Hi friends! I would like to introduce myself to the natural
hair world haha.
A little bit of background:
I grew up in the South, Deep South where humidity, heat, and
hot grease were as common as a north wind brings cooler weather. I was born
with a head full of thick black curls and I loathed having it combed or styled.
My mom eventually grew frustrated with the constant tug-of-war with me every
day just to make me presentable, so at the tender age of three, she put my
first perm in my head. Yes, it straightened my hair to become a little more
manageable but something else had begun that day as well. Going to get my hair
done became a constant and of course it grew but it also broke off and so my
roller coaster got started. For those who don’t know what I mean, the
rollercoaster of relaxed hair(in my experience)is your hair grows, you get a
retouch, it breaks a little, you get a wash and set, it grows, you get a
retouch, it breaks a little, you get a wash and set…and so on for years. Now
I’ve been to several hairstylists and have the dreaded haircut (where someone
cuts your “ends” but cut way too much), I’ve had the breakage, and I’ve had the
spurts of growth/hope. When I left for college, I began doing my own hair
because a college student rarely has much money to blow on hair, so I started
using the DIY box perms. I didn’t see much difference between me spending $65
for someone else to do my hair and me spending $10 and a few hours to do it
myself. One of the other problems I couldn’t understand was why my hair seemed
like it was constantly dry, even after putting product in it. After all these
years, my hair only barely skimmed my shoulder. That’s quite disheartening
after over seventeen years.
Well, I got married and we made a little more money so I
thought I would be able to do more about my hair situation. A few weeks after
our honeymoon, I became pregnant. With the surge of hormones and extra
nutrients, my hair grew thicker but it still wouldn’t pass my shoulders. I gave
birth in September 2013 and I experienced just a little of postpartum shedding
because I was breastfeeding. I kept using my box perms and grease but my hair
still wasn’t growing past my shoulders. I continued on this routine until
October 2014. I started researching going natural but unwittingly started
transitioning by not putting in a perm at all.
So here we are on March 3, 2015 and I have not put in another
perm since November 2014. So far, my hair texture has changed quite drastically
and I’ve been quite hopeful about the results. Right now I’m wearing box braids
because I’ve found that it is better for me and my hair to not have to manipulate
it too much while retaining the much needed moisture. I’ll have another blog
about that.
Things I have already started learning on this journey:
1.
Moisture is KEY. My hair is much more
manageable, healthy, shiny, and prettier when it is truly moisturized. I use a
mixture of moisture butter, tea tree oil, water, and leave-in conditioner to
lightly mist my hair twice a day. Because it is high porosity and the weather
here is so crazy, my hair loves this. But you must learn what your hair likes.
2.
Protective styling is versatile. If you don’t
like braids, there are many other options for those who choose to protectively
style their hair. But during the protective style, you still need to take care
of your hair. Protective styling doesn’t mean completely hands off for months.
3.
Patience is important. When starting this
journey toward natural hair, know that your patience will undoubtedly be
tested. This journey is not for those who want a quick fix; it will take time
to get your hair to its true potential. Just like anything else worthwhile, it
takes work, sweat, and patience to reach your hair goal.
4.
Once you start your healthy hair journey, your
confidence level will be tested as well. Embracing your natural curls, coils,
or kinks will force you to become truly at ease in yourself and your hair. How
you view your hair will affect how others view your hair, but the only person’s
opinion who truly matters is YOURS because YOU are the one who has to wear it.
I’m not saying I have all the
answers, and I am far from an expert. But maybe we can learn from each other. Now,
let’s get started, shall we?
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