Serious Shrinkage

Ok so this is serious...

I know that I am not alone in saying that shrinkage is the natural woman's worst enemy. I mean, black women are intellegent and powerful, we can cook, clean, and raise kids, we can build a home a pay for it. Its safe to say we can "bring home the bacon and cook it too".  As naturals we have already overcome the painful journey of accepting our whole selves and not letting the haters stop us from being the fabulous natural divas that we are! So it should be easy right? A breeze. A piece of cake...

But then we have shrinkage..   

 

Our hair can be down our backs when straightened or stretched but let us decide we need to Co-poo, our coils will be having a pow wow with our ears in a heart beat! Now I know that in my blog The ever elusive regimen (Part 2- practice) I talk about braiding down as you go along and that saves a lot of tears, but questions is: why can't I just wash and go?

 Now I have to add a disclaimer:

I love my hair and, while that has not always been true, I have reached a point in my life where I can safely complain about it without running the risk of being too rough, cutting it, or God know what else. We all need a chance to vent... right?? 

My wash and go literally turns into a TWA on the spot. I have to wash-braid-unbraid-GO just to get some definition! LOL :) Well it is what it is, I guess my curls just like being close to home.

Here are some tips to combat shrinkage:

1.          Moisturize- the more moisturized your hair is the less it will shrink. Water make my coils retreat no matter how moisturized they are so try some other water based moisturizers like:

Shea Moisture
Coconut & Hibiscus Moisture Mist

Kinky Curly
Knot Today

CURLS
Creme Brulee

2.         Braid, twist, knot!- do all that you can immediately after your co-poo session. Braid it out, twist it out, or knot it out! Bantu knot it out out, see ya twist it out out! Please play DJ UNK- Walk It Out as you do this. Trust me on this one, you will be done braiding twisting or knot-ing in a heart beat.... I feel inspired, I might make a little D-day sound track and share it with you all.

3.       BRING IT!- Just rock your shrinkage as another facet of your ever changing, ever evolving beautiful self! The best way to do it is the wear it "outted" or straightened one day, wash and wear a TWA the next day. You co-workers will be sooooo confused on how your hair went from long to short overnight and will ask you why you cut your hair, I know from experience. Hehehe.

What ever you choose to do, do it right boo boo!!! 

 Sincerely,

Luvin Life <3