Niki L.– A Story of Transition

Meet Niki… a South Beach curly with a low maintenance regimen.

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

Short, I couldn’t stand the condition of my hair so I went ahead and BC’d to about 3 inches maybe less.

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
I BC’d May 5th 2008. I had just washed my hair one afternoon and when I saw how damaged it looked and how much my perm had grown out, I just knew right then and there I couldn’t see myself killing off anymore of my hair. I loved what I saw when I chopped it– short semi-tight curls & I felt so free.

CN: How did family and friends react to the new you? What was your response to them?
My boyfriend loved it! He was the one that inspired me to grow my curls because he too is natural and so is my sister. My mom hated it! She said it took my whole life to have pretty long hair but she didn’t realize how damaged it was when it wasn’t straight. I felt ugly after she said that but then I told her that one day my hair is going to look like my sisters hair and she loves my sisters hair. My sister transitioned w/out the BC.

CN: What was your hair routine after the BC?
My boyfriend encouraged me to take care of my hair the simple way by leaving it alone, LOL. I co-washed every couple of days with Pantene Conditioner for Curly Hair & Shampoo’d every Sunday with the same. I used Fructis Leave-In-Conditioner (very little) daily.

CN: What was your staple hair style after the BC?
It was very weird to have such short hair so I washed it and kept it cornrow’d and used a lot of capweaves to protect it. I did this off and on for 1 yr & a half and now I wear my own hair everyday.

CN: How do you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage?
I let go of the Leave-In-Conditioner and simply leave a little left over conditioner that I wash my hair with and go. I blow dry my roots only on LOW and keep my ends moisturized with a spray bottle of water & conditioner.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
Moving from Cali to Miami had a huge part in me deciding to grow my natural hair. I would walk around Southbeach with the horrible humidity(not used to it) and sweat my perm out while I saw all these natural hair beauties rocking there beautiful curly hair. I hated the fact that I at one time used to have hair like that before. Another reason is my boyfriend is of full Hispanic descent but from African roots so his parents have very tight curls and his are so beautiful… I felt so jealous! 🙂

1st photo …My permed hair in 2007

2nd photo…BC (with my sister on Southbeach)

3rd photo..8–9 months

4th photo…almost 2 years! (above)

5th photo..My Inspiration..My boyfriend and his 2 years of growing his hair with me again..:)