Hello! My name is Mary. I just hit my one year transitioning mark on June 21, and wanted to celebrate by sharing my story on my favorite hair blog!
CN: Are you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
Long! I have the weirdest shaped head and I honestly believe God blessed me with long hair all my life to cover it up. Also I don’t remember having my hair any shorter then bra strap length (before I started to transition) and feel more comfortable keeping it that way. Oh and my mom banned me from scissors so I couldn’t chop if I wanted to!
CN: When are you going BC?
I plan on doing my BC on Dec 20 2011, which is also my 22nd birthday. That will be exactly 2 years and 6 months of transitioning.
CN: How did family and friends react to your decision to go natural?
Well, my family and friends thought I was joking because I was getting perms once or twice a month (horrible I know) and I straightened my hair once or twice a week (I honestly don’t know how I had any hair left on my head at all now that I think about it). After a few months of perm refusal they started to take me seriously and they all support my curls, as long as I don’t chop too soon! They all voiced their opinions against short hair on me. grrr…
CN: What is your transition routine?
You would think after a year I would have one, but I’m still all over the place with my routine. I usually co-wash and detangle on the weekend with Suave Almond and Shea butter conditioner. While I’m in the shower I put it into a bun. I wear the bun all week and it’s very helpful during school because I really would rather sleep for those extra minutes than do my hair. Then on the weekend, I do twist/braids with flexi rods just using Cantu shea butter and water. I wash with Suave shampoo whenever I feel dirty and deep condition with Organic Root Stimulator’s Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner every other week (when I’m not being lazy). I’m pretty sure I need some more products but I haven’t found any good ones for my hair yet. Any ideas?
CN: What is your staple hair style during the transition?
Buns! All day every day. Twist and curl on the weekends.
CN: How do you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
Luckily I don’t have hair that just dries out, so I don’t use much. Every night I spray more water and add some Shea butter. That’s it! To combat breakage, I mainly just utilize low manipulation styles and handle my hair gently while combing and styling. I only comb in the shower with tons of conditioner.
CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I’ve always admired natural hair. The curls and the kinks are just so beautiful to me. At the time I didn’t have anyone close to me that was natural so I just went along with everyone else and kept it straight. Despite what others told me, I always thought my hair was too thin and kinda boring. I really wanted my hair to be bold, big, and bouncy and just embrace the texture I have been blessed with! Natural was the only way to go.
I have a fotki– http://members.fotki.com/-PeaceAndNatrility-/about/
I’m into photography so there are 100s of pictures to share on there and I’m always looking for other long term transitioners or even just anyone with ideas, reviews on products or cute styles. So if you have a fotki , please come check it out and share yours as well. Thank you!
HEY, I HAVE SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS:
Congrats on your BC! I was planning to go 18 months and BC in December of this year (at 9 inches of hair, avg of 1/2 inch per month) but decided to do it after 1 year of transitioning (with 6 1/2 inches). It was the best decision EVER. Catering to only my natural hair versus that of DEAD perm ends is so empowering (not to sound excessive). To feel that my hair is THICK from root to tip instead of just that of the "new growth" area is amazing. I always had long permed hair to my waist and minimum to my bra-strap, but similar to YOU, it hasn't been THICK in years. I felt like I was clinging on to "length retention" when I had a perm just to rock my long tresses as a trophy (insecurity at its finest!) However, I could do nothing more except for "wrap" it frequently or wear a pony. I realized quite often upon styling my permed hair that my favorite styles would be bantu knots, wash and go's, etc. Anything to promote a "volumous" look. I guess you could say I was a "psuedo-natural". LOL!
Any how- to see my hair in its first moment of my BC was a bit shocking. The shrinkage was a bit discouraging and I'd never realized that the permed ends from before are what allowed my natural hair to 'hang more'. NOT SAYING LONG HAIR EQUALS BETTER HAIR- it is just something I could understand not being used to since I was raised to feel that my head of hair was my "crown and glory." However, following my first wash and go the next day, I was able to pull a springy coil and measure an awesome 6 inches all aorund and another 6 1/2 in the crown. When I got home that day, I combed out my dry hair and my head was adorned with a HUGE, promotional crown of head that further SOLD me on my already-made decision. I have been even more proud SINCE.
I am now happy to just be natural. If you do the math, at the rate you are going with preserving and tending to your head of hair, you will have TWICE that length by this time next year. The weight of those extra inches of hair will allow your coils to hang more and loosen up (due to the weight of your heatlthy, thick ends) and your styling options will be LIMITLESS.
Look up "Wanakee's Hair Tips" for length preservation and "tucking/saving" those ends. You do not have to trim your hair if you avoid split and damaged ends all around.
Your length will come because your hair will grow like a weed..! And your head full of beautful kinky tresses will better compliment your features (I have quite the forehead too, darling)
^_^
Enjoy and congrats again on going au natural..!
Congrats on your BC! Your hair looks lovely!
Your hair looks great! I'm a long term transitioner as well, so whenever I see stories of other long term transitioners, they serve as inspiration for me. I began transitioning in November 2009 and my goal is to cut off the relaxed ends in June 2011. Good luck to you and if you've come this far, you can accomplish your 2 yr 6 mon goal
Your hair is beautiful!!! I model so i'm into photography and pictures so well so I love your first picture with the flowers and great makeup. I plan on doing a photoshoot with my natural hair this weekend you just inspired me to embrace my curls so thank you 🙂 love your curls have you ever tried curlformers?? take care, Nona
awww i saw ur fotki! congrats on the BC 🙂
Oh wow! You are a mirror image of me lol! I am going through the same thing, I have long (5 inches past my bra) thin, limp hair. And like you, I'm just getting tired of it. My mom is also the same way, when I told her I wanted to cut all my hair off in 9 months, she freaked! Luckily for her, I decided to transition for a year or more. I am chicken, what can I say. Well good luck with your mission & keep up the good work!
You're 21 and you still can't cut your hair because your mom says so? Um… okay.
" I’m pretty sure I need some more products but I haven’t found any good ones for my hair yet"
I really wanted to commment on the statement made there in the story. and just to say as someone who tried tons of products, dont feel like ur product list is too short…whatever you're using seem to be working just fine. Nice N Simple 🙂
Sometimes we tend to feel like we need a whole cabinet of products, we don't!!
so, i was confused by all of the "congrats on your BC" comments… until i saw the Fotki account. Congrats lady! you have gorgeous curls and a boyfriend who can cut a mean head of hair. i might have to hire him 😉
you look great and, you never know, you might have inspired one of your friends/family members to BC after they've seen how courageous you were.
Congrats for coming on the other side! I used braids and would chop each time I re-did them. Check out longhairdon'tcare on YouTube; she's been transitioning for 18 months.
Your hair is so curly and beautiful. Congratulations on your recent big chop!
Congrats on your big chop!! Your hair is beautiful!
It takes resolve to transition that long for sure, and her hair looks great. She definitely shows that your hair can still look fabulous while growing out the relaxer!
nice!
Congrats and good luck! I transitioned for exactly 2 years and did my first mini chop in September 2009, w/my second coming in February 2010. The most difficult thing for me was keeping the transition going and not just cutting off those ends!
Fotki – http://public.fotki.com/jada07/