My Hair Journey Stage 1
Halloween; soon after my last relaxer (Photo 1)
Transitioning style; 4 months in (photo 2)
Going natural has been one of the best and most important decisions I have made in my entire life.
I started my journey in October of 2010 after a trip to the salon for a "wash and set" provoked me to stop relaxing my hair. The stylists were complaining in English and Spanish about how dry, damaged and thick my hair was.
The stylist finally concluded by suggesting that I go natural. I guess that's how fed up they were. They didn't even mind sacrificing a loyal customer.
Prior to that day, I was already considering going natural just by observing all of the beautiful natural women that were on my campus and all of the encouragement from my boyfriend who was beginning to turn into the Afrocentric person that he is now.
I then combined all of this influence with my newly Afrocentric intellect (maybe I should have titled this blog journey to Afro-centrism), and my thoughts of how much money I would save by not going to the salon, and my thoughts of the pain I endured on my tender-headed scalp and I discontinued going to the salon once and for all.
That day I remember walking away crying on the phone with my boyfriend talking about about how shitty my hair looked and all the irreversible damage it reflected because my hair was literally "fried and dyed" lol!
I will never forget. I was living in a suite my junior year with five other girls and one of my suite-mates mentioned that she was also going natural. At that moment I felt so much more comfortable. She assisted me with my research from a very valuable source: Youtube and she had already invested in a few products .
Thinking that my friend and roommate will be loyal on this journey with me I continued my transitioning and boy was it difficult. My roommate eventually given up and got a relaxer and I felt myself about to give up as well.
However, I was dedicated. I was only about 2-4 months in and there was no turning back. I can honestly say Youtube saved my life. If it wasn't for Nikkimae, Naptural85, and Kimmaytube I don't know if I would have done it. I love my afro even though it was one of the most mentally and emotionally-challenging projects in my life.
In Stage 2, I will expound on all of the mental and emotional challenges not only with my myself but with friends and family. Hence, their reactions, especially negative ones, were ironically the most encouraging for me.
Thinking that my friend and roommate will be loyal on this journey with me I continued my transitioning and boy was it difficult. My roommate eventually given up and got a relaxer and I felt myself about to give up as well.
However, I was dedicated. I was only about 2-4 months in and there was no turning back. I can honestly say Youtube saved my life. If it wasn't for Nikkimae, Naptural85, and Kimmaytube I don't know if I would have done it. I love my afro even though it was one of the most mentally and emotionally-challenging projects in my life.
In Stage 2, I will expound on all of the mental and emotional challenges not only with my myself but with friends and family. Hence, their reactions, especially negative ones, were ironically the most encouraging for me.
Me and one of my biggest motivators (My bf <3); 2-4 months in