AfroRiri WCW is Tracee Ellis Ross

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Tracee Ellis Ross. She is an American actress, model, comedian, motivational speaker, producer and television host.

She was born October 29, 1972. She is the daughter of a singer and actress, Diana Ross. Tracee attended New Walden Lincoln in Manhattan and the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. She was a model in her teens. She attended Brown University where she appeared in plays, and graduated in 1994 with a theatre degree. She later worked in the fashion industry, as a model and contributing fashion editor to Mirabella and New York magazine.

She is best known for her lead role as Joan Clayton on the UPN/CW comedy series, Girlfriends. She starred in the show from 2000 to 2008. She starred in the 2007 comedy-drama film Daddy’s Little Girls, and in 2011 had a leading role as Dr. Carla Reed on the BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines. In 2014, Ross began starring as Dr. Rainbow Johnson in the ABC comedy series, Black-ish.

For many naturalistas, Tracee was a shining example of how they wanted their hair to look when “Girlfriends” debuted. The actress was always rocking her God-given texture and slayed. She has been rocking her natural hair since she was 13 years and her mum was her inspiration.

To be able to see other women that have their hair like me, it gives me a sense of belonging, and I love that is a part of television now. “I’m loving the natural hair movement. It’s really encouraging and is expanding the definition of beauty.” Tracee said

She rocks her natural hair on red carpets, interviews, movie sets and photo shoots.

She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful.

AfroRiri WCW: Lupita Nyong’o

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Africa’s own Lupita Nyong’o. Lupita has taken the world by storm with her grace, beauty, talent and sincerity.

Lupita Nyong’ o was born March 1, 1983. She is an actress and film director.  She was born in Mexico, but was raised in Kenya. She attended college in the United States, graduating from Hampshire College with a bachelor’s degree in film and theater studies. She has a masters degree from Yale University School of Drama.

Lupita Nyong’o started acting as a teen in Kenya and went on to work behind the scenes of the film The Constant Gardener. She directed and produced the albinism documentary In My Genes and starred in the TV series Shuga. Lupita went on to earn acclaim for her role as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which she won the 2014 Academy Award for best supporting actress, among other honors.

Lupita is the first Kenyan and first Mexican actress to win an Academy award. In 2014, she was named the ”Most beautiful Woman” by People and ”Woman of the year” by Glamor. In December 2014, Lupita Nyong’o was appointed by the Togolese magazine Africa Top Success for “African of the Year”.

She has been rocking her natural hair for years now and she stands out.

‘What I love about my hair texture and this kind of hair [is that] you can do all sorts of interesting, angular shapes with it,’ she says.

She rocks her natural hair on red carpets, interviews, movie sets and photo shoots.

She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful.

Stay gorgeous. Xoxo!!!

New Year, New Routine

Hello Divas,

How has 2015 been so far? How are you divas rocking your gorgeous hair? Last year, I was a bit non-chalant about my hair routine. This year I intend to step up the game. These are the areas I will love to change.

• Last year, I steamed my hair three times which was very bad. I will work on steaming my hair monthly this year.
• Last year, I was team let it fro. My hair was in a protective style like four times the whole year. This year I will make my hair more.
• This year, am all about my hair growing. I will eat healthier, exercise, drink a lot of water and treat my hair better.
• This year, I will wear my satin cap every night to sleep to retain moisture and preserve my hairstyle.
• This year, I will use AfroRiri black shampoo as my only shampoo. It really softens my hair, makes my hair curlier and makes my hair shine.
• This year, I will be more versatile with my hair.
• I will try a no comb challenge this year. I will try not to use a comb through my hair. I have to look for other alternatives like finger detangling.

What new routine are you adopting for your hair this year? Let us know by commenting below. Stay naturally fabulous this 2015.

Xoxo,

Rosalyn

AFRORIRI ALOE HONEY BLACK SHAMPOO

AfroRiri WCW: Cynthia Kamalu

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Nigeria’s own Cynthia Kamalu. Cynthia is a TV presenter, radio personality and blogger. She is the only girl amongst 3 boys. She studied Human Anatomy in the University of Port Harcourt. She would have loved to study Mass Communication but her parents did not let her. Later on, she went to broadcasting school to fulfil her dream. She worked with Cool FM 96.9 Lagos and now works for Ebony Life TV.

Cynthia has been rocking her natural hair for two years and four months now. She decided to keep her natural hair because she wanted to go back to her roots and stand out.

She rocks her natural hair on red carpets, interviews, TV shows and photo shoots.

She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So do you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful?

You are beautiful do not let anyone tell you different… Xoxo!

Afroriri WCW: Omoni Oboli

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Nigeria’s own Omoni Oboli. Omoni Oboli is an award winning actress, script writer and producer. She was born in Benin and is from Delta state.

Omoni studied Foreign Languages at the University of Benin majoring in French. In 1996, while still at the university, she shot her first films. She then took a 10 year break, got married, and returned to the screen in 2009 with the movie Entanglement. She is married to Nnamdi Oboli and they have three children. Omoni has starred in hit movies such as figurine, brother’s keeper, anchor baby, jungle ride, behind a smile. Omoni recently went to the New York Film Academy in New York where she did a short course in Digital Film Making. Being Mrs Elliott is the first movie produced by Omoni Oboli.

Omoni Oboli has been rocking her natural hair for months now. She feels very happy and comfortable with her hair. She said going natural is the best decision she has ever made.”I wanted something different and I thought, ‘let me go back to my roots.’ Its natural and I am loving it. My hair gives me life.” said Omoni Oboli…

She rocks her natural hair on red carpets, interviews, movie sets and photo shoots.

She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful.

AfroRiri WCW: Muna Abii

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Nigeria’s own beauty queen, Munachii Abii. She has never stopped looking beautiful.

Munachi Abii (born Munachi Gail Teresa Abii Nwankwo). She was born on 5th, November 1987. She is a Nigerian rap / hip-hop artist, songwriter, pageant winner, television presenter and model who performs under the name Muna. She was born and raised in Port Harcourt. She is from Owerri. Muna was encouraged by her family to pursue her passion for music and arts. After obtaining her O’Level qualifications from Federal Government Girls College Abuloma, she studied International relations and Diplomacy at the Benson Idahosa University. During her second year at University in 2007, Muna won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. Her platform as reigning queen was Polio and Sickle cell Awareness and she represented Nigeria at Miss World in China later that year. In 2009, Muna worked with MBGN 2000 winner Matilda Kerry on a project to raise awareness on cervical cancer. Muna had performed as part of Port Harcourt-based rap group the Specimen A. As a solo rapper, she performed as Babyrella before changing her stage name to Muna, she has written songs for artistes such as J Martins and Waje, and has also appeared in several music videos, most notably in P Square’s “Ifunanya”. In 2011, Muna signed an endorsement deal with Unilever as a model for Lux and featured in commercials for the brand.

Muna looks younger and graceful rocking her natural hair….She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful.

What is a Protective Style

Written by Rosalyn O

Protective style is a hairstyle designed to protect the delicate ends of the hair because ends are the oldest and often most fragile parts of the hair shaft, they can easily break off. Protective styles keep ends up, preventing them from rubbing against clothing, accessories and other rough objects, or completely hidden. They’re often worn by men and women seeking to retain as much hair growth as possible.

Benefits of Protective styling

• Low maintenance
• Retains growth
• Keeps hair soft
• Versatile
• Time saver

Braids

Conrows

Flat Twist

Bantu knots

Hope this was helpful. xoxo

AfroRiri WCW: Nse Ikpe Etim

At AfroRiri Haircare , our Wednesdays are dedicated to naturalistas we admire and love. Hopefully, by seeing our WCW you are encouraged to continue your natural hair journey.

Our WCW is Nigeria’s own Nse Ikpe Etim. She has never stopped looking beautiful. In Nollywood, Nse has been described as “the silent tsunami”. She brings with her a breath of freshness.

Nse Ikpe Etim (born October 21st) is a Nigerian multiple award winning actress, a writer, professional chef and a lover of arts.. She is the first child of six children. She is from Akwa Ibom. She had her Television break at the age of 18 when she anchored a show on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Nse also went into the pageant world and won several crowns. Nse was Miss University of Calabar 1992/93. She also won the Miss NTA Calabar contest. She studied Theatre arts in University of Calabar. She got married to her childhood friend Clifford Sule on February 14, 2013. She has won best actress in lead role plenty times. She acted in Inale, Mr and Mrs, Kiss and tell, The meeting, Phone swap, Journey to self. Nse loves her natural hair and enjoys styling it in different ways. She rocks her natural hair on the red carpet, movies, photo shoots and even on her court wedding day. Her way of  showing she is comfortable in her own skin . She said our hair is what makes us truly AFRICAN and truly beautiful. She is the definition of a true naturalista who looks naturally fabulous!

So you see that having and wearing your own natural hair does not make you less successful.

How to keep your hair moisturised

Written by Rosalyn O

Dryness is a problem experienced by many naturals. Why is it so important to keep natural hair hydrated? More than anything else, natural hair needs moisture to thrive. Well moisturised hair is supple and elastic, which makes it look soft and prevents breakage.  Dry hair on the other hand looks and feels dull and dry. In order to grow long, strong, healthy hair, it is vital for naturals to have a regualr moisturising regimen. Getting water in your hair is easy. Keeping it there, not so much. Follow these steps below for shiny hair that stays moisturised and retains maximum length:

1. Use water

Water is the best moisturiser out there. Wet your hair in the shower or using water in a spray bottle, working it in thoroughly. Tip: leave the water in your hair for 15 minutes to make sure it completely saturates the hair. You can also try baggying ( baggying is putting a plastic bag or shower cap over your hair for extended periods of time) your hair to combat extreme dryness.

To your water, you can also add one or all of the following:

• Conditioner : helps soften hair and smooth cuticles to add shine
• Oils : depending on oil used, nourish hair from inside, seal moisture in, add fragrance
• Aloe juice : natural conditioner, humectant and helps prevent dandruff by balancing the pH of the scalp
• Glycerine : humectant; draws moisture from the air

2. Use Humectant

Humectants like honey, glycerin and aloe vera juice draw water from the atmosphere into your hair and make a great addition to your spritzes or conditioning treatments. Warning: They should be avoided in very hot, dry temperatures or wintery conditions as they would then do the reverse and draw water out of your hair and into the atmosphere. Other humectants are sodium lactate, propylene glycol and sodium PCA.

3. Seal with Oil

Now that you have added water into your hair, how do you keep it in? Simple. Apply a barrier over it to stop it from evaporating. The most effective way is to apply oils that do not easily penetrate into the hair shaft over your wet or damp hair. Common sealants are:

•  Castor oil
• Almond oil
• Jojoba oil
• Grapeseed oil

The advantage of using these is that they help lock moisture in longer so you don’t need to moisturise constantly.

You can still use penetrating oils like coconut, sunflower, avocado, olive and Shea butter but you would need to moisturise frequently.

4. Stay hydrated

We all know that drinking water helps flush out toxins and keeps our skin hydrated but did you know the 8-glasses-a-day rule also benefits our hair? One of the best ways to help your hair from the inside out is to drink lots of water so keep those glasses topped up for happy hair.

5. Avoid using heat

Using heat to dry your hair, even on a low setting, leaves your hair dryer than it would be if you air dried it. To stretch your hair without heat, use methods such as twisting or braiding, threading or the tension method.

6. Applying moisture based products to your hair

AfroRiri hair butter locks in moisture in hair strands, conditions hair making it softer and more manageable. It strengthens and thickens hair and protects from dryness. It is made with the best oils for healthy hair growth.

Below is a short and in no way exhaustive list of ingredients which can often be found in a moisturising product

Behentimonium Chloride/BTMS/Cetrimonium Chloride/Cetrimonium Bromide – these act primarily as an emulsifying agent but because they are cationic quaternary compounds, they provide exceptional conditioning properties. This is what makes hair feel soft and easy to comb.

Aloe Vera – known to have anti-inflammatory properties, aloe very is a popular addition as it is also a great moisturiser.

Hydrolysed proteins – hydrolysed proteins usually have a smaller molecule size so they can penetrate and adsorb to the hair shaft. Proteins help strengthen hair by filling in holes and cracks in the hair shaft caused by damage, kind of like polyfiller. They also provide a great barrier on the hair shaft to prevent water loss.

Cetyl/Cetearyl alcohol – these are saturated fatty alcohols, not to be confused with the boozy drying kind. They act as a thickener and impart an emollient feel to the product.

Botanical extracts – this is the concentrated from of botanical matter and is usually extracted using some sort of solvent which can either be water, oil or alcohol. Depending on the botanical used, it can provide a range of benefits for hair and scalp. Popular extracts include nettle, rosemary, lavender and horsetail, marshmallow, amla, brahmi and neem,

Hope this was helpful. xoxo

African Natural Virgin Hair (What it is and how to manage it)

African Natural Virgin Hair (What it is and how to manage it).