Bri- A Story of Transition

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
Well I started off as a long term transitioner, but my natural hair was not having it, lol. Styling
two textures (relaxed and natural) was okay in the first few months, however I could no longer
take the pull and tug of my comb.

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
I did my BC on May 2, 2010 after almost 7 months of transitioning. My initial reaction was
fright! I was shaken after it was over. I felt naked without my long hair, but then I realized that
what I had cut was not my hair! My hair is not naturally straight. My hair is bursting with natural curls, it has body, it’s thick, and it’s healthy.

CN: How did family and friends react to the new you? What was your response to them?
My family and friends were extremely supportive of my new look, but the co-workers, church
members, and old associates were a different story. They would often look in shock and say the
phrase every new natural dreads answering over and over again, “Why did you cut off all that
long hair?” It’s funny because no one will ask you, why did you cut off all that UNHEALTHY
hair? People rarely care if your hair is unhealthy, damaged, or fake. Most people notice length
and if your hair is long you’re okay regardless of its condition. People asked me so much that I
decided to create a blog (http://www.naturallyfierce.com) detailing my decision to embrace all things natural.

CN: What was your transition routine?
I started off using the same products I used while I was getting a relaxer. After much research on natural hair care I quickly stopped! I began co-washing my hair with V05 Moisture Milks and air drying my hair instead of applying heat. In the beginning I also flat ironed my hair frequently to get my natural hair straight…I quickly stopped this too! I started wearing curly transition styles (bantu knots, braid outs, two-strand twist outs, etc.) and used the Shea Moisture line sold at Target.

CN: What was your staple hair style during the transition?
I wore a lot of flat twists during my transition. I would do a few flat twists in the front and wear a
low ponytail in the back. I also wore braid outs to give my relaxed ends a natural wavy look.

CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
I stopped shampooing my hair and co-washed on a regular basis. I would melt down a mixture
of coconut oil and shea butter to do a weekly deep conditioning treatment to prevent my hair
from drying out.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I decided to go natural because I no longer wanted to “feel the burn” and have long hair that
was lifeless and slowly thinning at the ends. I was tired and frustrated with the results of what
seemed like a good thing…it wasn’t. My hair was suffering and longing for a release from harsh
chemicals. Putting down relaxers is one of the best decisions I made in my life. I even saved
$400.00 a year just by embracing my own hair…Now that’s a way to survive during a recession!

I thought my hair was fierce during my relaxed days, but I was oh so wrong (smh). Almost
two decades later without hair products with caustic ingredients, I truly have all natural hair!!!
For more pictures and information on my natural hair journey, see updates on my blog.