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July 10th, 2010 I took a leap of faith, threw all caution to the wind, and did something I had been wanting to do for years... I cut all my hair off and WENT NATURAL! After my last relaxer in October 2009 I decided I was done with the creamy crack! My hair had grown, which was always the first thing I noticed, however it was dull. Leaving the salon I made the decision to never put my hair or scalp through that trauma again. I knew I had naturally curly hair because I never relaxed my hair during the summer months. That was my time to go to the pool, beach, and be carefree. Getting a relaxer in the summer meant I had to sit out of swimming for a few weeks and going to the beach was not an option because a frizzy relaxer was NOT cute. I transitioned from October to July, a total of nine months. My original plan was just transition into being 100% natural but that didn't happen. In the summer of 2010 I did an internship in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I loved it there and despite the heat and humidity, it was a great place to spend the summer. At the beginning of my internship I wore Senegalese twists. I had gotten them done the week prior to leaving so they were "fresh." (LOL) Senegalese twits and box braids were my go to style during my transition phase. I wore them for 5-8 weeks at a time and would give my hair and scalp a break in between. At the end of the summer, after having gone to water parks, the pool, and the beach it was time to take those twists out. I was excited to take my hair out. I wanted to see my new growth and how long my hair was (the most important thing to me at the time). Knowing I needed a trim I scheduled an appointment at the Aveda Hair School in Chapel Hill. My hair ate one stylist's blow dryer and comb for a snack... He clearly had never worked on natural hair before. The next stylist I saw (yes I had to leave the other stylists' chair) had my hair LAYED! She gave me a nice feather wrap and sent me on my way. So much for that hair style tho. The North Carolina heat and humidity had another plan for me. I walked down the street (two blocks to be exact) and my roots began to lift. I started walking faster to get inside my building and my roots got even bigger. I was heart broken... I had spent three hours in a hair salon, majority of the time being someones human barbie... So I was livid. I ran my flat iron through my hair and pinned curled it for the night. Although I tried to keep my feather wrap looking tight North Carolina heat and humidity would not let me be great. From the time I had left my apartment in the morning to the time I had gotten to my work building, my hair had began to revert. I was over it! I felt like straight hair for me was in the cards... So I called it quits. I washed my hair, allowing my natural roots to curl up and asked my best friend to cut off all the relaxed ends. I was tired to trying to make the different textures mesh. I was tired of the constant fight with the comb. I was tired of being natural in the front and relaxed in the back. I was just tired... Cutting my relaxed ends was freeing. I felt so liberated. It was the first time I had made a decision without consulting anyone, the first time I really did something for me. I have to admit I hated how short my hair was in the beginning stages but I grew to love it. Now a days I miss having such short hair. I didn't realize how convenient it was until this year when my hair is past my shoulders! Feel free to share your big chop stories! I would love to read them!
Jess!
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| My best friend and I at dinner after my BIG CHOP! |
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| One Year Natural! | Two years Natural. Loving my fro! |
