People always ask what made me want to go natural. I don’t have a long, well planned “pro-motherland” explanation concerning my ancestry. My story is simple: I wore my hair braided during a family vacation. I took my braids down and fell in love with the way “natural” looked on me. That’s when/how I decided to go natural. I haven’t had a perm since late June 2010 and got my big chop the following December. During my 6 month transition I wore natural-looking styles [twist outs, bantu knot outs, curly sets, etc.] only straightening my hair once out of curiosity.
Hair care is a breeze. YouTube and Google helped me figure everything out. I use the Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil brand products. I style my fro when I have time to, but I wear my wash-n-go 90% of the time because my natural curl pattern is so cool. My texture is 4a & 4b which means my natural curl pattern pretty much looks like very very tiny slinkies [i know yall remember the little slinky toys]. I only use the Organic Root Edge Control to make my edges look neat when needed but i do not put any gel/mousse in my hair whatsoever. I don’t use heat at all. I spray a little water and rub a little Olive Oil hair polish on my hair daily, co-wash 2-3 times a week, shampoo and deep condition twice a month, detangle once a month, and do protein treatments [which are homemade with mayo, egg yolk, honey, and olive oil] every other month.
The hardest thing about going/being natural was the fact that I transitioned before being natural was a new addition to the social norm which made me a target for ignorant comments from people who couldn’t grasp the concept of me WANTING my hair to be nappy. My nappy-ness helped me define my personal style and resurrected my self-confidence from the graves of feeling mediocre all throughout middle and high school. That’s why being natural is so important to me. Being natural helped me, and others, finally acknowledge my natural beauty. Going natural was my “Great Awakening” and now, having straight hair looks absurd on me.
(the photos)
- 1.before going natural
- 2.transitioning
- 3.after the big chop
- 4.me now
- 5.after my 1st blow out
- 6.my hair straightened
