I’ve been natural for a year and five months now.
What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper & why?
I began my Healthy Hair Journey in late 2010 with no intention of going natural. My #1 goal was to improve the overall health of my hair and retain length. After doing some research, reading countless blogs and hair sites, and watching tons of YouTube videos I decided to stop relaxing my hair as often as I was (every two months) and “stretch” my relaxers (every 6 months). This led to me cutting out relaxers completely after realizing how thick and strong my new growth was. This newfound thick and strong hair made me extremely curious about my natural texture. I transitioned for 16 months and big chopped in February 2012.
The most memorable part of my journey was most definitely the day I chopped my relaxer off. It was scary as heck but very liberating at the same time. Now when I look back on it, I wish I would have cut my hair months before I actually did! Thus far, my journey has been pretty easy with a tad bit of difficulty here and there. I’ve always been very hands on when it comes to my hair, and I never fully relied on Beauticians to take care of or style my hair; I mostly did that on my own. This made it pretty easy for me to handle and learn my newly natural hair. I experimented with a lot of different products, hair care techniques, and hair styles to find my staples. I ran into a few difficulties, but it was nothing a little research couldn’t resolve. I’m 100% comfortable with handling my hair now and have no problem trimming, styling, etc. Learning your hair will save you TONS of money and disappoint in the long run.
While transitioning my staple hairstyle was the flexi-rod set. It was a low-manipulation hairstyle that was easy to install and lasted about a week. I also wore buns, roller sets and senegalese twists. My transitioning phase was all about minimal to no manipulation.
Currently, my absolute favorite hairstyle is my wash n’ go/curly afro. It starts out as a curly wash n’ go and by the end of the week I have a huge curly afro. I also wear puffs a lot and flexi-rod sets every once in a while.
What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?
I shampoo and deep condition my hair with my Huetiful Hair Steamer faithfully every week. I thoroughly moisturize and seal my hair using the LOC method on wash day. This method is very effective and I can go 3-4 days without adding any additional products to my hair. I spritz my hair daily with a water/aloe vera juice mixture to hydrate my hair. I do a mild protein treatment once a month or when needed and that’s about all.
My favorite products are my water/aloe vera juice spray, castor/coconut/olive oil mixture, Shea Moisture Shampoo, Shea Moisture Leave-In Conditioner, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Shea Moisture Purification Masque and EcoStyler. As you can see my hair LOVES Shea Moisture products.
Favorite websites: curlynikki.com, blackgirlslonghair.com, kinkycurlycoilyme.com just to name a few.
Favorite YouTubers: Naptual85, BlackIzBeautyful, AfricanExport, SimplYounique, LongHairDontCareLLC just to name a few.
If you are transitioning or newly natural, I highly recommend you learn your hair, experiment with it and most of all LOVE IT. Don’t get too caught up with hair typing and other Naturals’ hair textures. Learn what works for you and your hair. Also, be patient and give your hair plenty of TLC.
I started my own blog, The Naturalista Chronicles, to share my love for natural hair, food and fashion: www.thenaturalistachronciles.com. You can also find The Naturalista Chronicles on Facebook and on Instagram @naturalista_chronicles.
Nicole Bailey says
Very Informative & Inspiring Article, I Love It!