The Creamy Crack Rehab

This year, I found a feed on Instagram that helped me through my natural hair journey called "The Creamy Crack Rehab". Whenever i felt slightly tempted by the luster and sheen of a perm, that feed had multitudes of photos of men and women who embraced their natural hair. The name of the feed was perfect, and it did rehabilitate me from the temptation of the perm.

It provided a better appreciation for natural hair textures and some motivation for how i wish my hair to be in the future. Not only does the gallery focus on hair textures, the curator posts lovely illustrations of everyday issues faced by persons with natural hair. It's highly comforting to come to this space and see that many others faced those same twist out fails and comb breaking days that you have. It also lets you know that if these people have those rough days and haven't given up, that you should still push through.

Once again, when I'm interested in something or someone of interest, i always feel prompted to post it to my blog. I decided to get first had information instead of just my own perspectives and the curator of the wonderful gallery, Beulah Davina, kindly agreed to give me some insight into her inspiration for her masterpiece.

Here We Go:

My name is Beulah Davina and I am 22 years old. My favourite things are music, hair, photography, books and anything that involves acting or performance (theatre, films etc.) I currently live in the UK and I have a degree in Religious Studies and Theology.

I started The Creamy Crack Rehab in September 2012 because I decided to go natural but had no idea how to look after my hair. I used the Internet to research natural hair care and then I shared what I learnt on the Tumblr page. I also used the page to upload and reblog images of men and women with natural hair styles as I realised up until then that a majority of photos I had seen were of people with straight hair. I've always thought representation is important and I knew that people with natural hair weren't being represented or celebrated as much as people with straight hair so I just wanted a platform that naturals could go to to see relatable and inspirational images of women with kinky, curly and coily hair.

I started creating my cartoon illustrations almost accidentally. One evening during the Christmas holidays, I was extremely bored watching YouTube vlogs and doodling with a pen and paper. I remembered my friend had Bantu knots the week before and when she undid them she started walking around like she was Beyonce lol. I drew an extremely basic picture of a girl with Bantu knots and an image of her with curls with the caption: Naturals Be Like: I woke up like this #Flawless| When they really woke up like this.

I decided to upload the cartoon on The Creamy Crack Rehab's Instagram and Tumblr page because I thought my followers deserved a laugh, but honestly, I was worried that some people would be offended. When I uploaded it, I got a crazy amount of love and followers and so I kept creating more and more. Most of my cartoons are inspired by personal experiences or experiences that my natural friends have had.

I'm no artist, I just love to express some of my thoughts with simple illustrations. I draw my cartoons because I enjoy making people laugh and I like it when people can relate to each other. Whenever I upload a cartoon, my aim is to get at least one comment or message from somebody saying, 'this is me lol' or 'this is so true'. I think the natural hair community is amazing and I love to point out the things that make us all similar no matter how different our curl patterns or hair textures are.

Website: TheCreamyCrackRehab

Instagram: TheCreamyCrackRehab

Protective Styling: Crochet Wig

I'm so excited about my new Crochet Wig! I love that i'm able to rock a curly hairstyle while still affording my natural hair protection, allowing it time to rest and grow. Making a crochet wig seemed pretty simple after watching some videos on youtube, so I sent them to my friend who made one for me! It frames my face pretty well and the net cap allows it to have a natural look.

Here's Some of What You'll Need:

When you have all the tools you need, You then start the process of completing the wig. The fullness will vary depending on the amount of braids you use. I bought 2 packs, but we expertly cut the braids in half to accommodate my small face. If you want curls you'll have to put the hair on perm-rods and soaked them in hot water for the synthetic hair to hold the shape.

I've included the tutorial video for the wig so that you can try it on your own :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paccBahpm48

Hair Care: Deep Conditioning

Conditioning is a very important part of my Natural Hair regimen. I have leant since cutting off my hair that shampoo is the devil and will make your hair feel like the Sahara Desert. Conditioner helps your hair maintain moisture and also helps to remove product build-up without completely stripping your hair and scalp of moisture. After a CoWash or a Deep Condition session, your hair is curly, healthy, and vibrant. I've not tried out much deep Conditioners.... in reality i've used two brands (As I Am & DooGro), and so far i've fallen deeply in love with the 'As I Am Deep Conditioner'. My hair is softer, during conditioning my curls are more defined, and at the end my hair is easier to style and smells great all week. Your deep conditioner does not have to be costly but you should research ones that work best with your hair type to avoid disasters. In addition to conditioning your hair, you should always drink a lot of water which helps to lubirate the scalp and skin

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It has been 6 months since i big chopped and my hair is already past my ears and on the tip of my nose. I've been taking care of my hair pretty well in my opinion, and i love that my hair is healthy and I'm not forcing my hair to conform and do what it wasn't meant to do. Deep Conditioning is important to make your hair malleable and flexible for styling as well as detangling. If you've recently started your healthy hair journey... Happy trails to you ♥

Curl Care