I haven't updated in a while so here it goes. Genevive is still growing. This past week I just wore her fro'd in all her glory. Can I just say that it was HELL trying to keep the moisture! Like seriously. I had to add oil everymorning and I actually baggied twice during the week.

• Baggying is when you add oil and a little water to your hair and leave it on for a period of time. I sleep in it but I've heard of some people baggying for entire days and even a week at a time. It's not enough oil to be greasy. Just a regular sized amount. The water helps open your hair follicles and allow the moisture to get in. In the morning you can just take the bag off and style as usual.

The week before that I did Bantu knots for a few days and then wore it out. I'm trying it again for this week. I think it could be my nw style. I like wearing my hair out but I don't like taking the time to do the mini twists and then only wearing the twist out for 2 or 3 days. With this I can wear the knots (under  a tam/bonnet) for about 2 days and then wear it out.

I pre-pooed last night with olive oil and honey and then shampood this morning. After shampooing and conditioner rinsing my scalp still didn't feel clean so I did an ACV rinse. I know I said I was going to stop doing both but I still have hope in shampoo. I guess it's from my relaxed days. So then I but the Yes to Tomatoes in and got out the shower to detangle. I let it set in my hair for about 10 minutes while I ate breakfast and then detangled. I still love the Yes to Tomatos!

The bantu knots (twist and then knot) took about 1.5 hours. I say about because I started at 11:40 and finished at 1:40 but I took a break to skype with my mom and run to the corner bodega. It's definitely a time saver!

Wow! I've been natural for 2/3 of a year! That like 67% (I like to round up) of the year! I've made a lot of progress since February. I'm still learning but I think I can do this. I absolutely hate wash days (it takes too longg) but I'm still just as much in love, if not more, as I was when I BC'd. I feel like it's been longer than 8 months though. Here are a few shots of me...on my 21st Birthday on Sunday! I didn't have anywhere to go but I was feeling myself so I took a few pics. Take note of the one below- kinda artsy huh?






This week I'm trying something diffeent. I still want to protective style but I didn't feel like doing the twists. I pre-pooed with EVOO over night (baggy on head) and most of the day. Then I sectioned and detangled. Then I was going to shampoo and condition in sections...But that failed. I couldn't shampoo in sections. I realized that the shampoo would end up not getting rinsed out in certain areas. So I undid the sections and shampooed. Then I did an ACV rinse. Bad decision. Shampoo+ACV=too clean and clarified. So then I used the Yes to Tomatoes to detangle. It was as easy to detangle as before because of the above "cleansing" combo. My scalp is clean, but detangling was a hassle.

Right now I have bantu knots in. I know I didn't like it last time but I have a little more length and I'm hoping it'll work this time. If not, I'll just wash it out and be free. Pictures are forthcoming.

Also: I was walking down the street with my other friend, who happens to be natural as well, and I saw a store that looked natural. In passing, I could see bottles and green so we slowed to look and low and behold it was a natural store. Not like natural hair, but natural remedies and products. First we saw honey, olive oil, and ACV. Then my friend asked if they had almond oil. Not only did they have that and coconut oil, but they were only S./3 (that's like a dollar!). The bottles are only 30 ml (1 oz.). I think they're more essential oils so we'll see...

At this moment, I can think of nothing more than washing my hair. I know. Why don't you wash your hair right now then? We all know that Genevive is a process. And this is my birthday weekend (and I'm writing a paper) so I don't want to spend all day washing and styling. So I probably won't spend tomorrow doing it either, since it's my actual birthday. The twist out looks ok, but my scalp is sooooo itchy and flaky.

I didn't wash it last week so it's past due. Genevive does not like going more than 9 days without a good old wash! I guess I've learned my lesson. When I finally do wash (probably on Monday) I'm going to try a pre-poo and maybe some semi-chunky bantu knots. We'll see how it goes...

I realize this is probably my first review of an actual product even though I think I've promised more reviews before. I need to dedicate myself to more reviews, especially for all of my non-existant loyal readers.

• Ingredients:  Aqua (Water), Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomatoes) Extract*, Cetyl Alcohol, Capsicum Annuum (Red Pepper) Extract*, Aspalathus Genus (Red Tea) Extract, Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Extract*, Maris Aqua (Dead Sea Water), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Magnesium Chloride, Chamomilla Recutita (Camomile) Extract*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil*, Benzyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil*, Calendula Officinalis Oil*, Maris Limus (Silt) Extract, Parfum (Fragrance), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate Peel) Extract*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Dehydroacetic Acid. * Certified Organic Ingredient
• Consistency: This stuff is THICK. And I'm all about a thick conditioner. I have almost a whole bottle because even though I was only using it as a leave in for my twists, I only needed a very small dime sized amount for my whole head. It's creamy too but mostly, thick and gelatin like. I had to squeeze the bottle to get just a little bit. And it also foamed up just a little bit. It was weird at first but it helped for spreading. To co-wash I used about a ping pong ball sized amount and it went far.
• Slip: I feel like I didn't even know what slip was all about until I used this. I used it for detangling and the longer it was in my hair, the easier it was to comb. I was able to first comb, and then use the Denman for detangling. This was probably the most painfree (literally) and thorough detangling session I've had. Atleast in the last 2-3 inches.

So I'm still doing the whole twists thing. And as much as I hate to say..Genevive is simply blossoming! Last weeken I went on a trip with some friends to a lagoon called Huacachina. I did the normal endo of the week twist out and then on Sunday did a good old deep conditioner. Nothing out of the normal. I shampooed first just to get it wet. The conditioner this week was mayonnaise, 1/2 avocado, and about 3 table spoons of olive oil. So I did that and left it on for like 3 hours then just rinsed it.

I just had a very deep conversation with a new friend about race/racism/heritage/culture/what have you. I’m currently in Lima, Peru. My new friend is NOT Peruvian, she’s American. So what’s the big deal? Come on Alisa, isn’t that what you went to Peru for? To have these “deep” conversations and leave people feeling culturally richer?


The answer is YES. But I didn’t realize that so many questions what be asked of me by fellow Americans. This girl’s heritage is Italian and Polish but of course in the states she is only white. So why is this weighing so heavily on my mind? I didn’t anticipate that in coming here to learn more about this culture, I would also have to explore more of who I am as a young. Black/ African American. Woman.

It was an intense conversation about growing up and being one of few black kids. And how I’m trying to break racial stereotypes and show people that there’s more than 1 or 2 types of black people. But the question that really got to me was: “Do you ever get mad?”

What? This sincere question caught me completely off guard. I didn’t even fully understand the question. Mad at racial stereotyping? Mad that people make assumptions about who I am based off of the color of my skin? Mad that racism still exists and so many [young] people are in denial? Mad that I’m black?

So I answered as honestly as I could. I said yes. But what does that change? I explained to her that while I’ve encountered racism first hand I try not to let it hold me back. I don’t think that every white person is judging me or treating me a certain way because I’m black. I know I’m black. Always have been and always will be. I guess the point of my ramblings is that every morning I look in the mirror and I’m black. (Obvious) But…

Well I guess I don’t really have a specific point. It’s just that with this conversation today and a class discussion yesterday about race/racism among Peruvians, I’ve started trying to gain some kind of perspective. I know my perspective is from the African American viewpoint, but it’s been a while since I really sat down and forced myself to consider what that means and confront…I guess the stereotypes that seem to be so determined to follow me everywhere I go.

I think I just have alot to think about...

So I've made a slight mistake. I've been waiting all week to upload some pictures from my camera of my hair in various states...but I forgot and deleted all the pics off of my camera today. Boo on that. :/

The pictures were just of my twists but there were also a few of my wet hair. I've mainly been wearing the twists so I haven't taken pictures of my hair just out. And those are the pics I deleted. And I'm stretching the twists for 2 weeks so I won't be taking more until next week sometime.

I still don't really like the twists. They're oh so convenient though. I add oil to the ends about once a week and try to oil my scalp. I'm really bad about not oiling my scalp. I'm going to try to get some jojoba oil on after this...At night I tie it down with a  scarf and redo the front flat twists every few days. And that's it. Even though they're so easy, I'm getting bored. I'm really determined to master flat twists so that I can do awesome twist outs. But I'm trying to wear the twists until when did I say? I think October. So I still have a few weeks.