Erren- A Story of Transition

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
I was a short term transitioner. I initially said I was going to transition for 4 months and chop, but I did not feel comfortable so I waited an extra month. My logic: I was going to do a big chop either way, so why prolong the mystery, especially since I had enough hair to get braid it up if I was not comfortable!

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
Sunday, June 27, 2010 I woke up and said ‘it’s time’! I called my transition partner and gave her the word. My initial reaction to my natural hair was a feeling of pride. I felt beautiful! I never had hair this short, but I knew that I could put my “divatude” in it and make it happen!

CN: How did family and friends react to the new you? What was your response to them?
I received nothing but positive reactions. It made me feel great! They told me how much it complimented me and how nice my hair looked…My line sister even told me “it made me look profound.” LOL

CN: What was your transition routine?
My transition routine was interesting, mainly because I did not know much about my hair. I had natural big sisters helping me along the way. I actually kept my hair braided up in some form of fashion. When my hair was out, I washed it with my Olive Oil Organic Root Stimulator Shampoo and conditioned with the Hair Mayonnaise weekly. During the last few weeks when my hair was not braided I co-washed 2-3 times a week with the VO5 Strawberries and Cream Conditioner.

CN: What was your staple hair style during the transition?
I am a teacher, so during my transition, I actually tried to avoid doing my hair so I had kinky twists, wigs, sew-ins, and roller sets. I could not afford to experiment on my hair during the school year and have to go to work the next day looking crazy. After the school year ended, I tried twist-outs or when all else failed, I would just blow dry it and put a headband around it.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I was natural until I was 16. I begged my Mom to let me relax my hair and she continued to tell me no until the first day of school in 10th grade. After school she picked me up and took me to the salon and I got a “Just For Me” relaxer. My natural hair was always soft, long, and thick so I didn’t really need one, but it was peer pressure (my Mom knew that)! When I went away to college, I had no clue what to do with my permed hair and it started to break off. When I got out of college, I just became a slave to the hair salon (which I didn’t like). I declared 2010 “The Year of Change” and I have done a lot of changing this year. I got accepted back into to graduate school, and achieved many more of my goals. I figured there was no better time than 2010 to discover who I really am. On January 27, 2010, after having a relaxer for 8 years, I told myself I was tired of it, why did I have to try and conform to what everyone else was doing? Why did I have to be in the salon every other week? My hair was just fine without a relaxer, so that is when I embarked on my journey BACK to natural hair.

Transitioning Roller-Set (3 months in at this time)

Big Chop! 6/27/10