There was once a quiet little internet store launch that happened on October 3rd.
I was on vacation so the fanfare was limited.
Be easy
Category Archives: natural hair
Embracing tight curls
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| 4C hair, unstretched, little to no product |
I love natural hair, and I love scrolling through Tumblr and looking at all the beautiful pictures of fabulous black women and their equally fabulous, glorious natural hair.
But, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t notice the over abundance of sisters with more of a curly texture and less of us with the kinkier coils circulating around the net.
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| Teesha – 4C Hair Icon |
This leaves me feeling a little left out, or as if my hair isn’t as appealing as say someone with a looser curl pattern.
I mean let’s face it – darker skin and kinkier hair are things that have been less desired in our community and we all know why that is.
I often find myself wondering why sisters with the fluffier less kinky hair ever felt the need to relax their hair as it is not deemed as ‘niggardly’, ‘unkempt’ or reminiscent of slavery as hair like mine.
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| Nneka – 4C Hair Icon |
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| Teesha – 4C Hair Icon |
Don’t get me wrong, I love myself just the way I am, but being honest, when I was younger I used to wish for a more relaxed type of curl so I wouldn’t have to endure the teasing about my edges or my nappy kitchen.
Now that I’m a grown ass woman, I have learned to embrace and cherish the hair I have been blessed with.
It gives me my character and is a part of who I am.
But it would be nice to see hair like mine on women as dark as me being reblogged with such ferver and admiration as my lighter skinned sisters or the sisters with more of a curly, fluffy hair texture.
I’m just saying.
*Photos included in this post are not mine but have all been properly tagged, linked and/or credited
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Freedom: Final stage of the big chop
Finally did it!
I cut off the remaining 1/4 inch of relaxed hair off of my head.
I think it’s sad that I had to wait on some type of ‘approval’ from those around me to do it – well, perhaps not, but I felt more free to do so after said approval.
That in and of itself is an aspect I would love to lose.
I want freedom.
Not a disrespectful freedom that pisses on everyone else around me, but a liberating freedom where I no longer feel bound by things in my head.
At least I have a tiny aspect of that with my hair.
Freedom from relaxers, touch-ups, breakage, stressing about ‘hair’.
Just, freedom.
After cutting the remainder of the relaxer from my hair I showered. It was almost baptismal.
I washed a lot more than cut hairs down that drain tonight…
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A family affair: Should I transition my daughter’s hair?
Been doing a LOT of reading this past week regarding natural hair maintenance and care.
One thing I learned was exactly how important moisture is and how to properly moisturize so that my delicate 4C/B hair doesn’t get brittle and break.
I’m feeling a lot more positive about starting over natural. That’s a good thing.
But I’ve been thinking about my daughter’s hair and possibly transition her hair as well.
She’s spent most of her life natural and I love her natural hair and would love to help her come to love it (again) as well.
I know I could take care of her hair and keep it done, conditioned and moisturized so it can grow again.
Her hair has the potential for abundant growth, but only when she’s relaxer free.
I may transition her this summer with braids and throughout the school year next year.
You know, simply stop relaxing it and take good care of it and basically keep it braided up for an entire year.
We’ll see how it goes, but I’m pretty sure my mind is made up on this.
I’ve come to this conclusion because since she’s been relaxed, she’s had lots of breakage and her growth has stalled in the past six months or so.
She also has constant split ends – even with my keeping them trimmed.
I think her hair, like mine, does NOT like being relaxed.
Well see how this summer goes with the braids.
Will probably do it next week if hubby buys the hair.
One thing I learned was exactly how important moisture is and how to properly moisturize so that my delicate 4C/B hair doesn’t get brittle and break.
I’m feeling a lot more positive about starting over natural. That’s a good thing.
But I’ve been thinking about my daughter’s hair and possibly transition her hair as well.
She’s spent most of her life natural and I love her natural hair and would love to help her come to love it (again) as well.
I know I could take care of her hair and keep it done, conditioned and moisturized so it can grow again.
Her hair has the potential for abundant growth, but only when she’s relaxer free.
I may transition her this summer with braids and throughout the school year next year.
You know, simply stop relaxing it and take good care of it and basically keep it braided up for an entire year.
We’ll see how it goes, but I’m pretty sure my mind is made up on this.
I’ve come to this conclusion because since she’s been relaxed, she’s had lots of breakage and her growth has stalled in the past six months or so.
She also has constant split ends – even with my keeping them trimmed.
I think her hair, like mine, does NOT like being relaxed.
Well see how this summer goes with the braids.
Will probably do it next week if hubby buys the hair.
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BIG chop: Final act
I’ve been holding onto this stupid hair.
Mostly afraid of what he’ll think if/when I just cut the rest off.
I still have a low/thin spot in the back of my head and holding on to this 1 1/2 inch of relaxed hair (with a thin/balding spot in the middle) is proving to be futile.
Initially the idea was to leave enough there so that I can get braids.
Well, obviously from the recent goings on in my house lately, getting braids anytime soon is a no go, so I figured cut off all the relaxer and spend time nurturing my hair.
Mostly afraid of what he’ll think if/when I just cut the rest off.
I still have a low/thin spot in the back of my head and holding on to this 1 1/2 inch of relaxed hair (with a thin/balding spot in the middle) is proving to be futile.
Initially the idea was to leave enough there so that I can get braids.
Well, obviously from the recent goings on in my house lately, getting braids anytime soon is a no go, so I figured cut off all the relaxer and spend time nurturing my hair.
I’m just going to cut it off.
He will have to get over it.
Relaxers and my hair just do not get along.
This is just the way it’s got to be.
Cutting the rest off tonight before my shower.
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Hair today, gone tomorrow
I’ve slowly been accepting embracing a more natural me.
Both inside and out.
Accepting my hair has been a challenge.
I’m not sure why, but it has been.
I’ve been natural before, several times actually and I happily embraced it and celebrated my hair.
I eventually would feel pressured by employment aspects and lose steam and resort back to relaxing.
This last time though, I just accepted (what I thought was) the fact that I was just always going to be relaxed.
So I committed to growing my hair and ‘never cutting it again’.
Only to discover early on that the hair in my crown does not do well with relaxer.
In its natural state it is the softest part of my hair (it’s all very soft natural).
Relaxed on the other hand, it’s a quickly graying, wiry, hard, and dry mess that breaks and never gets any longer than 3 inches.
The rest of my hair however flourishes relaxed.
Go figure.
I was quickly developing a bald spot.
IN THE TOP OF MY HEAD!
I am kind of forced to go natural.
I never quite knew how to style my hair, relaxed or natural. But my husband really didn’t like my natural hair looking unkempt and that’s a LOT of pressure on me because I have to go natural now to save my hair.
Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait for my natural hair to grow back in (I relaxed just 2 weeks before I decided to save my hair) to feel it’s softness and finger my curls!
I’m more concerned with how I will be accepted by my husband.
Anyone else, I could care less.
He often exclaims his disdain for older women wearing small afros.
I’m going to have a small afro for a while.
I really can’t deal with the jokes or being insecure about it.
Sigh
Pressure to always have my hair done.
Oh well, natural hair is a lifestyle change so…
Both inside and out.
Accepting my hair has been a challenge.
I’m not sure why, but it has been.
I’ve been natural before, several times actually and I happily embraced it and celebrated my hair.
I eventually would feel pressured by employment aspects and lose steam and resort back to relaxing.
This last time though, I just accepted (what I thought was) the fact that I was just always going to be relaxed.
So I committed to growing my hair and ‘never cutting it again’.
Only to discover early on that the hair in my crown does not do well with relaxer.
In its natural state it is the softest part of my hair (it’s all very soft natural).
Relaxed on the other hand, it’s a quickly graying, wiry, hard, and dry mess that breaks and never gets any longer than 3 inches.
The rest of my hair however flourishes relaxed.
Go figure.
I was quickly developing a bald spot.
IN THE TOP OF MY HEAD!
I am kind of forced to go natural.
I never quite knew how to style my hair, relaxed or natural. But my husband really didn’t like my natural hair looking unkempt and that’s a LOT of pressure on me because I have to go natural now to save my hair.
Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait for my natural hair to grow back in (I relaxed just 2 weeks before I decided to save my hair) to feel it’s softness and finger my curls!
I’m more concerned with how I will be accepted by my husband.
Anyone else, I could care less.
He often exclaims his disdain for older women wearing small afros.
I’m going to have a small afro for a while.
I really can’t deal with the jokes or being insecure about it.
Sigh
Pressure to always have my hair done.
Oh well, natural hair is a lifestyle change so…
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BIG Chop!
So we did it, and by ‘we’, I mean my daughter and I.
Now it’s ‘pamper my hair‘ time.
It’s in bad shape and I’ve got to get it into better shape to start that natural journey of mine.
I’ve taken the first step and cut off all the damaged (and not so damaged) hair. Now I’ve got to urge it to grow back and fill in.
Natural it is.
Relaxers just don’t agree with my hair.
