Here it is! My first blog post, and what is it about? Hair. So many people are talking about and participating in the natural hair movement. Here’s my 2 cents!
I did a big chop 6 months ago after transitioning for 7 months. My relaxed hair wasn’t damaged or unruly. It was actually very healthy and grew very easily.
I had a GREAT FOUNDATION! My mom had five girls, and she washed and pressed our hair every Sunday before church. I learned how to take care of my hair from my mother.
Check out my baby fro… and fifth grade flow
I didn’t big chop to jump on the “bandwagon”. I decided to go natural out of curiosity. I wanted to see what my hair could do. I often explored endless styling possibilities with my relaxed hair. Twist-outs, Bantu knots, braid outs, spiral sets, straw sets, sew- in weaves and braids were my BFF’s. I liked my options and I liked doing my hair. The only thing was, my curls ALWAYS died before the day ended. Forget going to the gym! The styles had no staying power. And, I could never achieve the fullness and the tightness of curls that I’d seen on ladies who’d embraced the practice of wearing their hair without relaxers.
I tried transitioning, but in between the braids, the battle was REAL! I couldn’t get a comb through my roots without crying or tearing out gobs of my hair. I never experienced breakage like I did when I was transitioning. The amount of hair I was losing was crazy and scary!! The two textures were torture. I could always take care of my hair and keep it healthy, but this was too much for me to handle. So one day in the shower, I grabbed a pair of scissors and ended my misery. I cut off about 5 inches of my hair.
For a split second, I thought I would cry. My long hair was a part of my identity, and it was almost all gone. I couldn’t pull it in a ponytail on a lazy hair day or swoop my bangs to cover a random pimple. Did I just screw myself over?? Did I cut off too much? Was it even EVEN? As soon as I got out of the shower, I went to Supercuts and had a stylist named Kellyn finish the cut. She did a pretty good job. And, she solidified my decision. It was the best hair decision I’ve ever made.
Chop Day: July 27, 2013. I’ve had it cut one time since my BC. That was in October.
November 9, 2013
And, this is me yesterday, February 14,2014. 6 Months In.
Valentine’s Day. I celebrated by loving me! I love my curls, I am loving the freedom they bring, and I am loving the journey! I am eager for the versatility and the options that I’ll have with my new texture once it grows out some more. I can’t really play with it at this length. I can’t wait to see my one year pic (if I can stay away from the scissors…Lord help!) My hair goal for 2014 is to keep it growing and maybe try some more color.
What are some of your hair goals? Have you thought about a new shade or a new length? So many of my friends have given up and gone back to perming their hair. They say it’s too hard and that their hair “doesn’t curl right” or doesn’t grow fast enough. I think it’s just a matter of finding the right product for your hair and having the patience to sort through all the wrong ones until you find it.
What are some things you wish you’d known before you became a natural hair queen? Have you thought about giving up? What keeps you motivated to stay natural?
Thanks for reading! I hope you’ll follow me. I promise my posts wont be all about hair. 🙂
One Dallas Chick 