Love the Skin - and Hair - You're In

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

Vitiligo patches on her brown skin didn't stop Chantelle Brown Young from her dreams of being a model.

Despite being diagosed with vitiligo at age four and being teased, bulled and called "cow" and "zebra" as a young child, Winnie didn't let a skin condition that causes a loss of pigmentation stop her profession. 

She learned how to navigate - and stand out -- in the modeling industry with her skin and a fab fro!

Harlow walks catwalks worldwide, and does shoots with top photographers. 

LOVE IT! 

Summer vacay in St. Augustine

My curls love this Florida heat and humidity. 

Lupita Nyong'o in Elle France

Baby, yasss!

Dopeness

VIDEO: Woman Perms Eye Lashes

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

I believe that any woman has the right to perm her hair ... if she so chooses.


That doesn't mean ANY hair on your head. Perming your eyelashes, tho? Girl, bye! I just CANNOT.


This is so dangerous that I just can't understand why she's doing this. One wrong flick and the relaxer -- a caustic CHEMICAL -- is in her eyes and could make her go blind or seriously damage her eyesight.


The dangers of this is just unbelievable and I hate to think anyone would take this risk. Myd daugther has curly eyelashes too but Maybelline Great Lash does wonders, lemme tell ya.Get an eyelash curler, mascara or something and keep it moving! Just put the relaxer on your eyelashes down. Do we hate curly hair that much?


Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should. What's next? Permed vaginal hair?

Afro perm takes Asia by storm

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com 

We all know what a relaxer can do to kinky hair. But what about when you want to turn straight hair into kinky? There was really few ways to turn it kinky - until now.

A new chemical process can now turn straight into kinky --  and the Japanese are pioneering it by wearing it, according to AfroHair.net.

Hey, I'm all about kinky inclusion. And this s some straight up kinky, 4C-beyond type kink.

And it's entirely different than most chemical processes, which usually tend to straighten the hair.

The process is extremely popular in South Korea and Japan, where it's being used to transform straight hair into dreads and cornrows. The process is known as the Reggae Perm or the Asian Afro Perm. It creates new hydrogen bonds to form in the hair using small perming rods during a chemical process that transforms straight into straight up kink.

Now, let's hope that those of us who are born with kinky hair can learn to appreciate what we've got naturally, a little bit more. 

Beware of some hair vitamins!

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

Sometimes, we should just leave well enough alone.

After experiencing hair breakage, I got the bright idea that I'd use a hair vitamin. My sister-in-.law had a vitamin from GNC that I tried for one day, and I had a minor breakout. Made me feel like my skin was crawling. No bueno. It can get so tempting with those HairFinity ads on Facebook.

Then, I successfully tried a Women's Active vitamin from GNC. No problems. I didn't break out, and my hair grew: It was longer and thicker after my trim a month ago. Now, this is where I should have left well enough alone.

Why I won't be trying any hair vitamin anytime soon 

My sister-in-law tells me about a GNC $9.99 sale. I buy two Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins for $25 with shipping and handling. I thought they were the same vitamins I had before. They weren't. I took them last week, but went to LA, so only took a day or two.

Started taking them again this week. By Wednesday, my back had broke out in welts. I had sat on my patio the day before and was bitten my mosquitoes. Maybe that was it, I thought. The breakouts got worse, and after a day or two, I had welts on my shoulders, arms and was starting to break out on my face. Did I say I still took more pills?

Biotin made my skin crawl 

I couldn't think of what was breaking me out, what was different, until I thought about those pills. Sad thing is, I'd done my research before and KNEW that those type of biotin levels can make you break out.

And I did -- in hives. Did I mention my skin is funky, anyway? Like so funky that I only use black soap and glycerin on my skin or it will break out? Like, funky that I have had SEVERE bouts of eczema? I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin. And looking at the GNC vitamins, that 3,000 MCG of Biotin per pill did not help me -- at all. In fact, it was a big setback.

A doctor's visit  later, complete with a steroid shot, a 7-day dose pack of Prednisone steroids and another drug that makes me sleepy as hell but cuts the itches, I'm trying to get my old skin back. My body is broken out in small bumps and I'm waiting on the meds to work. I told the pharmacist, and he just shook his head.

I won't be trying any hair, skin or nail pill anytime soon. I'll return to my good ole' GNC Women's Active vitamin. I'd caution anyone taking biotin --  or any pill with high doses of it -- to monitor themselves carefully. First sign of itches, bumps, STOP taking. Don't be like me and keep popping them. It's not worth it. I want my smooth skin back

I should have left well enough alone!

What has been your experience with hair vitamins? 

Lupita Nyong'o Braids Hair