Natural Hair Spotlight Month Wrap-Up: Meet Megan, Kiki, and Adrianna! Then, Be Inspired.

Hey everyone!

I hope everybody had a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving and ate a whooole bunch of yummy food and desserts! I know I did! I ate anything and every dessert with the word "pumpkin" in it! Haha! We are on our very last post for Natural Hair Month! (And yes, I'm very much aware that it's no longer November! Please forgive me for the delay!) For me, wrapping up Spotlight Month is bittersweet because I loooove reading these interviews and I hate that it's ending :( But on the plus side, I will be able to get back to my normal product reviews and tutorials! Yaaayyy!! This week for the final spotlight, I interviewed 3 beautiful ladies who are all dear friends of mine! They all have different journeys but they are all so inspiring! I hope y'all enjoy these interviews as much as I do! Lets start with Megan!

Meet Megan!

Name: Megan

Age: 22

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.): I’ve always had thick, healthy hair. I just wanted to try the natural experience and stop wasting money on the creamy crack lol.

How long have you been natural: This time, 2 years LOL.

What made you decide to return to your curls: I originally tried my freshman year of college, then my sophomore year of college. Each time my hair just got so long that I felt like I had to perm it to see how long it had gotten. Then, I realize my hair looks permed just by straightening it so I finally decided that the third time was the charm and went all in by giving up heat and perms for a year. It was honestly just to try something new and have even more healthy hair!

Did you transition or big chop: I transitioned for almost a year and a half.

What made you choose one over the other: I don’t know what my head looks like without hair and I was afraid I would not like my head shape with super short hair! Yikes!

How long has it been since your big chop: I transitioned for a year and a half and cut my last relaxed end in October of 2013.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: They all loved and supported my decision.

How do they feel now: Everyone loves my hair!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Everyone seems so fascinated by how full and thick my hair is because it has always been apparent straight but now people can really tell when it is curly!

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: Oh gosh, twist outs and flat twists outs are my fave. I love to bun it up or put it in a puff. Recently, I’ve started to wear it straight more just because there is so much of it!

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: Neither, I will keep my hair in braids for a while when I feel like doing it or I will wash and twist it weekly just to keep it clean.

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I want a bob cut again soooooooo bad but I promised to stop cutting my hair *sad face*

What are your must-have staple products/oils: COCONUT OIL IS LIFE! I like Argan Oil too though! Just recently I started using OrganX products and I love them! My hair is so soft and moisturized!

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: Just be yourself and love yourself naturally. That’s what is most important.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I should have done it sooner LOL.

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: PATIENCE! Natural hair care is not for the impatient or the weak LOL.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: DO ITTTTTTT! Simple.

Business/blog/social media inquiry info: IG: @_meggoelizabeth Twitter: @iamKNOT_myhair

Meet Kiki!

Name: Kiyana Harris (Kiki)

Age: 22

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.): My pre-natural hair was relaxed. It's never been damaged. There may have been a time where I used too much heat but my hair has always been pretty much healthy, long, and very thick.

How long have you been natural: Technically I am not natural yet. I am still transitioning :( But I am almost there!!

What made you decide to return to your curls: I have always wished my hair could curl! I just didn't think it was possible. When I came to college I saw so many girls going natural but just didn't think it was for me because everyone was doing the “big chop” and I couldn't see myself chopping off my hair. Little did I know that you do not have to chop all your hair off to become natural. I also thought that I would not like my texture because my hair was thick even with a relaxer so imagine being natural! Going natural was always a thought but I was always too scared to go through with it. My mom decided to big chop her hair and it looked great which really inspired me that perhaps returning to my curls was the way to go!

Did you transition or big chop: currently transitioning!

What made you choose one over the other: I decided to transition by accident. I was in between relaxers and during this time of receiving new growth I noticed that the hairs in the front of my head could actually curl! So when I did buns, and pony tails I could pull out two little jewish curls in the front! Lol this was something I could never do before. Then I tried braid outs and bantu knots and loved the way my hair curled. I also noticed that my hair was growing so much faster now that I wasn't relaxing my hair. I had all the intentions of getting a relaxer but I fell in love with the way my hair was transitioning. I also knew that I did not want to big chop my hair and by keeping the two textures it allowed me to see more growth which was very motivating!

How far are you into your transitioning stage and when do you plan to big chop: My last relaxer was January 2013 and I have no idea when I will be chopping off all of relaxed ends but I can tell you that it is coming soon! I have slowly been trimming the ends and I just received blowout and a big trim on October 30^th so when I wash my hair and see how much relaxed ends I have left I can decide from there.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: My friends and family love my hair! They have been trying to get me to stop getting relaxers for the longest. Lol most people had no idea that I even had a relaxer.

How do they feel now: They love my determination to continue transitioning and reach my goal of becoming natural!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: I always get compliments for my twist outs and pineapples! Several of my friends have asked me to twist their hair for them.

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I definitely love flat twist outs! If I am having a good hair week it can last me 5-8 days and then I can do a curly bun or pineapple until I wash.

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: I am definitely the experimenter ! I have tried everything! Bantu knots, braid outs, two strand twist outs, perm rods, flexi rods, blowouts with the tension method, and more! I did decide to get twists(you will see them in the pics I sent) in my hair and leave them for a month in a half back in january 2014 but I missed my curls so much I doubt I will do that again!

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): If I could do anything I would definitely color my hair! I want to do either a burgundy or a brown ombre on my ends. But I am going to wait until I am fully natural to do that!

What are your must-have staple products/oils: Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-in, coconut oil, water, ecostyler gel (green and pink one) , Miss. Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls, Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Deep Conditioner and Cantu Coconut Curling Cream.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: When it comes to hair What I learned is that you have to find what works for you. I have watched so many Youtube videos and tried styles in hopes that it would turn out the same as it did in the video but I learned that everyone's hair is different. You really do have to try trial and error to see what specifically works for you. I never thought in a million years that flat twist outs would be my go to style. I was horrible at flat twists!! I tried this style by mistake and ended up loving it! Lol As far as life, I learned that patience is key! Being patient has been a key role in this journey and by being patient you will see that it makes the goal so much more worth reaching.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I wish I would have done it sooner!

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: Being less afraid of trying something new or unfamiliar to me. It is when you are in the most uncomfortable positions that you have the most growth as a person.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: I say do it!! You will not regret it. It allows for so many styles! Before I had straight hair that wouldn't hold a curl at all but now I can switch from straight and curly without a problem! When I was in doubt I just thought to myself that if it didn't work out I could always return to relaxers. But also, make sure to do research and prepare yourself for the journey.

Business/blog/social media inquiry info: instagram is @madeinnyc_xoxo and Twitter is @baby_koxv

Meet Adrianna!

Name:  Adrianna Nicole

Age:  25

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.):  My pre-natural hair was something I was never truly satisfied with. I could never get it to hold body or curls.  I wore it many different lengths and styles. But it was never what I wanted it be.

How long have you been natural: My last relaxer was March of 2010.

What made you decide to return to your curls: I was really interested in my hair looking good and being healthy no matter the circumstances. I traveled to the DR and one of my classmates had natural hair and it was gorgeous, despite the water, humidity, sweating, and so on. My hair was awful and unmanageable and I was SO jealous!  I even helped her twist hers up before bed, and it was so thick and healthy. I knew I had to do something different. 

Did you transition or big chop: Big chop. For me, it was all or nothing. I big chopped after going without a relaxer for 2-3 months.

What made you choose one over the other: I wanted to fully commit. I also got frustrated VERY quickly with attempting to maintain two different textures.

How long has it been since your big chop: May-June 2010 was when my big chop took place.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: My family was supportive and I got lots of compliments. However, my friends of other ethnicities didn’t fully understand the decision and didn’t have a clear concept of what was happening. I think it was a shock to them!

How do they feel now: I don’t think they really care very much, honestly. I think they are happy as long as I’m happy!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Many people are shocked that my hair is natural. Even if they’ve known me from the beginning, they still ask questions about my hair. Those who knew me when I wore my hair kinky ask if I have a relaxer. Those who’ve only known me with straight hair can’t imagine what I look like with kinky hair. 

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I get my hair washed, conditioned, and blown out every two weeks. I went through a season of wearing my fro, then wearing flat, two-strand twist up-do’s. Now it’s always straight.

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: Honestly, I have never been talented enough or patient enough to experiment.  I usually wear it blown out with curls, then headbands, and a ponytail if I’m REALLY desperate!

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): Hmmm. I would wear it kinky and loose, with enough to go into a cute ponytail or a nice wash and go. I would love some color—perhaps some golden brown highlights.  I also consider a short cut. I really like a neat, clean, and well-put together look.

What are your must-have staple products/oils: Haha. I’m a minimalist here. I must have bobby-pins and headbands of all colors. I also must have a light oil (Argan or Moroccan) and an edge-tamer that doesn’t flake or create build up.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: That I can be beautiful and confident no matter what my hair looks like. I have also learned how important my hair is to me and that it has such a big factor in my day-to-day life. I’ve also learned that you get out what you put in.  My hair is at its best when I am consistently taking good care of it.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I would have taken much better care of my hair early on, and not have to do so much damage repair. I may also have done Henna treatments to loosen my curl pattern rather than going to heat to straighten! 

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: Learning about myself and redefining my definition of personal beauty.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: Do it! It’s how God created you. It can still be worn however you like and is much more versatile than a relaxer.  It’s beautiful and unique!               

Business/blog/social media inquiry info:  anharre2@ncsu.edu.  I don’t know that I’ll have much to offer, but I’m open!

:)

Ok everyone! We have officially wrapped up Natural Hair Spotlight Month!! Yaaaayyy!! It was so amazingly fun being able to interview these amazing ladies and gents and learning more about them! 

My main goal in doing these spotlights was to allow people to see more than just hair. A lot of men and women look at natural hair and either get discouraged because they don't think that their hair could ever "do that," or they think that natural hair doesn't fit the mold or meet the criteria for the beauty standard in our society. Every curl, knot, wave, coil, tress, loc and kink is beautiful! Our hair is our hair and it is a big part of us! It is so different and so unique! It holds so much beauty, power and history. We should be encouraged and proud of our roots (pun intended lol), and we should embrace all of who we are! This doesn't mean that women who have relaxers or wear weaves are trying to run from their heritage or that they are ashamed of their skin. And this also doesn't mean that there should be a divide between natural hair women and women who relax their hair. What it does mean, however, is that we should not shame those who choose to wear their natural curls and we shouldn't shame those who choose not to. We should see more than hair. We should see the things that we have in common. Rather than pointing out and focusing negative attention on the things that make us different, we should embrace what makes us different! No matter how many relaxers and weaves we may have in, our hair will ALWAYS grow out of our scalp curly, kinky and gorgeous! We should embrace it! If styling that hair isn't for you, then that's fine! But don't ever view those curls and kinks as disgusting, ugly, nasty, annoying, or gross because that isn't the case. God gave us this hair for a reason and that's it!

I'm not saying all of this to speak only to women who choose relaxers, but I'm saying this to encourage everyone! How my hair grows out of my scalp is how it will always grow out of my scalp. There's nothing I can do to change that! All that I can do is embrace it and move on. And know that when we say, "Natural hair is beautiful," we aren't just talking about the hair of the men and women who rock their natural 365 days a year. Every black person has natural hair, but only some choose to actually BE natural, and that 365 days a year definition, in my eyes, applies to "BEING natural." Someone who chooses to embrace their God-given natural hair by not chemically straightening it is someone who chooses to be natural. Natural hair, however, is the raw, irreplaceable, unique, one of a kind beauty that grows naturally out of our scalp! So when we say, "natural hair is beautiful," that is what we are referring to. That is what's beautiful and everyone should know it! Beauty isn't about what's sitting on top of your head! It's about what grows from within, manifests itself and the strong sense of pride and confidence that comes along with it. And of course, that applies to more than just hair.

Natural men and women, your natural hair is beautiful!! Women who get relaxers or wear weave, your natural hair is beautiful!!

There is no reason to ever think otherwise! There is no divide between the two because we all have that natural hair within us. It's what we choose to do with that hair once it breaks through the scalp that makes us different in a beautiful way, but the foundation is the same! I'm not saying that relaxed hair/weave isn't beautiful. I'm saying that if you relax your hair or wear weave because you don't think that you will be pretty anymore with your natural hair, or because you think your hair isn't beautiful, or you think that people will think you're making a mistake or that you don't have the "right hair" for being natural, then you don't have any reason to feel that way. Everyone is beautiful in their natural state! There's no need for plastic surgery and injections, caking on make up, drawing on 10 lbs worth of eyebrows, or trying to make your body look like your favorite celeb. Who you were created to be is beautiful and we get even more beautiful everyday!

:)

Though every one of these spotlight features made the decision to return to their curls, the events leading up to and the events following that decision varied for everyone. Just because we all chose the same, that doesn't mean we will all experience the same thing. We all have different minds, different lives, different textures, and different outlooks on life. Yet and still, beauty can be found in each and every journey. I don't want to be the only voice on this blog. My journey isn't the only journey that matters, and everyone should be given the opportunity to voice theirs if they please! These interviews go to show that EVERYONE had a different journey, and that is why I wanted to focus on them this month. When we see a natural, we should see much more than just hair. We should see a journey. We should see a story. We should see ourselves.

As always, thank you so much for checking out my blog! Y'all are awesome and I appreciate the support SO much!! Feel free to share the link and be sure to cast your vote for my monthly poll! It is located on the left under. "The Purpose." Since today is the first post of the new month, it is time to announce the winner for November's poll:

Question: What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

Top 3 choices (since voters were allowed to choose more than 1 answer): #1- The food #2- Spending time with family #3- Cooking

Thank you to everyone who voted! I hope y'all have enjoyed Natural Hair Spotlight month as much as I have, and I also hope you look forward to my product reviews and tutorials that will be returning this month! Y'all are awesome! Thanks so much for the support! See ya on the next post!

Natural Hair Spotlight: Meet Kelley and Krystal!

Hey y'all!

So as promised, the month of November will be "Natural Hair Spotlight" month on my blog! I gathered some friends and family and asked them to answer some questions for y'all, and each week in the month of November, I will post the interviews of two of my guest bloggers! This way you can have new references from people on all different walks in their hair journey and they get a chance to share and inspire! I hope y'all enjoy and that you gain some insight from these amazingly amazing naturals :) So let's get started!

To kick things off, here are my interviews from my sisters, Kelley and Krystal!

                                                                       Meet Kelley!!
                                                                 

Name: Kelley  

Age: 25
Describe your “pre-natural hair”: My hair was actually not bad when it was relaxed. It was short, shoulder length but it never grew past that point.
How long have you been natural: I have been natural 3 years this month! :)
What made you decide to return to your curls: My sister encouraged me to go natural after I had stopped getting relaxers due to pure frustration of harsh chemicals and a burning scalp.
Did you transition or big chop: I transitioned for 15 months before I big chopped.
What made you choose one over the other: Honestly, I was afraid to have a TWA. I work in DC and I wasn’t sure if people would find it professional.
How long has it been since your big chop: 1 year and 9 months
How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: Everyone seemed to love it! I actually got a lot of great feedback and encouragement.
How do they feel now: They are still amazed at how much my hair has grown, and how fast it grew! My co-workers and friends love seeing my curls stretched out!
How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: My natural hair is perceived really well. In fact, I love the excitement when I do something different with my hair. It's fun to see other people enjoy something that makes me unique :)
How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: My new go to style is wash, cool blow dry and quick chunky twist out. It’s the fastest style I have found so far. I learned the hard way that my 4b natural hair does not like wash and goes.
Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day" kind of natural: I am a “put it in a twist out and hope and pray it lasts 2 weeks” type of girl! The less time I spend on my hair the better for everyone haha! The longer my hair grows, the thicker it gets and maintaining it gets even harder. So the quicker the better when it comes to styling. I got micro mini twists and I somehow made them last 3 months. Take down was an epic disaster but it was worth the break.
If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I wouldn’t do a thing haha! I’m too nervous! Besides straightening once a year, experimenting with different styles and cautiously trimming my ends, that’s the most adventures I will be for a while.
What are your must-have staple products/oils: I’ve just discovered Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey. It smells wonderful and my hair loves it for twists. It gets a little greasy but by day 2 or 3 its perfectly moisturized and soft. I will always live by my Eco styler gel. My hair does not like creams, hair lotions or leave ins. It, literally, only likes oils, light gels or pomades.
What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: That the natural me is the best me. I used to straighten my hair until my whole house or dorm room smelled like burning hair and filled the air with more smoke than a Snoop Dogg concert. It feels great that I can be myself and face the world with the hair I was always intended to embrace. 

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: Absolutely nothing. Every bad hair day was a lesson learned and another chance to change it up! I got to experience transitioned hair, short hair, and all natural hair. It’s been a delightful, journey filled with ups and downs and a lot of hard work.
What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: I have gained a wonderful sense of sincerity. I feel sincere when I face the world, like “hey world, this is me, love it or hate. But if you hate it who cares because I love it! :)
Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: Oh my grace, jump! Leap! Do it! It’s an amazing journey and if you keep your eye on the prize, on your goals and hair dreams you will make it! Please trust me, it is sooo worth it! :)

Meet Krystal!

Name: Krystal Nicole Butler
Age: 25
Describe your “pre-natural hair”: Relaxed (Thin, weak, damaged)
How long have you been natural: My last relaxer was February of 2012, so I have been without a relaxer for 2 years and 9 months.
What made you decide to return to your curls: After my last relaxer, I noticed that my shoulder length hair was slowing becoming extremely thin and starting to fall out. One day, my (then) boyfriend, Keith, came to my apartment to pick me up for dinner and I opened the door and started crying. As I stood in the doorway, holding strands of my fallen hair in my hands, I explained to him that there was something wrong and I didn’t know how to fix it. He calmed me down and asked me a series of questions: “What do you want your hair to look like?” In between tears I said, “Thick and long and healthy.” “Ok. What can you do to get it that way,” he asked. I thought about what it took for me to style me hair: get it relaxed, wash and condition every week, flat iron (with retouches almost daily) and “moisturizing” my scalp with hair grease. I thought about the burns I would get each and every time I got a relaxer. “What if I stopped getting my hair relaxed?” I asked him. “I think that would be a good idea,” he said. That night I Googled something like, “What if I stopped relaxing my hair?” Since I had chemically straightened hair since before I could remember, I had no idea what my hair would look like without one. A few Youtube videos popped up about “Natural Hair” and the rest was history.
Did you transition or big chop: I transitioned before I did my big chop.
What made you choose one over the other: I chose to transition my hair only because I did not quite know what I was doing. After watching a bazillion Youtube videos of women styling their beautiful TWA’s (tennie-wennie afros) I was ready to start my journey too.
How long did you transition before your big chop: After transitioning for 9 months, I decided to do a big chop.
How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving (in 2012) I told my little sisters, Kelley and Kimie, that I was going to big chop. They were extremely hesitant and tried to convince me to “stick it out” and let my hair grow out and then cut it once it was long enough. My boyfriend, Keith, was really supportive. I kept telling him that my hair would be really short and super thick and curly. “You won’t be able to run your fingers through my hair anymore,” I warned. “I always thought it was weird that I could run my fingers through your hair,” he replied. (Since his mother and sister had been natural for quite some time, he was used natural hair and TWA’s.) My Grandmother, or ‘Mema’ as we called her, was my biggest fan. I would call her weekly and tell her about my new growth and how I couldn’t wait for it to be long and healthy. My Mema never liked relaxers so she was thrilled to know that I wouldn’t be getting them anymore. After Thanksgiving dinner, I pulled away from the table, went to the bedroom and starting cutting away! When I went to work the next day, some of my coworkers were not impressed. Throughout the day I heard a mix of positive and not so positive comments like, “What did you do?” and “I liked it better the other way” ; “it’ll look better once it grows out a little” and “you could always put a hot comb to it.” Some of them (those who understood the natural hair movement) had such nice things to say “you look beautiful, girly” and “I love it!”
How do they feel now: Keith and I are married now and he is still a fan of my natural hair. My twin sister, older sister and mother are all natural now! Though my little sister Kimie was already natural, I taught her about natural hair, how to take care of it, and introduced her to lots of styles. I no longer work with the same coworkers I did when I big chopped, but some of them follow my hair journey on social media and ‘like’ my pictures and post really nice comments. Before she passed my Mema would always express how much she loved my hair. “It’s so healthy and full!” she would say every time I did a twist out. Her favorite hair style I had ever done was when I cut my own bangs a few years back when I was relaxed. She would always ask me to cut them again, but I told her I wasn’t going to cut my hair again for a while. I just recently cut my bangs and now I see why she loved them on me so much. I wish she was here to see them now.
How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: At work, I get a lot of positive feedback about my hair. I have realized that two strand twist and twist outs are much more appreciated than a stretched out Afro. Almost all my friends love my natural hair and enjoy seeing its versatility just as much as I do.
How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I almost always have some sort of twist out or two strand twist. As it gets longer it takes more time to style it this way however it last for as long as I need it to and requires no up-keep throughout the week.
Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: I love to experiment with my hair but since I am very busy throughout the week, I try to do styles that are easily interchangeable. For example: I’ll wash and style my hair on Saturday in two-strand twist. For the weekend I may wear the twist in a half up half down style. On Monday and Tuesday I may wear then in a top knot. On Wednesday and Thursday I’ll unravel the twist and wear them down and on Friday I’ll pick the curls out for an extra large curly fro.
If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I have considered coloring my hair deep red using henna dye, but I really love my natural hair color so I always talk myself out of doing it. If I could make my hair grow to be waist length over night, I would! I can’t wait for it to be long already. I don’t like shrinkage, it drives me crazy, so I would get rid of it. I do really miss my hair length when I initially big chopped. Once I get tired of wearing it long, I will most likely cut it all off and start over again
What are your must-have staple products/oils: Eco styling gel. Although I do not use it as often as I used to, it is a staple in my bathroom cabinet! My hair texture is closer to 4B/C (tightly coiled) so without a little gel, my natural curls are not very defined once my hair dries. Eco does a great job of defining my curls and holding down my ‘baby’ hairs! I use Trader Joes Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner (mostly I co-wash and only shampoo if I’ve used a lot of gel or product). I also love the Trader Joes Jojoba oil. Those are basically the only products I’m currently using.
What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: The biggest life lesson I have learned is how freeing it is to be 100% natural. It’s crazy to think about when I used to go to the hair salon and hear the stylist complaining about how thick and ‘nappy’ my hair was and how it needed to be fixed. It hurts my heart that those words were used to describe hair that I now know is absolutely spectacular. Black hair, especially in its natural state and texture is amazing. Its ability to take any shape, hold any style, be any length, texture, color and display any mood or expression is something that is unique to men and women of African descent and is a trait that I am proud to posses. Through my natural hair journey I have developed a new found sense of pride in being women of color. It’s difficult to be a minority in almost all aspects of your life and not feel pressure to conform to the majority. As a result of my natural hair journey I have sought to celebrate (not eliminate) my differences and become as comfortable in myself as possible. I love that I have discovered this sense of freedom within my natural myself. It is because of it that if I choose to wear makeup or flat iron my curls, I now view it as an accessory or style verses an improvement or ‘fix.’
If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: The only thing I would change about my journey is that I would have started it sooner! Much sooner!
What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: The biggest personal gain I’ve received as a result of my natural hair journey is the ability to not take negative comments to heart. One day at work, before I began transitioning, a white co-worker of mine said to me that she had always been told that she had “bad hair” much like “black people hair” which she described as coarse, nappy and dry. She then grabbed my hair, rubbed it and said “yep, just like that!” I was always confused by that exchange because at the time my hair was as straight as hers, and soft. I realized then, that no matter what we change about ourselves, sometimes people can’t see passed the stereotypes or assumptions they have engrained in their minds. When that comment was made, I instantly began thinking of more ways to improve myself. Now, when people make a negative comment about my hair, I don’t even get sad or offended anymore. What’s cool about being natural is that it can’t get any better. If people have a problem with my natural hair then they must take it up with God. I didn’t create my hair, I just simply maintain it.
Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: Take a deep breath. Do research. And go for it. Your hair is amazingly versatile so take time to figure out all that it can do. The old idea that “straight is the only acceptable/professional type of hair” is dead, so let it go. Dive all in and enjoy the ride! It really is a fun journey :)
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Thanks so much for checking out my blog post this week! I hope you gained some insight from these lovely ladies and gained an understanding of the perspective of a fellow natural! Be sure to check out next week's post for two new spotlight features! And don't forget to cast your vote on my monthly poll! It's located on the left side right under "The Purpose". As always, thanks so much for the support!