Anjealin259 writes:
When was your natural hair “aha” moment?
My “aha” moment was during my freshman year of college when I realized that, while I was straightening my hair, flocks of women were running to the store to BUY hair that looked like my natural hair. That’s when I knew I had something special…
I know this post is 2 years old, but whatever :). My aha moment came when I realized that I was foolishly doing all kinds of things to make relaxed hair curly (curling irons, uncomfortable overnight roller sets, bantu knots, braid outs), when curly hair was growing out of my scalp!
I think my aha moment was right after my last relaxer, when I realized the only reason I had rushed to the stylist was because of peer pressure. Would you believe I had people at CHURCH telling me how raggedy they thought my hair had looked before that last perm? I finally feel free to be who I am and not be so obsessed with my appearance.
Sorry to post twice..but I made the impression that I wash my hair, blow-dry, and then put a relaxer in it. I meant to say that I was going to wait a week after blowdrying it and then put a relaxer in it sorry you guys 🙂
My aha moment was actually 2 weeks ago; my bf is already 6 months w/o a relaxer and I am current 3 months and I had just washed my hair and dreading to put a relaxer in my head because it ALWAYS burn !!! I went over to her house with my "big post blow dryer hair" and said "hey hun flat iron my hair for me";all she used was so tea-tree oil I had given her and BAM..my hair was straight..managable and thick..that's when I said "hmmm….I wonder?" and I haven't looked back since (^_^)
my aha moment was about a week after i big chopped, i noticed the curls at my roots and in my hair. I was thinking "WOW this is really going to work? my hair will?can actually grow like theirs and go pass my shoulders? i could hardly believe it lol now its been about 2-3 months and im wearing finger coils 🙂
My first 'aha' moment was when i had to leave my house in a rush and didn't have time to dry it so it was all curly at the root and i loved it! I then transtioned for a while but my info was limited so it was short lived.The final time was when i discovered a KimmayTube video i loved the way she styled her natural hair.
I then decided 4 months later to stop relaxing as my hair was getting thinner and i missed the body i once had! Im loving it so much 7 months- post n luving it!
That's very true! LOL it makes you laugh because unfortunately if most sistas were not so lazy and just worked on growing their hair it would look like that naturally, but one of my friends explained to me that she gets tired quickly of a style. That may be true for most of us but what I've learned is that healthy hair is boring hair, lol! I keep my hair natural and I am enamored with the growth and health of it.
About 3 weeks after a relaxer, my new growth was really starting to show off. I went to the salon for a shampoo and silk out. After all that straightening (more like attempt to straighten)with the flat iron, the new growth was still fuzzy. The stylist just said "maybe if you had a fresh relaxer it would look better. Come back and I'll do your hair after you get one." I was appalled! I just had a relaxer! Then and there I decided that I did not need heat, chemicals and a loooooong day at the salon (and leaving with my hair still looking half-done) for my hair to look good. Did the big chop in December '09 and the rest is history…
Still haven't had my own ah moment yet.
Actually I have had several aha moments.. My first was way back in 2002 when I actually stopped relaxing. However I started wearing extensions in my hair almost continuously so was damaging it in another way – little did I know.
Second aha moment was when I realised that wearing extensions continuously was actually damaging to my hair. Third aha moment was when I started using natural and organic products (and I learned that Organic Roots Stimulator is NOT actually organic!!). It was at this point that people started complimenting me. Fourth aha was when I did a rhassoul clay treatment and my hair started loooking like someone elses!! This was when people actually started complimenting me on a daily basis.
My aha moment was when I got daily compliments from people, both black and white, telling me how beautiful my hair looked. I never had people compliment me like that about my hair when it was relaxed, or when it was in extensions.
I really just came in to comment on 20foottall171's comments, which were so funny, I literally laughed out loud
Relaxers had made my hair so fine and weak that in order for me to have a style I had to a) sleep in rollers and/or b) use the curling iron in the morning and/or c) wear a ponytail (which in my case was more of a fat pigtail and didn't look sophisticated at all esp. on someone who was already super young-looking). I had been doing this for almost all of my relaxed life (18 years).
Three "a-ha" moments that made a huge difference in my natural life were:
1) As a permie, I dropped the curling iron on my forehead one morning while trying to get to work. It left a burn that was impossible to hide. I remember throwing the iron in the sink and screaming, "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!" That was the straw that broke the camel's back…almost six months later I was natural.
2) My first BC took me down to about a half-inch and I wasn't feeling very comfortable with it. This happened long before wigs on young healthy women were as commonplace as they are now. So I was seriously faking it till I made it…but after about a week of doing next to nothing to my hair — just rinsing it under the shower, applying my product(s), and going — it was as though a HUGE weight had lifted from my shoulders. That was when I really fell in love with my certifiably nappy hair.
3) I chose to grow my hair out just to see what would happen. After 11 months I went to the stylist to have it pressed. What looked like an inch of nappy hair (due to shrinkage) was actually about SIX inches long. Everybody in the shop was stunned, including myself! That was when I realized that, if you're healthy, your hair WILL GROW…all on its own!
My moment came when I started going to the salon every five-six weeks for my re-touch/touch-up for a relaxer. Then, I got a new stylist (not by choice because the previous one was starting school and wasn't doing hair anymore at the time; shot, I felt like I was in a committed relationship with her as far as my hair was concerned, it was a "hair marriage". I was loyal! Okay, that's another post LOL) and she used a "box perm" on me without my knowledge and eventually severely chemical burned me physically and emotionally. Then, another five-six weeks went by and I had to make the decision to get another relaxer or go natural. I was already researching for two year about going natural. I'm so glad that I made the latter choice and I'm not looking back :-D!
My first "Aha" moment was when I realized I had curls. I was shocked! My whole life i was told i had bad hair cause it was "thick like a brillo pad". <— their words not mine. Now I realized my hair was just very damaged and dry. I still didn't think I could manage my thick hair though so I kept relaxing but took great care of my relaxed hair. Even then the perms never took. I was always burned and underprocessed. <— Isn't that an oxymoron? So why bother relax so I started transitioning.
My 2nd "Aha" moment was when i discovered Teri Laflesh's book at the library. I read it and realized I could do this natural thing. Big chopped a week later. I've been natural for 3 weeks now. Love it!
I've only been natural for a month now. But, my aha moment was moments after I had my BC. I looked around at the ladies in the salon with me, knowing that I could easily tell my beautician to give me a relaxer instead of chopping off my hair. I watched as woman after gorgeous woman walked past me, flipping their hair, and walking with a harder strut than when they walked in. I remembered how I use to do the same thing. Flip my fresh perm, and my sew ins. I was very tempted to do the same thing that these women, these symbols of black hair, were getting done to their hair. But I sucked it up, smiled at my beautician and said proudly "Cut it off." After she cut, washed, and trimmed my hair, I felt so new, so real. I never felt so much like myself than the moment I saw my TWA. I loved it, and I can never imagine going back to the creamy crack again.
I guess i can say my aha moment was when i found a video by lexiwiththecurls when she was doing a demo with curly pudding…the rest is history! 🙂 Ive always been natural but i also treated my hair like crap.
My moment was when I did a set of mini twists and truly fell in love!
My 'aha' moment was when I had relaxed hair, and was contemplating how I wanted to style my hair next. I love curls and thought to myself, "What a minute….why am I chemically straightening my hair and then putting curls back into my hair when my hair is naturally curly?!" Now I'm transitioning (4 months strong!) and I plan on chopping in 13 months for my 23rd birthday!
LMBO @ 20feet tall. Thanks. I needed that. I think my aha moment was when I loc'd my hair because I knew if I did another relaxer, I would be looking like those women where their hair starts at the 20 yard line. My son gave me the thumbs up and said, "You Found Your Style". Mind you, I am no longer loc'd but forever natural.
mine was when i found curlynikki.com back in may. although ive been natural for 7 years, i treated my hair like crap & didnt know the basics.
First off let me state my last relaxer was done Aug 28, 2010 so I'm VERY early in transistion… But my aha moment was after my bff put my relaxer in and I stood in front of the mirror looking at my hair so damaged and lifeless. I was trying to get me hair back to where it used to be 2 years ago… healthy and down my back and here I am going to have to cut my hair AGAIN for the 3rd time. My bff is natural and already BC'ed and after she told me to go check out CN… I told myself going natural could indeed (dare i say it) easier than relaxing and these chemicals are NOT working for me anymore. And by me being in the Navy with moving and deployments this is what I need to do. This natural thing solves so many problems so easy. Trust me there is no going back for me.
Please note that I have been natural for a majority of my life, but I did not know how to take care of my hair until recently.
My aha moment came after the following occurred:
– I used Cassia Obovata for the first time and my hair loved it
– Deep conditioning as least once a week for 3 to 5 months
– Learned how to make shealoe butter
– Used water with aloe to moisturize my hair daily
I still can't believe the changes in the condition of my hair since the Aha Moment, but after it happened, there was no going back.
Live, Love, Peace. ~Sweetsop
My "aha moment" came when I was in desperate need for a touch up and stupidly walked into the salon @ noon on a Saturday. 7 excruciating hours later, I decided to never blow another day to get my hair done at a salon. I've been natural ever since. . .
My AHA moment was 2 weeks ago when I was prepping to be in a wedding. I am so used to spending hours in the salon (prior to a formal event), but this time (I have a 2-month old, 3-inch TWA), I had so much time on my hands, I did not know what to do! I washed, deep conditioned, steamed, styled, and still had 8 hours to do nothing but relax, LOL.
Loving it!
My AHA moment was a year ago when I big chopped. I no longer had to worry about my wardrobe soooo much because my co-washed TWA, some FLY earrings, and arched eyebrows made me look like I was staight outta vogue EVERYDAY! WERK HONEY!
Wow! What a great question…I rarely post on blogs, but my "aha" was similar to sara Yve's with regard to the straw sets thing…Last summer was my (didn't know it at the time) last relaxer and I decided to stretch for a couple months by doing straw sets. One straw set led to another, then another. By month 8 (still with no thoughts of going natural) I stumbled across the natch hair community and an explosion of knowledge filled my brain!!! All of a sudden I had a million questions: What, there really is no such thing as "good hair"?…Have I really been lied to my whole life?…Can my hair really look like that?…And grow long?…It was when I found Teri LaFlesh's Tightly Curly method that all the missing pieces came together, the definitive "aha!", and I knew there was no going back to the creamy crack…my whole mindset had changed, and I've been a natural ever since! Just the other day a friend who was early on in her own transition but was getting frustrated and thinking of going back to the creamy stuff came up to me all excited and said "I finally see what you were talking about all this time, it really is a change for your whole mind…its a whole new lifestyle!!!" – her aha moment? Seeing a transitioner chick on youtube with a fierce bantu-knot out…on seeing it, she took out all of her braids, tried it and its the style she was wearing when she exclaimed to me about her new found hair-religion hehe!
My "aha" moment was while I was watching Katt Williams. He was talking about how luxurious his hair was, and all I could think was "Why would a man go through the effort of relaxing his hair?" You know, wasting time in a salon, the burning, the rolling, the wrapping etc…Then I was like, "Well, Why do I do it?" After that, straight hair started looking ridiculous on me. Haven't relaxed since.
My my "aha" moment was similar to 20feettall71, I had just gotten my last relaxer and for the first time in months I'd gotten burned again. I thought that I figured out how to stop the burning by washing my hair a few days before relaxer day, greasing my scalp everyday, a milder perm…. And then I got burned again, it was the final straw, I thought "why do I continue to pay someone to burn the crap out of me". I was finally done with perms, and ready to transition.
My most recent "aha" moment was at church. A lady came up to me and said "I am sooooo jealous of your hair!" I smiled and said "Thanks!" LOL! I was rocking a twist out with lots of volume. I felt fierce and her comment confirmed how I was feeling! I did encourage her and told her she could wear her hair like this as well 🙂
My "aha" moment came when I took out my last set of braids and washed. My natural new growth was so strong and healthy and my relaxed ends were so stringy and even with the slightest pull, were falling right out in my hand.
I keep saying I was going to just cut it all off and start from scratch. Then the research began and I found CN! All the love, support and stories opened up a new door for me. That's when I said, "to hell with it!" And I went for it.
My aha moment was Kim Kardashian. Not trying to be funny… but for some reason she made me want to go natural…. One day she was on television all day.. had just broken up with Reggie Bush… and I dunno…I guess I got tired of seeing women on television with the eyelash extentions, fake hair, caked on makeup, botox, "specific work done"… etc.
I just wanted to appreciate my natural beauty.
LOL @ 20feettall71.
My aha moment was when I went to the pool this summer and got in and swam with out even thinking aobut it. I looked around at the other women who were only dipping their feet in or geting in only up to their waist; trying not to get their hair wet.I just smiled and thought WOW; this is what I was missing!
my aha moment came when, after barely considering going natural, i moved and hadn't found a new stylist. while in the shower trying to detangle my hair, it was sooooo tangled! i couldn't do anything with my relaxed hair. more than that, i didn't want to do anything to it. so, i got a straw set the next week. kept getting them every 2 weeks. one year later, i BCed and haven't looked back.
My aha moment was when I received my last relaxer. I was sitting in the chair burning when I looked one chair over to see a woman getting her hair detangled and twisted. I said to my stylist, "Her hair looks so beautiful and healthy." My stylist popped her gum and said, "Yep, it's natural. You burning yet?" I thought to myself, why can't I be all natural? Why do I have to burn? Is this even necessary? I don't even like my hair right after a relaxer. Why is she popping that damn gum?" The burning sensation, the popping of the gum and the smell of the chemicals were enough to make me research transitioning to natural.
My 'aha' moment was when I wore my twa for the first time in public. I looked in the mirror before I left for work, and saw this beautiful woman staring back at me. No one couldn't and still can't tell me nuthan 🙂
my aha moment occurred wen i saw sites like this showin women in all their natural glory and i realised that i cud live a chemical free life and still have beautiful hair (waves, kinks, naps and all)
My aha moment was when I was walking thru the food market outside and folks kept staring at me. Then this day walked up to me and said oh my God your hair is beautiful what do you use? Please tell me, she was trying to go natural and had part perm on the ends and she had slicked it back trying to do a wash and go and it looked TERRIBLE. I tried to give her some information about curlynikki and natural ingredients and sent her on her way. Then later I was somewhere and this lady said to me "excuse me do you have any chemicals in your hair, it looks so shiny and sleek" when all I had did was wash it the night before put some twist in it and took it down in the morning. That is when I knew I was on the right track. Damn I felt FLY that day! :))))
My aha moment was when my sister in law visited us in Miami. She is super hip and always has the lastest cut (with short permed hair). She said "I love your hair" what do you do and I replied "I twist it at night and release in the morning." And she was like "Oh wow!"
In Miami she had the (I call it rooster) hairstyle. Where the hair is shaved in the back and flat ironed straight up on top- kinda like this.
http://www.reelmovienews.com/gallery/nia-long/
But a couple weeks later when I saw her back home in DC, she was rocking the back shaved and the top how? In a Twist out! LOLOL
I guess my aha moment was when i decided to put a texturizer in my hair a day after I put color in it. The combo of chemicals smelled so horrible it scared me and disturbed my roommates! And the texturizer stripped the color right off! Some of the mess dropped on my ear and burned me! I was like "ok Kirah, this is too much." Lol