I would have never thought that one day I would cut my hair own hair off, as cutting my hair was a no-go. During my childhood´-adolescent career, I would cry when my Mom cut or even ¨trimmed¨my hair because I was so attached to it, and this is just my relaxed hair (I had never seen my natural hair except in baby photos). But after seeing naturalistas and their big UNASHAMED, and bouncy curls, I realized those ripples and waves I had always known as “new growth” or “naps” were actually my natural curls, and I was feeling my curl pattern. So I decided that I wanted to be a naturalista too, a proud, unashamed naturalista, and I wanted to rock my natural hair. I was so excited, because again, I had never seen my natural hair. It did make me anxious to think about how it would look, if I would have loose curls or tight curls, how long the process would take. I wondered how it would change my physical appearance, and if I would be bullied for it if my curls weren´t ¨perfect.¨ I even though about whether I would be able to swing my curls when a European lady rolls her eyes at me and swings her flat-ironed, beauty salon highlighted with extensions long mane. How would I be able to respond if my hair doesn´t swing…Now I realize that my curls do swing when moisturized lol anyway… At this point I had been transitioning, but I couldn’t take it anymore with the stringy ends (from the relaxer). I began falling in love with the curls I saw coming in, and my concerns about how I would change with my hair drastically went down the toilet, through the sewer and away from my thoughts. I realized that one I have been bullied over a million other things and that I always fought it like a champ, and two, my love for natural beauty overrides the perceived ignorance that is inevitably going to come my way. Thus, that summer, at my sister’s house, I chopped my hair off and began researching and experimenting with my curls.
I started off with cantu products, which were okay for my hair. My hair dries very quickly, so I felt that cantu or at least the products I was using from them, were not for me. I did like their thick, leave-in conditioner, that was actually a really nice product that I plan to use again. Then I began experimenting with different shampoos, hairstyles, etc. I even did my own braids for the first time at my sister’s house, which you’ll be able to see in the gallery below. Braids gave me a break from having to do my hair and allowed me to get dressed quicker and style my hair in about 1 minute (now I can do that with my natural hair,too, but this was the beginning stages of my journey.) Every day I fell more and more in love with my curls and still am. I do not regret this journey at all; I do regret not starting sooner.
MY HAIR NOW
So without further ado, take a look through the Gallery of My Natural Hair Journey! I hope this encourages you to put aside your fear and just go for it. Feel free to ask questions!