Started from the bottom, now I'm here. A year ago, I was excited to reach this milestone. A year later, I couldn't be happier with my hair's progression. It's been two interesting years on this natural hair journey. I started with just a thought, an inkling of an idea. I did not know what my hair would appear or the texture of it. In the beginning, I was just interested in stretching my relaxers. I was so used to that 6 - 8 week trek to the hair shop for the creamy crack. My hair wasn't unhealthy or breaking off prior to the change. I just wanted something different. I have always had a head full of thick hair. It's the gift and the curse. But, it's all mine and I love it. My natural hair journey has been relatively stress free. Except for earlier this year, I experienced some hair loss due to stress.
So, for my two year natural hair anniversary, I wanted to try a new look. I was going for Naptural85's Seductive Tousled look. You can watch her tutorial video on her YouTube channel. I started with flat ironed hair from a prior blowout. I separated my hair into six sections. I sprayed each section with my water/glycerin mix lightly. I rubbed my shea butter/oils mix into my hair. I then twisted each section from the roots to the tips. Finally I wrapped the twists into bantu knots. I secured each knot a bobby pin. Very simple and easy to do. I lightly misted the water over my hair again. And, finally I sprayed my hair with some oil sheen and tied it down with my silk scarf. The next morning, I put a little grapeseed oil on my fingers and untwisted my hair. I shook my head and fluffed my hair with my fingers. I was ready for my day. I really liked my hair. The style lasted a few days. I retwisted and re-Bantu knotted my hair nightly. Great style for any natural hair woman. Two years went by with the blink of an eye. I am so excited to see what happens next for me and my hair.
I've read too many blog posts and magazine articles about natural hair. Some women use a ridiculous amount of products in their hair. And, that may be fine for them. I have learned that less is more for my hair. I don't need a lot of products coexisting in my hair. It makes it to heavy and unmanageable. I like simple and easy. My hair regimen has gotten considerably smaller. There has been a lot of trial and error. I have used things that didn't work. And, found products that I love and still use. I did not become a product junkie like most naturalistas I know. That makes me happy. And, it keeps my money in my pocket. That is always a great thing. The above picture is me last weekend. I am 17 months post relaxer. This is one of my go to styles. IT's my version of a braid out/twist out. It lasts for about 5 days. I love it.
I have gotten my routine down to the bare minimums. I co-wash with Suave Humectant Conditioner for Dry Hair. I love the thickness of the conditioner as well as the coverage it gives me. The smell is awesome. And, the price is easy on the pockets. I just purchased 2 28oz bottles for $5.00 @ Target. That's a hell of a deal in my book. I follow that with Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-in Conditioner. For the size, it can be a bit pricey but it's worth it. I use Cantu's Shea Butter Leave in Conditioning Repair Cream. I have blogged about my love of this product before. It's still a staple for me. Kera Care's Essential Oils is another daily product for me. The oils give me shine and moisture.
I also have started to use a mixture of butters and oils as a daily moisturizer. I made it myself which makes me love it even more. I combined a bunch of butters (shea, coca, kokum, almond, mango, avocado) with a few essential oils (coconut, sweet almond, and grapeseed) into a mix. I love the way it smells and feels on my hair. It is helping my hair grow. The only other products I use are my spray bottle filled with water and glycerin. My hair thanks me. It is healthy and strong and natural. I still hate how long it takes me to air dry my hair. But, I have no other complaints. My natural hair journey is becoming easier. I'm still excited about it.
I've been contemplating over this decision for a while. My decision has become clearer in the last few weeks. So, I've finally made the jump. I have decided to get my hair back to its natural state. I am currently about 10/11 weeks post perm. So I'm in the beginning stages of transitioning. I currently have no plans to BC (big chop). I think that thought scares me the most. I'm in the easy stage of this process. I already know that things are about to get harder.
I think that I will be getting Senegalese twists done within the next month or two. It's a protective transitional hair style. From all that I've read, it will be extremely helpful in my transition. I definitely need to get my ends trimmed as soon as possible. This journey is so scary to me because this is all uncharted territory. I have no clue what my hair actually looks like. It's going to be an adventure. I know I will want to give up while transitioning. I just have to stay true to what I want. I will update my progress as it comes. Pray for me! I'll be a naturalista in no time!
Hair is a big issue and industry for Black women. It is our thing. We will spend all day on a Saturday in the hair shop to get our 'do did. I know that if my hair looks good, then I feel good. It's a great feeling leaving out of the shop with my hair perfect. I fee like the world is my oyster. Yes, a fresh hairdo does all of that for me. Hair is a very big piece of my overall appearance. There is a big movement in the African American culture of women going the natural route. This has intrigued me for some time.
The whole natural movement is very interesting to me. The routes that one can take to get back to their natural state as well. I, however, am not a fan of the Big Chop route. If I do chose to do this, I will def be going the transitioning route. I just don't think I wanna cut all of my hair off to go natural. That is just not gonna happen. I've had my hair cut in a short, Halle Berry-type style about 13 years ago. It was cute but the growing out stage was horrible. I hated it. It wasn't growing fast enough for me. I wore micro braids and a weave for a while. I hate weave. i will never ever have hair sewn in or glued into my head again. It just wasn't for me. The braids were cool and my best option when growing my hair out.
I have read a lot of blogs and forums about the transitioning to natural hair. There is a lot of great information on the web. I absolutely love MopTopMaven and CurlyNikki. These sites are encouraging and very friendly. They are full of natural hair care help and advice. I will say that some of these naturalistas are hardcore. They are usually referred to as the Nazis (not politically correct but still). They believe that in order for one to be completely natural, one should not even straighten their hair or use certain products. I think that's nuts. If I were to go the natural route, I would def be utilizing the Chi iron. I like to wear my hair wrapped. I do not like the negativity that I get from some of these women on the forums. I read those forums to gather more info. This has been a long discovery journey for me. And, I'm still not done yet.
I do like the plethora of natural styles I've seen on African-American women. Locs are gorgeous. Especially when they are neat and tidy and long. I love the look. It's just not the look I would go for. There are also the afros. Big or small, everyone is different. I personally like the braid-outs and twist-outs that I see. They are beautiful and soft. I like soft hair. Because i like to play in my hair. Love for a man to run his fingers through my hair as well. That is one of the best feelings in the world. I always wonder about the naturalistas that I see and their hair story. I'm very curious about that.
My fear in letting go of the chemicals is that I have no idea what my "natural hair state" is. I also do not want to do the Big Chop either. I love the length, thickness and feel of my hair now. Going natural is not like me putting in a rinse. I can not just wash it away. What if I don't like it? What if I can't deal with it? These are the big, huge questions that haunt me about this decision. Granted, I know some will say things like "I am not my hair," but in some actuality, I am sort of my hair. It's a part of me. That may be vain but it's my truth. I am still on the fence about this decision. Are any of you ladies naturalistas? If so, tell me your story. If not, what is your take on this issue? Talk to me!
ETA: My girl Kimberlie has another interesting take in natural hair. Please check it out as well.
Tanika Ray, an Extra correspondent, is my hair inspiration. I love her hair. It's always gorgeous, no matter how she styles it.
