I’ve been meaning for weeks to write a post about my natural hair journey in hopes that maybe I can help somebody else that decides to embark on this, sometimes frustrating, journey. I’ve been 2 years “Clean” (lol) as I like to call it. It’s not easy. At least I don’t think it is for most. I think the most important thing to understand is that there are SEVERAL, SEVERAL different hair types. I don’t think there is one girl of color that has the same exact hair as another because if you are anything like me you might just have more than one texture on your own head!! If you are thinking about “crossing over” to the other side after years of using perm/relaxers first identify and be REALISTIC about the type of hair that you have because everybody’s hair isn’t going to turn out like this m’kay?!So, again be realistic about your type of hair so that you know how to move forward because if you don’t think you can handle it just DON’T even attempt to Lol Click Here if you want to get a better idea of how to classify your hair type.
I’m a 3c, but again not all 3c’s have the exact same hair. I have like 3c in the back and something else going on towards the front.You then need to decide how you want to get rid of your relaxed/chemically treated hair. I’ve always had a nice amount of hair, so for me going natural was never about breakage, centering my chi, finding myself, or breaking free from the mental restraints caused by the white man.Lol. It was a random decision caused by continually being PISSED off in the summer time that as soon as I left the salon my “iron-out” was SWEATED out.No bueno.
So, I decided in May of 2010 no more creamy crack for me.I have been getting relaxers since I was about 5 or 6. My hair was so massive and so much to handle for the beauticians that my mom was sending me to. So, I couldn’t even tell you what my natural state of hair looked like because I HONESTLY DON’T REMEMBER!Kind of crazy. I had not a clue.So, as the summer of 2010 drew closer I wanted to try something different.Now, i’ll be honest. I only gave myself relaxers every 13/14 weeks anyway, so not as often as most women that get a touch-up every 4-6 weeks! I also noticed as I was getting older that my hair texture was gradually changing. And to be honest , to a certain degree, you can train your own hair. But to be completely honest, there was no way in SAM HELL (whereever that is) that I was chopping off my hair and starting over. Not I. No sir.
Some people, like my cousins Jess & Gabby, decide to start all the way over. They had even more MASSIVE amounts of hair than I did! And just like that, CHOP CHOP, they got it whacked off. I applaud them for their courage.Again, I just couldn’t bring myself to do that.Jessica cut her’s off back in 2007 completely! She had a small curly fro. I have to admit my mouth hit the floor when I saw her. I couldn’t believe she had the guts! This is her hair now.When straightened it’s halfway down her back.Yeah, it has surpassed mine and she cut her’s all off?! Go figure
Gabby just decided to cut her’s all off. So she’s just beginningI decided to just trim and cut it out as I went along. This was of course done by my stylist. Although, my stylist/beautician Cathy McClain always told me that doing it this way may cause some breakage because your relaxed hair and natural hair are rivals. They just don’t get along.Hair Stylist, Leslie, called in to my show today and said that she recommends just cutting the relaxed hair out altogether because dealing with relaxed and natural hair both on a person’s head can be difficult to style. She also said “if you are going to go natural, go natural.Wear natural styles whether it be twist-outs,fro,curly,dreads,etc.Don’t always just “iron” it out that can be hard on your hair”. I agree. And getting your natural curl to come back can take some time. Believe me! It took a while of looking like a wet mop for weeks to get my curls to kick-in because our hair has been so trained/stressed to be straight over and over again.
Me early on in the transition
I know you see those straight ends.So frustrating right!?!
I found this site, http://goingnaturaltransitioningtonaturalhair.com/ that is pretty awesome at showing & informing about going through the transition.It’s quite informative.
So, I say be patient.Find which styles work for you.I also think natural MAY not be for everybody, but everybody CAN be natural if thats what they choose. It should be a personal decision because let my hair had been any more curly and coarse than it is or only shriveled up into a fro, I would’ve called it quits from day 1. I applaud the ladies that rock fro’s hard! I just don’t have that in me. It’s not in my personality. Find what hair styles fit your personality and don’t let anybody tell YOU how YOU should look or what is not acceptable.I love the new natural hair movement because everybody isn’t walking around looking like carbon relaxed copies anymore.If a relaxer works for you tho boo, WERK IT! I feel you too. Just know that going natural takes patience, some days several confused “side eyes” from strangers, a few melt-downs, and going through dozens of products until you find what works for YOU.
I’ve personally tried several. Miss Jessies has a wide variety of products.None quite worked for me tho. I found them to be a little too heavy and waxy for my hair and it’s CRAZY hard on the pockets. I spent over $100 buying 4 or 5 of their products.Nah boo it’s a recession.
However,I know several people that love Miss Jessie’s products and the two ladies that own the company…well their hair is to die for!
Carol’s Daughter has some natural products that smell AWESOME, but again quite expensive and sometimes I found my hair to still be dry.
Let it be known I think the hardest thing about going natural for women of color is maintaining moisture! That’s the quickest way to have breakage because I find you shampoo your hair more when you are natural.Deep conditioning is a must. I love Elasta QP’s DPR-11 and Design Essentials shampoo and conditioner has to be from the rivers of heaven.I also spray my hair everyday, even if I don’t wash it, with Elasta’s Leave-In H2 Spray.
Believe it or not I also like Garnier’s conditioner
and Garnier’s Anti-Frizz Serum is THEE one item I have to take everywhere with me.It’s a life necessity.I SWEAR by it. Especially when I iron/blow my hair out because any hint of humidity will make my hair shrivel right before your eyes.
Tresemme’s Luxurious Moisture Conditioner is a new fave of mine.
I have a very very dry scalp so my dermatologist told me to try shampooing first with Paul Mitchell’s Green Tea Special Shampoo and I love it.
I’ve tried sooo many and probably still have several to try. I’ve tried some of the Mizzani products and several brands of curly puddings. My mom has recently tried LustraSilk’s Curl Max Twisty Curly Spray and the LustraSilk Curl Pudding and she loves it.I tried it and I think I like it too.
Next I plan on trying the SheaMoisture line which is available at Target and I’ve heard SOOO many great things about it.
and I plan on trying CURLS which is also available at Target.
I’m still playing around with my hair and the styles that fit me. I usually just shampoo it, condition it, and wear it in my natural curls.Something like this…
I get it styled using the “Blow-Out” technique which straightens my hair like NOTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD when I want to wear it ironed-out or have a roller-set effect.There are several different technique’s stylist use to get this look, but it’s basically either shampooing your hair, then blow drying it SUPER straight, then flat ironing it out, OR shampooing, roller setting your hair, sitting under the dryer and then just blow drying your roots straight. This is me after a blow-out recently
Rocking a bun, to me, is way more beautiful when you have natural hard-to-tame hair.
I use Organics Smooth & Hold Pudding to tame and smooth my edges. or you can use a wax stick to smooth your edges when trying to do a smooth ponytail. I use this
Or recently, I two-strand twist it into two ponytails that kind of mimics two french braids swept into a bun in the back.Something like this
ANNNNND I say have all the fun you want with color!! Make your curls pop! And since your hair is natural it can withstand color treatment a lot better! Last year I went there lol and Kelis goes Extra with hers
I’m still figuring this thing out. Share your journey with me and the technique’s that you use.If you need support (lol sounds depressing right?) or ideas hit me on twitter or thru my gmail at skyydaniels@gmail.com . I don’t nearly have all the answers, know all the natural lingo, proclaim to be a Naturalista or the spokesperson for natural hair everywhere, and i’m definitely not here to convince you that you should go either way with your hair. Hell, most of the time I don’t have a clue about what i’m doing with this stuff. Natural just happens to work for me and my hair, right now.
Your Thoughts?
Here are a couple of my favorite natural-style rocking celebs and some pics of people rocking fierce natural styles
