What's On My Head?!

Since I've already discussed the hair typing chart, I figured I'd share my hair type with you all...or at least what I think it is!



Alright so here is my hair after I shampooed and deep conditioned it. You would think it would be soaking wet but literally 2 min after I stepped out of the shower, it was already beginning to dry! It's thirsty! (I said that in the voice that a girl would use when talking about an overly persistent guy lol). Any way, I THINK that my hair is a mixture of types 3C/4A. Oh, excuse my face...I become awkward when I'm taking "for hair only" pics.



On the left side is the texture that is over the majority of my head. Here it is still wet for the most part...I would say this is 3C. When it dries it shrinks up maybe half of it's actual length. The picture on the right side is the "4A" area of my head. It's ONLY on my edges in the front. As you can see, it already was drying for the most part and just looks frizzy. When it's soaking wet, however, you can see a very tight curl. This part of my hair shrinks up more than half of itself. It actually looks weird because it's only on my edges, so when I let my hair air dry with out styling products, it looks patchy...and tennis ball-y, lol. Anywaaaay...



This is the crown of my head. To be honest, I know it's not 3C or 4A, but I opted to save myself the headache and not try to figure it out. The curl is much looser in the top of my head. In this picture it was beginning to dry without product so you really couldn't get the full gist of it, but you can see how it just waves up. That's all I have to say about my crown...*hits the Steeby J face just because*



Alright, here is the problem area of my head. I had a sew-in with a side part during the months of December and January. I flat ironed it every. single. day and BAM! No more curls for me. This patch of hair has been this way since I cut off the rest of my relaxed ends in February...so wash and go's look silly right about now. I have about 3 inches of new growth in that area so it's in its own special transition. I cut the front of my hair a lot so it shouldn't take the majority of the patch to become fully natural again.Needless to say, but HEAT DAMAGE IS REAL LADIES. Flat iron too much if ya want to!

So...yeah...that's my hair in all its glory! To give you a run down, I have really no problems detangling ever, my hair holds on to styles for dear life,I always get great definition with braid/twist outs, I have no problem with moisture retention (even with color treatment), and my hair has normal shedding.

If your hair is like mine PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I've been looking for a hair twin :-)

What's your hair type?

Hair Typing 101-In My Own Words :-)

I got CURLS ON CURLS ON CURLS! And if you read that to the proper tune then you were right in doing so!Lol...let me stop!

So...as you all know, natural hair comes in many different textures. Hair could be thick, thin, curly, wavy and so on and so forth. To help categorize it better, a natural hair typing chart was developed. This chart groups hair by a number/letter system: 1-4C.




"1" would be just a straight texture; there is no natural curl definition.

Then you get into the "2s" which is the wavy category. This group, along with groups "3" and "4", has sub categories. Those categories are identified by the letter; they tell how loose or tight the actual wave or curl pattern is. So...2A-very loose wave (closer to straight), 2B-deeper waves, 2C-deepest waves. This type of hair is normally very easy to manage.

Now we're at "3". Type "3" is the curly hair family. Now, if you look at the chart above you will see the difference between the 3 sub categories. Of course, it's all in the tightness of the curl.You just have to pay attention to the size of the curl from root to tip. When type 3 hair is wet, it appears to be straighter than it actually is. Once it begins to dry, the curl pattern will be more apparent. Type 3 hair is known to be easy to style and normally has lots of body. However, it tends to be very sensitive to humidity which we all know causes frizz. Bummer.

The last group is Type 4 hair. "4's" are considered kinky. It is very tightly coiled and the most delicate of all the hair groups. As you can see from the chart, 4A is tightly curled from root to tip, 4B is more of a zig zag pattern, and 4C is an extremely tight curl pattern; it sometimes appears to have no curl at all. This hair type takes a little more maintenance because of it's very prone to tangles and it requires a lot of moisture.

Okay, that was my little rundown of the hair typing system! Actually some naturals prefer not to go by it just because it has proven to be a tad vague. There are some hair types that just don't fit directly in any of the categories. Also, most people have more than one hair type in their head (like myself). That can make it difficult to distinguish. Personally, I don't care for it much, but it is interesting. I'm one of those people who believe my hair doesn't fit in *insert sad emoji here*.

If you're wanting to see what your hair type may be, check this link out: http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types it has pictures of real women with the different types so you can get a better idea!

What do you think of the hair typing system? Is it useful or just blah?

The Style Files: #1

One of the most common quotes I hear from newly naturals or those who are transitioning is, "I don't know what to do with my hair!" Believe me, I understand the frustration. So here at Bold, Bouncing, Beauty (or B-cubed as I like to call it), you'll find "The Style Files"! This is created specifically for you to reference and become inspired. I will post pics of my hair as well as others and the low-down of the hairstyle! So let's jump into Style File Numero Uno!! :-)





Name: Twist-n-Roll
Type: Up-do
The Skinny: It's simply a flat 2-strand twist in the front and a side bun
Perfect For: Work, Casual days, Weekend fun
Benefits: This style is extremely low maintenance and it acts as a protective style
Products Needed: Hair moisturizer (of your choice), Gel (I prefer EcoStyler with Olive Oil), Ouchless Ponytail Holder, Bobby Pins
Difficulty: Super Simple! (Unless you can't flat twist :-( )

EXHIBIT A



*Here you can see I made the part big enough to have a nice, chunky flat twist. I also made the side part further over than usual. You can do the twist to go either way you like, but I prefer to twist it away from my face for this style. Before you begin twisting, remember to moisturize your hair. This is also where I add the ecostyler gel to my edges (before I start the flat twist)*

EXHIBIT B



*Here you can see just how far my side part is. Also, I pulled all the rest of my hair to the opposite side of the part. You want the ponytail to meet the end of the twist. Be sure to moisturize your ends after you pull your hair into the ponytail!*

EXHIBIT C



*Here you can see why it's important to pull the ponytail closer to the end of the twist. While my hair was still in a ponytail, I pinned the end of the twist right above the ponytail holder. I then made a bun just by making one big twist and then pulling the end of the twist over the ponytail holder. I pinned it as necessary so that it can be secure and...VOILA*

Tell me what you think of this style and if you have other ideas, please share!!!

Why So Natural?

As of lately many women have opted to let go of the creamy crack and embrace their natural curls. Some see this as a fast moving "fad train" that everyone seems to just hop on, which in a sense is correct, but this train is moving in the right direction!

I, for one, was so against going natural years ago. I thought nothing was better than my straight, easily styled hair. I never really experienced any real problems with my relaxed hair UNTIL I had a horrible run in with breakage. It was my freshman year in college and I was away from home. I had a relaxer and blonde hair color and did not know how crucial it was to keep my hair conditioned and moisturized. Needless to say, my hair snapped under pressure...literally and figuratively!



(This is me in April 2008...all the front of my hair had broken off...I had a mullet SMC!)

That was in 2008. Now after that, I continued to get relaxers but I died my hair darkest brown and made sure I took better care of it!



(This is my hair around October 2009. It was thick, healthy, long, and shiny :-)

It wasn't until April 2010 that I started to rethink this whole relaxer thing. I had gotten highlights in my hair because I thought it was healthy enough to withstand color treatment. I was wrong. My hair didn't suffer like the first time it was damaged, but it was definitely dry and breaking a little.



(My hair in May 2010. Definitely shorter again...my face was huge here too, lol, excuse that!)

SO...needless to say I went BACK dark and decided that I would no longer get relaxers. I like to change up my look every now and then, and I realized my hair didn't thrive under two chemical treatments (color and relaxer).

Those experiences all led me to where I am today. I could have continued to get relaxers and still have a decent head of hair...but I wanted ultimate health!

I was a YouTubing fool for the first 6 months into my transition...SHOUT OUT TO CHISELLECOUTURE...she was my HAIR IDOL! Hate that she left Youtube...ANYWAYS...back to the topic at hand...

Going natural was the BEST hair choice I've made and I would recommend it to ANYBODY! Those chemicals in relaxer are so harsh; although hair may seem to be healthy, it is substantially weakened by the permanent straightening process. I don't know about y'all but I like my hair FABULOUS and STRONG!

Tell me why you decided to go natural!! :-)

Behind The Blog...

Well hello there! Or should I say "hay y'all"! (Shout out to my Southern folk :-)

I want to welcome you all to Bold Bouncing Beauty!!!

For the past few months I've been thinking of starting a natural hair/beauty blog and as of today I finally decided to stop talking about it and start being about it! Without any hesitation, I'm gonna go ahead and give you a little bit of insight on Cerise (that's me!)



I started my transition to natural hair back in May of 2010. This year, in February, I recently cut off the last bit of my relaxed ends! My journey was an interesting one to say the least. I tried many different products and hair styles. I made a few mistakes here and there but it all helped me to be much more knowledgeable about my hair and its new state. I've also done A LOT of research that I always tend to share. I find myself having natural hair convos everywhere I go: work, the mall, public bathrooms, the gym...and that's just naming a few!

I also have a knack for make up! I've never done it professionally, but it's one of those things I'm sure I know how to do! I've tried a crazy amount of beauty products. Some have proven to be a treasure while the others had me looking a hot mess...SMC (shaking my curls :-). Just through trial and error over the past 6 years (that's how long I've been wearing make up), I've become quite seasoned in the world of skin and beauty. I'm no where near an expert, but I know more than enough to get by!

This blog will, however, go beyond make up and natural hair tips. If we are to truly feel beautiful, it HAS to start from within. Life has its way of...ya know...happening! Sometimes different circumstances and situations can alter our confidence and leave us feeling not as fabulous. To combat that mindset, we must be strong in spirit! God didn't instill in us a spirit of defeat, so I'm also going to use this blog as a vessel. A vessel in which God's word can flow through and in turn encourage you to take on life and still feel beautiful from the inside out! I thank you for visiting and hope that you will feel informed and encouraged!

You'll see that it's ALWAYS a good time here at Bold, Bouncing, Beauty! :-)