T03:17:28.160-05:00

When I search for definitions of the term "nappy," which I do periodically, I often get a lot of info about diapers, which are called nappies (like napkin) in some parts of the world. Sometimes you will get "having a nap, as in fabric," or something to that effect.How relaxers work, from Procter & GambleI searched it a few minutes ago, and found this, this, and this, which led to this. Looks like

Adminnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1156628095925790162006-08-26T15:58:00.000-05:002006-09-01T04:02:43.420-05:00

I know so many enterprising natural-haired women, I just had to take a moment to recognize a few.Brunsli Brunsli has a popular blog about her hair journey, and often shares a glimpse into her life. She has recently launched a hair tie business directly from her blog, which has already evolved into an ebay store. I have to give Brunsli serious props for 1) developing a product that is simple,

Adminnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1156021916831271342006-08-19T15:40:00.000-05:002006-08-22T17:58:16.636-05:00

Last night, I went to a book launch party for Hair Piecez, an anthology of hair poetry and stories edited by Akosua Ali-Sabree and Otu Kwaku. Akosua and Otu are pillars in Philadelphia's natural hair (and overall) community. Both are members of the Kuumba Family, founders of the International Locks Conference, which I believe is the longest running natural hair event in the country. The 12th

Adminnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1155682081360556492006-08-15T17:07:00.000-05:002006-09-01T09:28:13.046-05:00

I cut my 4 year old locs off on October 29, 2005. That makes it...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9...about nine months since the chop, 10 at the end of this month. The most common question I've been getting lately is, "so, are you growing your locs back now?" No, I'm not. Not yet anyway.I do prefer to wear my hair in double strand twists, all the time. I rarely take them out. I kept my last set in for 2 months

Adminnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32647511.post-1155455368019454412006-08-13T02:44:00.000-05:002006-08-13T03:14:57.763-05:00

Today I read in Entreprenuer Magazine that 75,000 new blogs are created daily. I know a lot of naturals are using blogs to document their hair journeys, and some are even launching their own businesses via blogs. Being a technophile myself, I decided to jump on board and see how it goes.My purpose with this blog is to keep you posted with what's going on behind the scenes at Naturally You!. Keep

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