I transitioned for about six months. I never really enjoyed getting relaxers. Relaxing my hair always felt like a chore to me so I would go a couple of months between relaxers. It had been about three months since my last relaxer and I decided, “why not just keep growing my relaxer out?” I did my research and continued to grow out the relaxers. At about the six month mark, I didn’t want to deal with the two textures of relaxed and natural hair so on October 6, 2010, I big chopped!
Had you always embraced your texture?
Yes! When I finally big chopped I was so excited to embrace my natural hair. Don’t get me wrong, there were (and still are) challenges that I had to deal with when it came to my curly hair. It was especially challenging during the stage when you no longer have a T.W.A., but you still can’t fit your hair into an updo. Yet even in those awkward growth stages I still had fun learning and working with my natural hair.
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How did family and friends react to your decision to go natural? How did they react to the new you? What was your response to them?
My family and friends were very supportive of my decision to go natural. When my hair was relaxed I was the ponytail queen! I would whip my hair up into a ponytail so quick because I didn’t feel like dealing with it. When I told my family and friends I was going natural they were supportive, I think they liked the idea of seeing something other than the infamous pony.
Describe your hair.
My hair is fine and more of a wavy or S pattern. There are sections that coil and sections that take to moisture better than others. I live in a very dry climate and for the most part my hair will get very dry, very fast. I can wash my hair and in about 3-4 hours it’ll be completely dry; that might sound good but it’s a challenge to keep moisture in my hair sometimes especially in the Texas heat.
What’s your current hair routine? How often do you wash, condition, and style? Favorite products! Deets!
I wash my hair at least once a week. I like to section my hair, detangle and then finish with a deep conditioner before I rinse and style. I really stick to the wash and go because of my schedule and the fact that my hair air dries so fast. As far as products I play around with different shampoos and deep conditioners but I have one staple, and that’s TRESemme Naturals conditioner. Some honorable mentions would be: Miss Jessie’s Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo and Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque.
How do you maintain your hair at night?
I’m going to be honest with y’all. In the beginning I did not have a night time routine. I have to say it took time for me to see the importance of protecting my hair at night. I would just go to bed and not even think about my hair and that was a mistake. It really tangled and dried my hair out fast. Now, especially with my length I really take the time to at least put a silk bonnet on. If I’m feeling really fancy I will pineapple my hair and tie it up with a silk scarf.
How do you maintain healthy length?
I have seen significant growth with my hair over the past year. I really make sure to moisturize my hair daily and pay close attention to my hair (is it dry? is it breaking? etc…). At this point I’m also paying attention to how much water I’m drinking as well. I know that if my body is dehydrated my hair will be too, so I make sure to step up the agua factor.
What’s the best thing about being curly?
The best thing about being curly is the ownership of my curls. I love the fact that I am not dreading my hair routine or that I’m not stuck to the rules and schedule of maintaining relaxed hair. As I mentioned, relaxing my hair was more like a chore and now that I’m two and a half years natural, maintaining my curls feels more like a treat!
Where can folks find you on the web?
You can find me on:
YouTube: youtube.com/naturallytee1
Facebook: Facebook.com/naturallytee1
Twitter: Twitter.com/naturallytee1
