I Big Chopped- CurlySha

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
I was a short term transitioner. I planned on being a long term transitioner but after taking my braids out and noticing how much of my hair was coming out along with the detangling process I decided to let my mom (who doesn’t do hair by the way, lol) cut it for me.

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
I did the BC on August 16, 2010 and my initial reaction was one of pleasant surprise. I cried before my mom cut my hair, while she was cutting it and afterwards too, but when I first saw it, my heart jumped in excitement and I actually thought I looked kinda sexy ;). I still was very sad at the fact that I didn’t get to transition the way I wanted to and because I wasn’t ready, I cried more, but had my sisters at my side.

CN: How did family and friends react to the new you? What was your response to them?
My mom and baby sister were there with me while I cut it and they both liked it. Actually my baby sister, who actually started transitioning a month before me, loved it and immediately wanted to start playing in it and trying her new Garnier products out in it…and I let her, lol. My other sister was shocked, I caught her right in the middle of a sentence and her mouth remained open as she stared. She then busted out laughing asking me if I really did it, or if I had my hair in a ponytail, LOL! My dad looked like a deer in headlights when he saw me for the first time, he didn’t say anything he just stared and then turned around and went about his business. My dad is a long hair lover though so I actually expected more from him.

CN: What was your transition routine?
My transition routine consisted of tea tree oil, shea butter and Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner. While I had the braids in, I oiled my scalp every 4 days with the tea tree oil and shea butter and before I had the braids I washed my hair every two weeks with Tresemme. I also flat ironed my hair every 2 weeks and did not flat iron in between then, I just wrapped my hair and applied oil as needed.


CN: What was your staple hair style during the transition?
My staple hair style was flat ironing my hair. I didn’t do ponytails because I noticed that even before I knew about going natural they pulled my hair out and I have a big head so the skinny ponytail only magnified it for people, lol! I also wore braids for 2 months.

CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
Tea Tree Oil and Shea Butter during the days I was not washing my hair and Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner. Sometimes I would leave the conditioner in and just let my hair do its own crinkle thing that it did.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I chose to go natural because I was tired of the way perm’s left the words “I Can’t” in my vocabulary. I couldn’t go to the pool when I wanted to, I couldn’t dance as hard and as long as I wanted to because my perm would sweat out, I couldn’t just fall asleep without some type of hair protection, I couldn’t LIVE MY LIFE! I wanted out of that and I wanted to embrace what so many other beautiful curlies around me were embracing which was their natural hair! After finding this website and speaking with a dear friend of mine who has been natural for 2 years now, I decided now was the time for me to make the change and she promised she wouldn’t leave me in the cold so I jumped right in! I can honestly say it’s one of THE BEST decisions I’ve made in my life thus far!

Thanks so much Nikki!!