Heeeeeeyyyyy Ya’ll I know its been a while but I bring good news š
It’s beanie szn so it’s only right that Skatsz drops our new collection of satin lined caps!
Folarin – Our Fall Winter 2021 Collection is here!
Fall in love with our Folarin satin lined beanies – you see what I did there? Fall in love with Folarin? Because it’s Fall season? Hahaha.. aww I crack myself up!
Anywho Check em out below
Satin lined to keep the moisture in your hair, lessen dryness & breakage and keep the frizz out
Fashion & casual style cap/hat One size fits all
I’m back from my quarterly hiatus, yall know the vibes hahah
Anywho, Iām still super excited about our AdeDoyin satin lined bucket hats because chiiiiile the amount of work that went into this was NOT easy! But we here! š
Now we launched back in June and the reception has been great, thank you all!! So I figured I should give a little history behind the concept, material etc and properly introduce Doyin!
What’s special about Doyin bucket hats (with the exception that it’s made by Skatsz haha, yall know we special.. in a great way ha!) is that some of the Doyin hats are made with Aso-Oke material (pronounced almost like ahhh-shaw-okay) – a West African print native to the Ondo people of Yoruba Nation in the Southwest region of present day Nigeria – where we (Skatsz) are from!
For as long as I could remember we’ve worn Aso-oke to birthday parties, to Nigerian weddings (if I can get my hands on some our pictures I’ll update this post with it) to graduations – literally any occasion is Aso oke appropriate. So, when we were designing our bucket hats for the 2021 summer, it was a no-brainer to use the elegant, beautiful and rich material, Aso-oke.
(Excerpt from ONCHEK Blog) Aso-oke sometimes referred to as Aso-ebi is a special hand-woven cloth and over centuries has become somewhat of the style marker of the Yoruba nation. It was said to have been created in Yorubaland around the 15th century and since then spread around the land and its environs.
Aso-Oke Seller during the weaving process
The cotton is then spun to separate the cotton seed from wool and a Spindler, known in Yoruba as āorunā is used to achieve this. The weaver spreads the wool and processes it through the loom. As the Spindler turns repeatedly, the cotton thins and this is done until all the wool has been spun. The cotton is then cleaned and sorted which is done manually and can be very time-consuming.
Once the cotton is purified, the signature designs and patterns characteristic of Aso-oke are ready to be created. This is the process where designs and patterns are made on the Aso-Oke while the cloth is being woven. During the pattern process, cotton reels are hung upon the hangers on the sets of the metallic pegs on the ground. After everything has been prepared, the weaving can begin. (Ends excerpt)
The weaving, quite possibly the most important part of the process, is a delicate chore. The weaver deftly presses down on the pedals of the āorunā and uses their hands to weave the material to create the signature designs in a variety of colors as seen in the Doyin hats above.
Aso-oke materials can be split into two categories; traditional material and modern material. The multi colored Aso-oke are often the traditional more authentic materials – example the blue stripped hats and tan and cream bucket hats below:
The newer machine-made Aso-oke are usually singular colored like the purple and blue bucket hats below. While the material isn’t any less of quality, it isn’t the original/traditional material that goes through the hand woven process; thus some people prefer the latter – everyone’s taste varies.
We (Skatsz) are extremely proud to be able to express our creativity while displaying some of our culture’s beauty through our products – Doyin Aso-oke satin lined bucket hats!
All styles listed are currently available on our website š¤šæ
This little piggy went to Nigeria and got this bomb hairstyle done
Now the hair was cute and I got sooooo many compliments on it! But..
Well fast forward to 6 weeks I believe (that’s typically when I take down my hair if it’s been in braids/twists)
Chilllleeeeeee the way my edges went down with it? Ha! I just sat there looking at where my edges USED TO BE. I couldn’t cry, I was just like welp these are the risks of doing tight ass, cut ya edges type, nonetheless cute hair styles in Naija.
the flakes in my hair was due to my leave in and moisturizer not mixing well -__-Here’s a closer look chillleeeee But do yall see where my edges USED TO BE!
So as the universe and great amazing Ancestors would have it, Edge Naturale reaches out to me to review their product. Now at first I was verrrry hesitant because when my edges fall out like this, its usually castor oil and patience to the rescue; I’m talking months of patience and TLC tho.
Anywho, long story short, I agreed to do the review and let her know that I plan to be super honest bc at this point I’m talking from a place of pain yall, like don’t waste my time sis.
I received the beautiful God sent jar of love and kindness:
I was impressed because it was full to the brim ( it’s a white, creamy product).
So I start to put it on my edges every day after getting out the shower, for a month straight and yalllllll:
Now let me say this, the instructions says to apply twice a day, I didn’t want to clog my pores (lemme stop lying yall, I was just too lazy to apply twice) so I did it once a day. worth noting is that you will feel a little tingling and warmness in the area applied – I just chucked that up to the fact that its working.. because it sho was!
Here’s another angle, even my eyebrows ends grew after 5 weeks use!
Do yall see this growth?? Even the hair on my forehead came back!!!!!! I need to do my brows but my good sis Imani aint taking clients right now due to corona
This was me hahaha
Also, I added a little bit of water to my edges prior to applying the Edge Naturale Cream (really it was the steam from my shower I used as moisture) but you can add just a smidge of water to your edges enough to make it damp but not completely wet, just so the cream can really penetrate your pores/hair shaft.
Yall, it really works and I’m super grateful the folks over at Edge Naturale really saved me and my edges and eye brows!
I know it’s been a while but here I am! Consistency doesn’t come natural for some of us but that’s no excuse so I will be more active here now, because well, why not! Plus I’ve found some really cool stuff to share š
I hope you all have been staying safe, staying home & washing your hands.
In lieu of the corona virus aka covid-19 and the hysteria it has caused worldwide, I thought I’d share this helpful video I found on how to make your own hand sanitizer with two simple ingredients: Aloe Vera & Rubbing Alcohol.
So I just stumbled on Zig Beswick, a UK blogger’s review of our Skatsz Dami beanie Yeeeep! Check it out below:
My Small Secret to Great Winter Hair
AND YOU WONāT HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR WINTER HAIR CARE ROUTINE.
Winter rolled through again and weāre in that cold/rainy spell before we can embrace spring. Our skin is considerably dryer and so we slather on the emollients and moisturizers as a barrier against the lashing winds and icy rain but what about our hair? We donāt seem to give it the same justice and if you have even the slightest curl to your hair you know how cold and dry do not mix with it. Of course you may up the deep conditioning, use a leave in and ensure the ends have a lil love but when you step out that door to mother nature she has no mercy for windswept coiffures. Well, Iāve found the solution and who knew it could be so simple!Ā
A hat! Iāve been really into my hats as of late, I didnāt think I suited them or could fit them over my fro but have found a few (beretās and baker boys) that suit my style even when my hair is not in twists underneath.Ā āOhā, I hear you sigh, āhide my tresses under a hat, yay, warm head but when I step in the room itās hat hair for the day.ā No not quite. Because thereās one beanie in my collection thatās something special and works a treat for all hair types. Have you ever noticed, especially with natural hair, how some hats particularly seamed beanies can snag and pull at the hair? Theyāre also made of thick woolen mix materials that keep you warm yes, but suck every ounce of life out of it. Thatās where SKATSZ come in. A. SATIN. LINED. BEANIE. As soon as I got my hands on it I showed it around the natural haired girls of my acting class who all cooed in awe and swore they needed one too. Knitted to perfection at the top with a wicked satin pattern layered underneath meaning no snags, all the moisture retention and all the warmth.
Iāve worn it ever since and love that it hasnāt compromised my style with the array to choose from nor have I had to actually change anything in my general hair care routine. I can wear my hair out in the winter knowing I can move between locations with my hair not being battered around by the elements. The satin lining means the fibres of my hair smooth and glide against it reducing friction which leads to breakage, frizz and moisture loss. It also means that the smooth underlay keeps my hair style intact! I wear satin scarves to bed and sleep on satin pillowcases for these reasons and so it makes sense that anything touching my hair thereafter should be the same luxury. Itās stylish and not heavy or uncomfortable like trying to wear one of my bonnets under a hat would be. Itās thick enough to be a proper outdoor hat and saviour for winter hair.
A Skatsz hatĀ is perfect for wigs and weaves too, reducing friction and shedding whilst still keeping you warm. I donāt think my other hats can compare now, it makes such a thoughtful gift for the holiday season & for the (natural) fellas, theyāre affordable and will last a lifetime. No matter your hair type, if you suffer from super dry hair come winter, crown breakage or are looking for a healthy alternative for your winter styling, check out these hats theyāre the necessity of my hair life I never knew I needed.
By now, a good majority of us have seen the Netflix original ‘Nappily Ever After’ starring Sanaa Lathan.Ā I actually counted down to see this movie, ever since I heard SanaaĀ shaved her bald for the role – I found it intriguing. I wasn’t aware of the book, so I didn’t really know what to expect but it was a really good movie with an even better message –Ā Love yourself & be comfortable in your own skin!
At the start of the movie, Violet, (Sanaa’s character) was obsessed with being unrealistically perfect, especially with her hair; stemming from childhood traumas & her mother’s constant reinforcement. However, as the movie progressed, the trajectory of her character was one that was very muchĀ relatable;Ā going against the grain in life. Whether you’re a natural or not, we’ve all experienced “the big chop” in a sense – a need for a fresh start at life for one reason or another. Violet, went from an impromptu shaving of her head due to a meltdown to actually being reintroduced to her natural hair & loving it. She of course struggled with her decision at first but eventually got a hang of it (boy can I relate). With her confidence reinstated in herself, her big chop being the catalyst, she eventually stopped seeking validation in others & began valuing her own feelings about herself.
It’s an empowering movie that tells us that our own hair, black hair is indeed beautiful just the way it is & we don’t need to alter it to be deemed acceptable. As mentioned in the movie, itās not that black women should feel guilty about wearing anything other than natural hair, whether itāsĀ weaves, wigs or other protective styles. Rather, itās that they should know that their natural hair is just as beautiful as any other type, and they are worthy of respect regardless of how they choose to wear their hair.Ā It’s a powerful message, especially for this new generation of natural enthusiast coming up – to show that it is never too late to (re)discover yourself, love yourself,Ā stand up for yourself & be comfortable in your own skin!
Here’s Sanaa talking about her big chop & her feelings after
I put up a poll on IG to ask if people still thought the word “Nappy” was a bad word;
I was genuinely surprised that the overwhelming majority voted that they didn’t consider “nappy” a bad word; I personally don’t either. Though I understand the history behind the word, it was all the more reason it was great to see us embracing a word that was once (& probably still) has negative connotation about Black/African hair.
Have you seen Nappily Ever After? What are your thoughts? Comment below xx
I know I’ve been crazy inactive, so instead of me apologizing only to be inactive again, I’m just going to do better š
So, topic of today is African Threading ā A traditional method used for centuries across Africa to stretch afro hair without heat; it is also commonly referred to as Banding Method. African Threading is known to be a great way to retain length, stretch hair without heat, thus averting the chances of getting heat damage & breakage (we all know how heartbreaking that can be) & also can be worn as a protective style.
In Nigeria we use a specific elastic shinny thread:
However, you can also use brading hair extensions or sewing thread – some people have used yarn, it’s really your prerogative (that’s a Bobby Brown reference hahaha).
Quick story: I was at the salon last weekend & a little girl, no more than 7 yrs old had gotten her deep-conditioned & it was time to stretch her hair – using that hot ass, dragon breath ass dryer, that I even as an adult still dread greatly!Ā Chiiillleee the way she was screaming & hollering, my heart could NOT take it, I just had to approach both the mom & the hair stylist to suggest threading that poor childās hair. Lucky for her, her mom was very receptive to any help;Ā it was clear as day she too was in complete distress! I stood in front of all three explaining for all of maybe 4 minutes but Iām sure all the mom heard was āYour child will stop screaming if you use this methodā & she was like āYESSS!ā Long story short, the baby stopped crying & was enjoying her little juice as she got her hair threaded. The stylist did it in a way that it was so clean that she ended up wearing it as a protective style. I thought the absolute cutest most rewarding part was when the baby came up to me to say thank you in the most genuine heartfelt way (I almost shed a thug tear). Meanwhile, her mom couldnāt stop thanking me, asking about other natural hair tips I may have, which I was more than happy to help of course. This also inspired this blog post. Itās just so funny to me how far weāve come only to understand that some ancient methods still beat the technology we have now.Ā
Anywho, my sister helped thread my hair a little while ago & I sent the pictures to my mom, and she said āItās called the Sungas style back in her day š¤ & it grows hair by the seconds!ā Here is a picture of my insane shrinkage vs when it was stretched:Ā
Before Threading
After African ThreadingĀ
My hair was completely stretched & the threading was only in in my hair for about an hour! Yeah, no more blow dryer for me (crosses fingers).
Here is a really good video/tutorial on how to African Thread your hair:
Will you be trying African Threading to stretch your hair? Or is it already apart of your routine? Let me know below xx
Skatsz 