Nat_Ash- A Story of Transition

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?

NA: I was a short transitioner- about 4 months. This was actually my second time transitioning. The first time I tried was in 2007. I went to the Dominican for 4 months to study and decided that I was done hating the hair God gave me. I had a conversation with a little Dominican girl, who said…’to be beautiful you have to be light skin and blues and straight hair’. It blew my mind that a little girl would think she wasn’t pretty because she didn’t have these characteristics. So I decided that I would be an example not just for her, but for my little sister that they are beautiful the way that God made them. So I got home and after a couple more months and negative responses from others around me, I broke down and got a relaxer. 🙁 My beautician didn’t even know how to work with natural hair, so I couldn’t get advice from her.

Then I graduated from college in May. Hadn’t had a relaxer since March and was still curious about my natural hair, so I talked to my ex whom I’m still friends with and he was like… ‘you’ve been wanting to go natural for a year now, you might as well do it…it’s just hair and it will grow back if you don’t like it’. And he was right so at the end of June, I went to the beauty shop and had the beautician cut it off. (The second time I had the support of my closest friends, one whom had been natural for almost 2 years and one who just cut her hair in May, so I was ready this time)

NA: July 2008…I hated it at first because my former beautician didn’t know what to do with it, but straighten it. So she pressed it; I looked like I had on a bad wig! I was heated. And I paid for that! I went online to look for different products to style my hair because I didn’t want to press it at all. I really wanted to see my kinks and curls. I found Miss Jessies and KCCC. I used Miss Jessies for a month and found a natural beautician who cut off the rest of the relaxed ends that the older beautician had left behind, then I found KCCC and I was happy. My hair was shaped nicely and I could wear it curly if I wanted to.

CN: What was your transition routine? Staple Hair Styles?

NA: I would rod set my hair, which was something I did anyways. I guess I was ready for the curls then, lol. My staples were the bun and rod sets.

NA: I didn’t really focus on the new growth line because I didn’t know about protecting it. I just oiled my hair with keracare essential oils, which I have been using for years. And I always deep conditioned once a week.

NA: I went natural because I’ve been curious for almost 2 years now. I haven’t been natural since I was 7 or 8 and not sure whose choice it was to get a relaxer, but I always hated going to the shop. I have a very sensitive scalp and that stuff burned. It was like my head knew it was coming and would start burning a minute after they put it on. Which should have been a sign years ago to stop the madness and let go of the chemicals.

I’m so happy with my decision. I’ve even got my mother thinking about going natural because she loves how my hair looks and I swear she has the hands in head syndrome more than I do, lol. I have so much more confidence now…I’m still shy, but I walk with my head up and rock my fro like there is no tomorrow. Being natural has also made me more health conscious, which is great because I need to start thinking about my health now before it’s too late to change a habit…you know?

The 1st pic is of my relaxed hair.

The picture with the sunglasses is of one of my transition styles.

Th last pic is of my hair now. 🙂