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Here's a look at my natural hair journey:
Birth-12th grade: Long, curly, full, thick, healthy natural hair
First Year of college: Long, curly, thick, not as healthy natural hair
Second year of college: lop sided/uneven, somewhat curly, thinning, damaged natural hair
For the longest time, I could not figure out why my hair was growing on one side, and not the other. I couldn't understand why I had to keep cutting my hair shorter and shorter. In my eyes, I had been taking good care of it and for some reason, it wasn't healthy anymore. But because I noticed how much my hair had changed and how it wasn't for the good, in my third year of college, I made a commitment to "go natural." But for me, it didn't mean a big chop and no longer using relaxers. I have never had a relaxer and I didn't feel comfortable cutting my hair at the time, so I decided I would just stop applying heat to my hair and hopefully my curl pattern would come back. I stopped using heat on my hair after Father's Day of 2012 and changed my hair care regimen to only include products for natural hair! Throughout the year, I definitely saw my curl pattern come back full force!
Around March 2013, I finally realized that the reason my hair was so damaged was because I stopped using heat protectant on my hair when I would flat iron my hair. I had gone to a beauty salon my freshman year of college and the beautician didn't use any heat protectant on my hair when she flat ironed it. When I left the salon, my hair looked shiny, it had SO much body and I was in love with it! At that point, I didn't realize the damaging effects that were really happening below the surface! But it was from that point that I decided to not use product on my hair when fat ironing...BIG mistake!
In late April 2013, I could still see all of the damage I had left on my hair, especially in the front. There had to be at least 4 or 5 inches worth of damage just hanging there. I knew I wouldn't be able to fully grow my hair if I still had that damage there, so on the 31st of April 2013, I finally decided to cut off my damaged hair. It was liberating because I finally got rid of it and I could successfully do a two strand twist! But at the same time I was nervous because I wasn't used to having such short hair.
I still get pretty mad that I canceled out 20 years of healthy, natural, curly, full hair in just a year by not using heat protectant, but looking at my hair now, I am so happy because I can see my "old hair" returning. It's curly, full, thick, and healthy! Thanks to mainly Shea Moisture, essential oils, and water, I have managed to get my hair back!!
This journey has taught me so much about being confident with who I am, the importance of loving myself unconditionally, and being proud of who I am! It has taught me to be patient and to really work for what I want! I have learned to embrace all that I am and all I want to be, regardless of what anyone else thinks!
The lessons I have learned along the way inspired me to start this blog! I hope to be able to inspire women and men to love themselves through it all, and to take good care of their hair!
Fun Facts:
Hair type: 3a on top, parietal, and temple areas, 3c in the crown, and 3b everywhere else
Ethnicity: African American
Favorite line of hair products: Shea Moisture
Favorite go-to styles: 2 cornrows, high bun, or twistout
Hair length goal: BSL (bra strap length)
Biggest hairspiration: MahoganyCurls
Must-have products: Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner, Eco Styler Protein Gel
One word to describe me: Bubbly! :)
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