I Heart Curls...So Here We Go

The Genesis of going Natural

posted on Nov 2, 2009 by avivajaye
I just happened upon this Growth Challenge link from Miss Jessie's website and I'm excited. My story is not unique, but I am excited to grow my hair out naturally. I have had relaxed hair more or less since my mom scheduled me to get them starting at age 7. In high school I wore my hair in Shirley Temple-like curls from roller sets (or relaxed hair). I haven't had my hair past shoulder length in about 10 years.

After wearing my hair in curly styles on relaxed hair, I started getting relaxer less frequently, thinking, 'What's the point if I want to wear my hair curly?" But I didn't have the knowledge and experience of learning how to grow back my natural curls, nor had I developed the patience that's needed for that transition. I just thought I had coarse, un-curly hair. Period.

I received a bad relaxer/hair cut combo in November 2007, where the lady did not rinse out the relaxer in the middle of my head, and thus breakage occurred on top of my less than stellar haircut. I wasn't much of a salon-goer due to my financial priorities, and hadn't been to one since that time. I went for 8 months without a relaxer, and it worked out fine. Then I broke down and relaxed it later summer of 2008, and trimmed it myself.

My routine was to wash, condition, blow-dry, flat iron once every 5-7 days. I would touch up with a flat iron the second day, then Swiss/French braid my hair in two braids until it was time to shampoo again. I didn't need to retouch the relaxer, as I my goal wasn't to have straight hair anyway, just manageable at the root. I went another 5 months without relaxing, and then got a quick relaxer in February 2009 for a musical in which I performed. I decided at that point I was going to grow out my natural hair and forgo relaxers for a long time.

It's November 2009 now. I haven't been to the salon in two years, I haven't relaxed my hair in 9 months, and I haven't blown my hair dry or styled it straight in 5 months. I switched to a sulfate-free shampoo, use a deep conditioner as my regular conditioner, and primarily wear my hair in two Swiss braids with a small pompadour in the front, where my hair is longer from the bad graduated bob, and the shortness from breakage that's slowly grown back from two years as well.

I need to get my hair cut in good shape that's conducive to growing it out curly, and I'm not ready to make a big chop. I'm willing to go through the longer process of growing it out, wearing in a twist out or straw set, or these braids, and getting trims and just conditioning, conditioning, conditioning. As my hair has regained softness and elasticity over the few summer months, I can see that this won't take as long as I expected, if I get a good trim and shape, get some helpful hair products and go from there.

I'll be sure to upload photos as I go along. Any tips are welcome!

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I Heart Curls...So Here We Go

  • by avivajaye
  • I'm a Brooklyn transplant from Chicago, artist/musician who wants her curls back! Yay!