I Big Chopped- Eboni

CN: When you first chopped, what were your thoughts and feelings? How do you feel now?
The first day I cut my hair I felt so carefree. I saw MY natural hair and I loved it. The 2nd day I wondered what on Earth did I do. It was crazy. I cried. I facebooked other natural women I knew who did BC’s a couple of months before I did. They were EXTREMELY helpful. After the first week, I told myself that I’m stuck with short hair for a while and I can either rock it or look like a fool until it grows out. I chose to ROCK it and I’ve been working it ever since!

CN: How did you cope with the responses from your family and friends?
I have a GREAT support system. My mom, a couple of my friends, and Sorors are all transitioning/natural and they loved it. (After I cut my hair, my grandmother, friend, church member, and mother all followed suit). Others said I was bold and that it fit my face. Of course I have haters (don’t we all) 😉 that said I looked like a fool. Needless to say, I ignored them because they would NEVER be as bold as I was. When my dad saw my hair, he merely said, “what boy made you cut all your hair off”? LOL. That was when I knew that I could rock this. If my dad didn’t say anything bad about it, bump whoever else had something to say.

CN: What are your plans for your hair?
I can’t WAIT to have a HUGE afro. I look up styles all of the time for when it grows. Until then, I am enjoying my TWA because sooner than I think, it will take a while for me to detangle and style, versus a simple wash and go.

CN: Do you find it necessary to ‘doll up’ your look to feel more feminine?
At first I felt the need to wear hoop earrings and eye makeup daily. Neither of which I did before. After I became more comfortable with it, I went back to wearing my pearls and only wearing eye makeup when I go out…for the most part.

CN: If so, what are your favorite accessories?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE eye makeup now. I love watching my eyes pop out at me (I have tiny eyes, so to see them get big – normal sized for most people is exciting to me). I love to experiment and play with different colors. Other than that, I wear my 20 pearls and keep it simple.

CN: How do you keep it moisturized?
I wet my hair in the shower daily and afterward, I use Giovanni Direct Leave In, coconut or olive oil, and aloe vera gel. Only on wash days do I use shea butter in my hair. Recently, I made a mixture with different essential oils since my hair is braided. My hair feels SOOOO good when I apply this mixture.

CN: What products and techniques do you use to style? How often do you style?
As I stated above, I use water, Giovanni, coconut or olive oil, and aloe vera gel daily, also shea butter on wash days. I alternate between Avalon Organics clarifying shampoo and an ACV rinse on wash days (every week and a half), Creme of Nature conditioner with olive oil mixed in, Alaffia shea butter and coconut oil conditioner, and Aubrey Organics honeysuckle and rose conditioner. I plan to try Herbal Essence totally twisted and Suave soon (being a college student I want to use good products but also ones that are inexpensive).

CN: How do you get your waves or curls popping?
The aloe vera gel on my wet hair gets my curls to pop instantly. I opted for the all natural approach with that since I use it daily and I want to promote hair growth (aloe vera is known to do that).

CN: How do you preserve your curls at night?
I don’t really preserve curls since I redo them everyday, but I sleep in a silk bonnet scarf to protect my hair.

For all of my newly natural sisters, I want them to know that beauty comes from the inside, and that once you feel beautiful with your TWA, you can conquer the world. 🙂

If anyone has questions I can be reached at misserthompson@gmail.com or on facebook