The BIG CHOP!!!

The BIG CHOP

I have officially been Free of Chemicals for 6 months!!! But, I've been struggling with blending and styling my hair due to the many hair textures on each strand. I had been debating as to whether I will continue transitioning to allow my natural hair to grow out a little more, or to simply cut it off.
Well...I cut it all off! My Big Chop date is June 17, 2011! and I LOVE IT!!

Natural Beauty

I will admit I wasn't sure how I felt about my hair, as I stood in my bathroom mirror in shock that I actually cut my hair off! Having cut all the processed ends away I lost many inches in some places. I felt really self-conscious, liberated, nervous, and paranoid all at the same time...but it felt like the right thing to do. Next, I scheduled an appointment with a scissor-happy hair dresser to even my TWA (Teenie Weenie Afro). Well...did I mention she was scissor happy?? My TWA became an EXTRA TWA, but I loved the results so she is forgiven.

My little Curls

The other side

A fluffed 'fro really isn't my style because I look a little too much like my Lil brother..*Side Eye*

So, I have truly enjoyed Wash-n-Gos....My hair loves the attention and moisture from the conditioning. I've been sealing in the moisture and allowing my little curls to pop using: Palmer's Olive Oil Formula Gro Therapy hair dress and Soft & Beautiful Botanicals 3-N-1 Botanical Oil Spray. At night I use Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural for Women of Color- Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer. I haven't experimented with many products, but I'm sure my hair care regimen will change during this process.

Well...until later my Loves

Peace, Love, and Hair Grease

~Nia

Baking Soda Deep Conditioning Treatment

Well my friends....I'm a little late with my posting, forgive me Lovebugs..here we go:

So... I've heard, read, and researched this conditioning treatment because my hair type is ALWAYS in need of a deep conditioning. I'm slowly learning my hair all over again, having been natural for only a few months. I decided to jump in with both feet and give it a try:


Ingredients:

1 cup of your favorite conditioner
1/2 cup of baking soda
2 tablespoon of favorite oil

Mix ingredients together well (It will look like a relaxer) ...make sure the baking soda is dissolved in the mixture. *There may be some tingling...nothing uncomfortable, it's normal*
~You may need to wear gloves to apply
Apply mixture the same way you would a relaxer
Cover hair with a conditioning cap for 1-2hours (I kept mines in for 1hr 25 minutes)
Rinse hair thoroughly
Allow hair to air dry


RESULTS:
My hair looked as if I had a texturizer, which was nice...but it left my hair a little dry. Once again, that is just my particular hair type. Maybe if I sealed in the moisture with a hair butter before air drying the results would have been a little better. Also, at the time of this trial my hair wasn't completely natural. My roots were natural, the middle of the strand was "Scab" hair, and the ends were processed. So the roots took really well to the treatment, but most of the strand needed a little help blending.

All in all it is a great process, but not to be done too often because it can dry out the hair.

Un-Natural....The beginning (Many pictures)

Life is such a strange journey at times! Of course it is the journey that should be appreciated, rather than the speed of reaching the goal/destination..right? I've decided to begin a hair blog since I have decided to go natural. A place to voice my frustrations, thoughts, and accomplishments on my hair journey. But I have made other changes in my life as well, such as exercise and eating healthier...So, I have opened the floor to many different subjects besides hair. BUT...I will begin with it...

I must admit I NEVER thought I wanted to go Natural (hair-wise)...especially since so many people are going natural right now. I've never really been one to conform. I LOVED and still love what is becoming known as creamy crack. The way my hair would swing, and I knew exactly what product to use to get the results I wanted. Rarely did I ever have a "Bad" hair day when my hair was processed.

My Wavy Look

My Wrap Look

That is until December of 2010 when my hair was pronounced critically injured, and almost lost it's battle of life by being over processed. The sides of my hair and a straight line from the front of my hair to the crown was quite thin. I was devastated at the devastation I had caused my hair, I knew I needed to do much better.

 Very Thin Sides

Very Upset

Following the advice of the hairdresser, I laid off of the relaxer...Cold Turkey! Little did I know that my shoulder length hair would begin to break off as my hair took on a more "Natural' state. I have never been one who enjoyed doing my hair, or even having it done at the salon. So, the beginnings of this journey to natural has been very hard for me to say the least.

Very thin, and the Spirals to mask the breakage

By now, I was at the end of my rope. My hair (majority of the strand) was thinned, my roots were unmanageable, and my patience was shot. I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong, especially since to me this mess of a head came out of nowhere. That is when I received the best advice from a good friend of mines (who happens to be natural)...enjoy the journey while you date your hair and take your vitamins. Going natural is like dating someone new, you have to find what works for the two of you and leave the past behind. Interesting, right? I never thought to compare the two, yet it is the perfect comparison. I had to learn, date, and fall in love with my hair (for what it was, not what it use to be or could be) all over again. I also learned that taking a multi-vitamin may help in the repair of my hair. With a new mindset and a few pointers....I felt ready!

THE BIG CHOP....or not

My biggest fear about going natural is "The BIG CHOP"...which is crazy because I LOVED a short bob, and enjoyed getting my hair cut while it was processed. Possibly because I believe my head is too big for the TWA (Teenie Weenie Afro)..So, I decided to allow my hair to do as it pleased..but I would refrain from using heat. Not to say that I wouldn't use it at all, but I want to see how my hair would respond without it...and it did beautifully...I actually loved the kinky coils it produced by air drying.

Very short from breakage, with random long strands

(Yes, I curled this with a curling iron)

As much as I enjoy running my fingers across my natural hair and playing with the waves, I know I should keep my hands out of my hair. Wash and Go hairstyles never seem to work for me, and I do wonder if that is due to my never cutting the processed hair out? Maybe, Maybe Not...but I had to do something that would give my hair a chance to grow...So, my transitioning process of choice has been protective styles using weave.

April 2011...Twists

SMILE!!

May 2011...Cornrows

Back

What To Do Next?

My Curly Fro that I Adore

That is a wonderful question, that I myself would LOVE to have the answer to. I am now actively doing research on different products, techniques, and methods to survive and thrive in this crazy world known as Natural. I shall keep the world (or the random person who stumbles across this) posted on what is hopefully my progress!

Til next time my Loves,

~Nia