Hi, I'm Yaya and I'm a YouTube Fanatic

So, I can seriously spend hours on YouTube watching hair- and make-up tutorials, comedy sketches, vlogs, reviews, movies, DIYs....... etc.

Here's some of my favorite hair- and make-up Youtubers:

African Export

JustMeand4C

Fabolousityisme

Iknowlee

Peakmill

Destiny Godley

Jouelzy

Trust me when I say that these ladies are only a few of many inspirations on YouTube. Check them out and subscribe!

Stay tuned for more!

Love Always,

Yaya

Protective styles

Whenever I change my hairstyle, I'm like "shoot, can't nobody tell me nothin'" and I walk like the world is my runway! *insert Usher- Bad Girl* I  believe a change of hairstyle can really revamp someone's style and boost confidence. Don't believe me? Just look at Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé for instance. One thing I have in common with these ladies is that I like to re-invent my look every now and then. Hair is really just an accessory to me. It's like getting a new winter coat or some nice boots and I think a lot ladies would agree. It's just something about a fresh weave, wig or braids that just gives you some that extra umph! 

Don't get me wrong though. I truly believe that natural hair is equally as diverse. 

I'm one of those naturalistas that wear braids, wigs and weaves on a regular basis. The reasons why I do that is, first off, to protect my own hair from manipulation. My hair likes to be nurtured with oils, leave-in conditioners and co-washes. It's so coily and breaks easily with too much combing, therefore it grows longer when it's braided. Second, the Swedish climate literally strips all the moisture in my hair so it's better for me to wear protective styles.

Here are some styles I've worn over the years

I wonder what my next hairstyle will be...

Stay tuned for more!

Love Always,

Yaya

Coils and Kinks

Wavy. Curly. Kinky. Nappy. Coily. These attributes are used to describe the natural pattern of textured hair. Some attributes more controversial than others. Celebrity hair stylist Andre Walker created a hair typing system to better understand the behavior and needs of our hair.
My understanding is that there was controversy surrounding the idea creating a division within natural hair community. Wavy and Curly vs. Kinky, Nappy and Coily. The latter not being portrayed for its own beauty and diversity, while defined and bouncy curls were considered the ideal texture. Again, this is just my assumption. 

*Disclaimer: I haven't read much about the whole "controversy" therefore, I cannot really speak on it. My opinion is basically, there's no such thing as good versus bad hair.*

Personally, the hair typing system has been helpful because it identified the characteristics that were similar to my hair. According to Mr. Walker's system, my kinky coils can be identified as both Type 4b and c hair. However, you can't rely on the chart alone since there are other accountable factors, such as porosity, density and multiple textures. I felt that the classification system was a good starting point and it made my expectations more realistic. For instance, I know that I can't do a certain hairstyle and expect the same results as someone who has Type 3b. But that does not mean that my Coils and Kinks aren't just as Good.

www.NaturallyCurly.com gives this description for Type 4b hair:

Type 4b has a "Z" pattern, less of a defined curl pattern. Instead of curling or coiling, the hair bends in sharp angles like the letter "Z". Type 4 hair has a cotton-like feel. The hair is very wiry, very tightly coiled or bent and very, very fragile; you must take great care when working with it. Type 4 hair can range from fine/thin to wiry/coarse with lots and lots of strands densely packed together. Type 4b hair often shrinks up to 75% of the actual hair length.

   

This is my 4b hair slightly streched 

This is my hair soaked with a mixture of water and Herbal Essence Hello Hydration

Stay tuned for more!

Love Always,

Yaya

My Hair & I- Past, Present and Future

As I wrote in my first post, I pretty much stumbled upon this natural hair journey. It wasn't anything I planned but I don't regret a thing!

Here's a little backstory about my hair. 

My mom used the "Just For Me" relaxer on me from the age of 7 to 15 years. It was easier to manage and style because I was so tender headed. I used to get my hopes up Every. Single. Time. because I legit thought my hair would come out looking like the little girls' on the box. I was equally as disappointed every time to see that my hair was still defying gravity. However, my hair was always kept in protective styles, box braids and cornrows. In the later years, I started relaxing my own hair, every 4-6 weeks, and it just grew thinner and brittle. One day, I was literally too tired to relax my hair, weeks and months followed after that and I don't miss the creamy crack to this day. 

Today, I've been natural for 4 years now.
Despite the fact that my hair is a lot thicker, I'm still experiencing some breakage. My hair is softer and easy manage because I know what products and techniques works.

I didn't know my hair when I first started on the journey, I know better now and I'm still learning. I'm enjoying my natural hair journey because I've learned to love and appreciate my natural curl pattern, it's diversity and the patience I've gained. 

Hair hopes and dreams.

My problem has been that I don't have a daily and weekly hair regimen. I basically have periods when I'm really dedicated to a product or technique. I want to be more consistent. 

When I first started telling people that I stopped relaxing and wanted grow my hair healthy, thick and long, I got both positive and negative reactions. I was surprised at the negative reaction because it came from friends and family that shared the hair texture as myself. That only motivated me more because now I want to prove to them that black girls can grow long hair with the proper care. My goal is to be living proof to my peers, that Afro hair is Good hair and there is really no such thing as bad hair.

I hope that this blog will help me commit to my goal and that I can motivate other black girls out there.

                       Then & Now

Stay tuned for more :-)

Love Always,

Yaya

I'm finally doing it y'all!!

Hey world!

I've been procrastinating for way too long. So now I'm finally doing it.. I'm going write my own natural hair blog. And I'm excited to see where this new venture will take me!

The blog will basically be a hair journal. I will write about my regimen, protective styles, inspirations and future goals.

I kinda started on my natural hair journey by "mistake". I say that because I just stopped relaxing and I can't remember when! *shrugs* However, I was inspired to cut all of my relaxed ends in June of 2009 after watching (literally) hundreds of natural hair journeys on YouTube.

My aim is, first, to keep closer tabs on my hair journey (I've been slacking y'all). Second, hopefully connect with other natural hair enthusiasts out in World Wide Web and hopefully in my home base, Sweden. 

Stay tuned for more!!

Love always, 

Yaya