hair & beauty
The most beautiful makeup for any woman is her natural hair and her natural beauty.
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I straightened my hair after three years and washed it yesterday. Did my curls bounce back or was there heat damage? (*cues dramatic music* Don Don Donnnnnnnnnnnn!) Keep reading to find out!  Hi! So I planned to release this blog a couple of weeks ago but it took me FOREVER to get around to washing my hair. Yes, I have been busy, however, I realized that I was also afraid to see what truth washing my hair would reveal. Will my curl pattern bounce back or will I find straggly pieces with heat damage like I did last time? Fear will keep you from doing a lot, but I’m so glad I have a supportive village around me that pushes me to go forth looking for a positive outcome.  So here we are, the day after I’ve washed my hair and…..NO HEAT DAMAGE! (Praise break!) I was sooo happy! I automatically started thanking God! Wanna know how I kept my hair straightened for more than a month AND never applied heat to it after the initial press? I’d love to share.  1: Heatless styling methods. I recently released a blog that I will tag here (www.theabnormallife.com/hair--beauty/5-heatless-ways-to-style-natural-hair) sharing 5 heatless ways to style your hair. Throughout the duration of my silk press, I used flexi rods, I occasionally wrapped my hair, but most of all, I used satin wrapped sponge rollers. 2: Hair protection during sleep and shower. As a black woman, I will always do my best to protect my hair at night. Whether I’m sleeping on my satin pillow or securing my hair with the proper scarf or bonnet, I am not closing my eyes until the mane is protected ok! I also made sure that all areas of my hair were protected while taking a shower. Wash your ears outside of the shower so you can control the water and not drench your edges with water. 3: Keep hair secured during workouts. Exercising is a big part of my life and no hairstyle is keeping me away from maintaining my great health. I made sure my hair was secured with the proper scarf/bonnet/hat/headwrap, and kept a towel next to me to wipe around my edges through my workout.  Those are three major things I did throughout wearing my silk press.
I really enjoyed having my hair straightened. It was a nice change for me and I look forward to having that experience again in the future. However, I am elated to have Maggie (my hair) back in full and voluminous effect!!! Have fun with your hair! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments! Until next time. Xoxo, ABnormally AB
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 Well hi there beautiful! Let’s talk about Maggie, my hair for a second shall we?…(yes, she has a name lol) She recently received a much needed trim and got straightened in the process. While I haven’t had my hair straightened in over three years, I have been loving the change. I am one that welcomes change and my hair routines for straight vs curly hair are indeed different lol. The big win for me is that I’ve had my hair straightened for three weeks and haven’t applied any heat since the initial press! Can we get an amen! Lol! Hey, it’s a challenge trying to keep curly hair straight, especially when it’s not trained to do so, but God made a way! lol Securing my hair in the shower has taken on a whole new perspective because if my hair gets grazed by a drop of water, it’s over! Over, finito! Lol (“Bring It On” fans will get this joke) I have tried various styling strategies throughout these three weeks and I want to share 5 heatless methods to use when styling your hair when straight. *To clarify, these tools that I’m about to suggest can absolutely be used when your hair is curly as well.* Let’s jump in!  #1: Satin Sponge Rollers This has been my all time favorite method these past few weeks. These rollers achieved this fabulous hair flip you see before you right now! They are comfortable to sleep with, lightweight, and are easy to install. 10/10 would recommend.  #2: Flexi Rods Flexi rods can leave you with such beautiful and fluffy results. You just have to make sure you have the right wrist action. When using them, I only used 2-5 in my head. Depending on what size you're using, they can be big and difficult to sleep with. However, you can achieve a beautiful heatless curl with flexi rods.  #3: Wrapping Your Hair It had been so long since I’d wrapped my hair, I had to sit and think to myself, do I remember how to do this? LOL! The wrapping method is EASY and effortless. I wrap my hair when I’m too lazy to put in rollers or if I’m looking to have a more-straight-than-curly result.  (This picture isn't a result of bantu knots.) #4: Bantu Knots Bantu knots is a style I often use when my hair is in its curly state. With straight hair, it will leave you with soft and voluminous results.  (This picture isn't a result of braids)
#5: Braids Do you want lovely wave-like results? Do a braidout. The results are sultry! Those are 5 heatless ways to keep your hair looking fabulous. Let me know if you’ve tried any of these methods and which is your favorite. As always, remember to be completely and uniquely you! Xoxo, ABnormally AB  Happy Monday!
To all the beautiful mothers gracing my blog with your presence, I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday. I am SO grateful to have you a part of my tribe. Today’s video is inspired by my mom. She has a very impressive scarf collection and I’ve found 7 ways to style a scarf as a hair accessory. Let me know which one is your favorite look in the comments. youtu.be/t2uQMWVjtZc Enjoy! Hugs, ABnormally AB  Hey Queens! Today we’re going to have a little
show-and-tell as I demonstrate how I achieve a slicked back bun on my Type 4 natural hair. Believe it or not, this is a challenging style for me to do. It takes quite a bit of arm strength to get my hair to lay down, but I’ve found a way and want to share it with you. Click the link below to watch as I demonstrate how to achieve a slicked back low bun look. Enjoy:) Link here: youtu.be/8a_JkEab-fc Hugs, ABnormally Ab  Have you had a desire to wear headwraps, but aren't sure how to style them?
I've got you covered. Headwraps have been a statement piece for women for years and are worn for various reasons. From marital status, to making it a fashionable part of a wardrobe, headwraps are multifaceted. Please enjoy this YouTube video, demonstrating 5 easy ways to wrap your hair. Make sure you subscribe and let me know your favorite style! youtu.be/tuIcapC8LnY Xoxo, ABnormally Ab  Hi beautiful! So, what I’ve realized as a natural is that we often wear our hair in it’s curliest natural state more often than not. However, we all have that time of the year when we have to get our ends trimmed and during that process, our hair usually has to be stretched. A naturalista from my Instagram tribe asked me to provide some hair styling ideas while the natural hair is in a stretched stage. So I am here to deliver. 1: Low Ponytail w/giant scrunchie  2: High Bun w/chopsticks  3: Space Buns  4: Natural Hair Pin-up  5: Rocking a hat!  Those are 5 quick and easy hairstyles you can play with when your hair is stretched!
If you’d like a demonstration, watch my YouTube video here: youtu.be/ZMYcgLIslYA As always, remember to uniquely and completely YOU! Hugs, ABnormally Ab  Well hello beautiful! I hope this blog piece finds you happy, in safe spirits and most of all excited to learn more about caring for your beautiful hair texture. Last week, on my Instagram page, I posted a picture of my hair in various stages (curly, stretched, etc.). I then asked my tribe if they had a similar texture to mine, to ask me questions pertaining to the maintenance of their hair and I’d answer them from the experience of my natural hair journey thus far. Before we move on, I’d like to provide some background on the hair type system if you happen to not be familiar with it. My goal for this post is to help black women understand their hair a.k.a. their crown of glory, in order to take care of it to the best of their ability.  The Hair Typing System was created by Andre Walker, Oprah Winfrey’s hair stylist in the 1990’s. It was originally created to market his line of hair care products, but has widely been adopted as a hair type classification system. Below you’ll find a visual of Walker’s Hair Typing System.  IMPORTANT: Please understand, this is a general synopsis of hair textures. Just like our fingerprint, God created each of us very uniquely. Allow this system to act as guidance toward leading you down the yellow brick road, and you then have to take it from there and learn throughout your journey to Emerald City a.k.a. mastering how to care for your hair. (I love theater! Can you tell?) Now, on to the questions! I created a YouTube video ( youtu.be/K70uVxVV9yE ) and wrote this blog because unfortunately, I don’t see much representation for my hair texture. So, I am here to be the change I wish to see and provide any advice I can to help my fellow thick hair beauties love the texture God gave them. Let’s get started!  Question #1: “I absolutely hate wash day. Any tips for making wash day easier for type 4 hair? Answer: Two things. Number 1, Change your mindset. You have to go in with a positive state of mind. We all know wash day takes time. Setting the atmosphere for a day of self-care and pampering yourself will make wash day much more enjoyable. Number 2, sections are your friend! Taking your hair in sections makes the process much easier and less overwhelming. Question #2: What do I do when my hair will not grow? Answer: I can tell you what I’ve done for my hair to grow. I do my best to leave it alone and to do low manipulation. I also keep it in protective styles often. Question #3: How often should I clip my ends? Answer: The professionals (from my google research) say getting a trim 3 to 4 times a year will suffice. To me, getting trims is like maintenance on cars. The maintenance for a Honda will be different than the maintenance for a Mercedes. Consult with a local hair stylist that can give you their professional opinion specifically for your hair. Question #4: What products do I use? Answer: I use lots of products. I often work with natural hair companies which allows me to try different brands. I can share what I’m using at the moment and that is TPH by Taraji P. Henson’s natural hair line. LOVING it! You can find it at Target or online. I’m also using Melanin Hair Care’s Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend. Also, LOVE. Question #5: How often do you wash your hair? Answer: I wash my hair usually once a month. If I feel that it needs to be washed sooner than that, I’ll do so. Question #6: What is it like to have 4 type natural hair? Answer: …THE BEST KEPT SECRET! Question #7: How do you get your hair to stay stretched for so long? Answer: I stay away from using products that primarily have water in them during the time I’m striving to keep it stretched. Question #8: How to love my curly hair? Answer: I would start by getting to know your hair. I would then surround yourself with a natural hair community that understands your hair texture and follow type 4 naturals on social media platforms. Question #9: What are some essential products? Answer: 1) Leave-in conditioner. 2) Moisturizer/butter. 3) Oil. Question #10: I’m running out of hairstyles for my natural hair. Any suggestions? Answer: Add accessories!!! We all go through stages of boredom with our hair. Hair accessories are a great way to spice things up.  I hope this brought you some clarity and inspiration for your natural hair journey.
If you like YouTube videos, click the link here: youtu.be/K70uVxVV9yE to watch and listen to me answer these questions in more detail. Be sure to subscribe www.theabnormallife.com/ , on the home page so stay abreast of all uploads! As always, remember to be uniquely and completely YOU! Hugs, Ab Ok...so during quarantine, social distancing is in effect and we have to stay at least 6ft away from each other…and I love it. You wanna know why I’m loving this…  ..because no one has tried to touch my hair within the last month! I’ve talked about my experiences of people touching my hair without asking before, but as I was washing my hair and deciding how I should wear it, I had a total light bulb moment and realized I don’t have to get close enough to anyone for them to touch my hair!! Which, is really sad. Can I be even more honest with you? Because so many people try to touch my hair, it’s turned me off from going in to hug people.(sigh) Why? Because, as I’m hugging them, they’ll catch me off guard and feel my hair as I’m pulling away from the hug, giving me no time to stop them as opposed to them coming from the front.  Look, I know this isn’t a big deal for all women, but it’s a trigger for me. I put in a lot of time for my hairstyles and it's infuriating when someone thinks they can put their hands in my masterpiece…yes, a masterpiece I’ve taken time to create, without permission. This is something attached to my body ya know. When I tell you to not touch my hair and try to as nicely as possible quickly school you on why lots of African American women don’t want their hair touched, and you comment back with, “Ok, but it just looks so fun” IS NOT OK! My hair is not a toy for you to touch and play with. Get a dog. I feel like some people still don’t get it, so let me offer an analogy.  “You’re planning your wedding. You and your soon-to-be-spouse have had two cake tastings to choose the perfect 7 layer cake for your special day. The day has come and the cake looks amazing at your reception. A family member from your spouse’s side that you don’t know that well sticks his/her hand in the cake and says, it looked so cool, I just had to see how it felt!” Get it now?  With COVID-19 in effect, people are skeptical of what others have touched and choose to wear gloves. That’s exactly how I feel when someone touches my hair without permission.
#1: You’re invading my personal space. (Which is why I’m hesitant with hugging certain people because they then think it’s ok.) #2: I have no idea where your hands have been previously. (greasy, unwashed, just ate, etc.) #3: I spend hours to cleanse and style my hair. Someone reaching to touch it, because they feel like it, is disrespectful. Period. Listen, you don’t have to understand it all. Hairstyles and different textures of hair can be intriguing and that’s all great. Take that intrigue, and maybe even offer up a compliment, but never touch without permission. Hence why being in quarantine has been absolute heaven for my hair (Her name is Maggie:)) As me and my mane continue to thrive in quarantine, stay safe, remain healthy, enjoy your family and remember what I taught you after quarantine is over. ☺ Xoxo, ABnormally Ab We are all experiencing a space in time that is forcing us to adjust to a NEW normal. With the coronavirus pandemic, the world is in a stage of social distancing. With social distancing comes remotely working from home. What I like to call, “homeworking” LOL! (Pun definitely intended!) While working from home, it is definitely more comfortable, but we still have to be ready to take a video call or regular call within minutes. We have to be business on the top but we can be comfortable on the bottom. A part of being business on the top is your hairstyle. I’m here to offer some hairstyle ideas that’ll be easy to take care of and don’t take much maintenance, which is what we all need during this time.
1: Braids/Faux locs: These hairstyles provide the least amount of maintenance and make getting ready in the morning so much quicker than usual. All this style takes is keeping your scalp properly moisturized and covering it regularly at night. This hairstyle is quarantine approved!
2: High or low bun: Having a hairstyle that’s slicked down or molded down is easy maintenance as well. All it takes is a secure head wrap at night to make sure everything stays in place. You may have to use a little product every few days if a curl or two decides to pop out; other than that, this hairstyle is quarantine approved!  3: Headwrap:
If you want total coverage and don’t want to be bothered with your hair showing, have a nice and stylish head wrap ready to tie up and go for all of your video calls. There are so many amazing head wrap companies where you can find a few stylish patterns to swap out. Head wrap hairstyles are quarantine approved! During this time, I feel that all we can do is help one another with the knowledge we possess and share it with each other in order to make it through this trying time together. Continue to stay strong and be encouraged. This too shall pass! Stay safe my friends! Xoxo, ABnormally Ab  Mirror Mirror on the wall, what curls are the prettiest of them all? ALL OF THEM! For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “4C Curls,” it’s a specific type of curl pattern within the natural hair world. Black Girl Hair Magic has so much diversity that we had to break it down into types which help us know what hair products cater best to our hair. Now, I’m sure there are hair types for all ethnicities, but this post is focused on what I’m familiar with and experience. Type 4 hair is described as tightly coiled, coarse, and one of the most common hair types found in African American Hair. There’s a lot more detail explaining hair types, but that’s just the top of the surface information.  SO! As common as 4C hair is said to be, unfortunately, it doesn’t receive as much celebration and love as other hair types. Let me break it down: Looser curl textures have been coined as pretty natural hair as opposed to a tighter texture, like my hair which has been called “nappy”. The way nappy is said most definitely comes with a negative connotation. That’s from my very own experience as well as what I’ve seen within the community. People with my texture have also been charged more in the hair salon because our hair is said to take much more work. It’s very unfortunate but true. I’ve even had some of my followers reach out to me sharing their personal and very vulnerable natural hair stories. One of my very sweet supporters allowed me to share her story: 
Here’s another example to show you some of the challenges that come with having natural thick hair. Click below: Although society has their own standard of beauty, we do not have to conform to what they say is acceptable. As I write this, I’m encouraging myself too, because it gets hard at times going against the grain even when you know what you’re doing is right. But if we stick together and celebrate each other, it will help the journey of each of us appreciating all the unique ways God created us much easier. I represent 4C Hair type women because I saw a significant gap in representation.  So here I am today, using my platforms to make sure that 4C women feel equally as celebrated and admired as other hair types. Continue to follow my social media platforms for tips and advice on 4C Hair.
If you’ve never heard that your hair is beautiful, let me be the 1st to say…YOUR HAIR IS GORGEOUS!!! Stick with it sis. Xoxo, ABnormally Ab |
AuthorAbigail Hunter Archives
March 2022
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