My mom said that I was bald until I was two years old. My nickname among family members was "bald head sally". Once my hair did start to grow, it surely spread like a wildfire and didn't stop. I remember having big thick fat braids. I also remember being labeled "tender headed" because I hated to get my hair done and it seemed to always hurt. My mom (who is now a hair stylist) would often complain that she wished my hair would make up it's mind and be one texture. She said it didn't know if it wanted to be black or white! I guess this is the struggle among "mixed chicks", but I'm surely not one, but somehow got that type of hair. After years of trying to tame my very thick and long mane, my Mom put a "kiddie" Just For Me relaxer in my hair when I was in the fourth grade. She said it just needed a little thinning out. I was too thrilled about getting a relaxer because now I could be like all my friends who talked about getting relaxers all the time. I could also wear my hair down more and it was much easier to comb.
So for many years I went through life getting a Just For Me relaxer maybe once or twice a year. My cousins often joked that if I only got it once or twice a year, that I didn't really need one. I didn't care because I just wanted to be like everyone else getting relaxers all the time. I remember my male cousin joking with us girl cousins "bb check" and dismissing me claiming as most people labeled my hair as "good hair".
Growing up I never thought of my hair as "good hair". It was always an inconvenience. It was too thick, too long, took forever to do, took forever to dry, got too straight when I got a relaxer, etc. It just always got on my nerves. I didn't have to worry about it much until I got into college. Before then, as a child my Dad was the one that did my hair because early on my Mom just didn't know what she was doing. My aunts and uncles would often tell her please leave my hair alone and let my Dad do it. He was skilled due to being a Barber himself and having 4 sisters' heads he had to help with growing up. My Mom started doing my hair more as I got into elementary school and then she went on to become a cosmetologists when I was in the 6th grade. Then it was smooth sailing for me until college because she would hook me up with all types of styles.
In college it took me forever to try to learn to do my own hair. It just never turned out right to me even though everyone else complimented my hair. I mostly resorted to ponytails and cutting it a lot. I kept up with getting a "kiddie" relaxer once a year. When I became pregnant with my daughter I realized that wow I hadn't gotten a relaxer in over a year. Then I moved away and did not have my trusted hair stylists around, and just continued to go without relaxers and allow the Dominicans to give me the heat damage of a lifetime!
In 2011 I hadn't had a relaxer in like 3 years or so and went back to my hometown to live. My Mom talked to me about a new type of harsh chemical free relaxer called a keratin. It straightens your hair but doesn't have as harsh chemicals as a relaxer and lasts longer. Its the straightener that a lot of Caucasions would use who had really thick curly hair. My Mom's salon was trying it out and said I could get it done free if I would be their guinnea pig. Being young and dumb I was all for it...especially considering a keratin will cost you $100 or more. I got the keratin done and my hair was so straight and soft and I loved it! For once my hair was more manageable and I started to wear it down more. I continued to keep the keratin in my hair until 2012 when I was about to move again. I really didn't need to get another treatment because the one I got the previous year was still going strong, but I got one anyway to keep it fresh due to not knowing who would do my hair when I moved.
I got the 2nd keratin February 2012 and moved in the same month. My cousin had already gone natural and was loving it. Around April 2012 she mentioned to me that I should go natural and it would be very easy for me to do so. I never thought much about being natural. I always wished I had naturally curly hair and remembered the times I would try to wear my hair in it's natural state, and it looked a hot mess by the end of the day. Well back then I didn't know anything about the wonderful world of natural hair products! I told my cousin that I had just gotten the keratin and needed to let that grow out first. She told me that I didn't have to do that, that I could start like TODAY and transition. She then went on to bully me into doing this by sending me lots of you tube vids (mostly of Hey Fran Hey) to show me you tubers who hair was probably similar to mine. Well once I started watching those videos, I couldn't stop...and havent stopped. My cousin and I discussed my hair and how I would do this and I was sold. So then I researched a ton of information, watched even more you tube videos, went to target to buy some Curls refresher spray, Shea Moisture Restorative Masque and Conditioner, and Tresemme Naturals, and began my natural hair journey.
I have said this a thousand times, but that was the best decision I have ever made for myself! I am absolutely obsessed and love being natural. Im currently 19 months natural with no heat and can't see myself with straight hair anymore.
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| Natural Hair Journey Begins: April 2012 |
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| My first wash and go |
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