Getting a Big Chop requires bravery, courage, and unparalleled levels of resolve. But doing your Big Chop at the country’s largest beauty show live on stage by one of the biggest names in natural hair? Does that even happen? It totally did and it was totally amazing.
In the afternoon on the third and final date at America’s Beauty Show, things were winding down and I stopped to chat with one of our amazing volunteers, Samantha. She was telling me what a great experience it was to be a part of the event, and how after reading my blog, she was finally motivated to do the Big Chop! The gears in my head started turning. You see, you can’t say something like that to a natural hair blogger and not expect them to make things happen, ESPECIALLY when you’re in a convention center filled with millions of scissors and thousands of stylists.
“Heck yes you’re ready to do the chop! Want to do it right now?” I asked.
“Do what?” replied Samantha.
“Do your Big Chop! There’s literally no time better to do this!”
Going through with the Big Chop
Before she could even change her mind, I whisked her over to the one and only Jane Carter and laid out my Big Chop proposition: Samantha. Jane. Big Chop. On the Texture Stage. NOW. Jane was game and took Samantha’s hair down out of it’s ponytail and used a bit of her Jane Carter Solution Wrap and Roll foaming mousse to revive the curl pattern to see how much would have to be cut off. Even after determining it would be the clipping of about 6″ for a 2″ TWA, Samantha was still down to BC.
Jane took her off to the shampoo bowl, and when they retuned, I immediately recognized the soft TWA topped with long tangled straight strands and thought about my own Chop over 2 years ago.
“I’m excited, but so nervous!” Samantha exclaimed. “I didn’t even get a chance to call my mom and tell her!”
Walkers by stopped to watch the magic happen on stage. “Oh my gosh! Is she doing a Big Chop?” one attendee asked before sitting down and watching. “You go girl! It’s going to be great!”
Dozens of stylists walked by and shouted encouraging words on to the stage as they watched Samantha shed her relaxer and become a new natural woman.
The chop went by quickly and Jane quickly set to styling her newly emerged curls with Jane Carter Solution Curl Defining Cream in a wash and go set, adding in a few finger coils here and there.
After the chop was over, Jane put Samantha beneath a hooded dryer to let her coils set for a few minutes. Jane gave Samantha a mirror so she could see her new look, and it was love at first sight! “It looks so good! I really love it!” exclaimed Samantha, “I can’t wait to play with it!” We stood back, both proud that we had supported the creation of another curly girl in the world. “You know,” Jane said, “She’ll be glad she did that. It looks great and now her hair is healthy.”
Tips for Maintaining A New Big Chop
Samantha was sent home with a special natural hair starter kit from Jane Carter Solution to kick off her new look. Getting the hang of your new TWA can be tricky, so follow these tips to ease the process.
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize Look for uber hydrating products that have water and aloe high on the ingredients list, like Jane Carter Leave In Conditioner and Wrap and Roll
- And then moisturize some more More than ever, keeping your natural hair moisturized is crucial. Make sure to drink plenty of water to keep your hair hydrated from within.
- Sleep tight Make sure to use a sleep bonnet or satin pillow case while you sleep to prevent tangles and dryness overnight.
- Have fun! Natural hair is all about being free and having FUN! Experiment with styles and products and get to know your own new texture! “One of the advantages of natural hair is that you shouldn’t have to work too hard,” explained Jane Carter.
Final thoughts
Be sure to check out the phenomenal Jane Carter Solution products and to find which ones will work best for your texture.
