HAIR: HAPPY TO BE NATURALLY NAPPY

  Hair, my crown of glory!  About 15 year ago I left the creamy crack alone and pick up the pressing comb.  Right back where I started as a child every Saturday morning sitting in Midge’s chair jumping and shrugging my shoulders every time that hot comb came anywhere close to my head. This went on for about the next 11 years even though I stopped the jumping, shrugging and the name of the beautician changed.  I was so tired of the weekly visit and some times twice in a week just to get my curls touched up.

Since I live in Los Angeles the city of long, bouncy, flowing hair, people here do hair check ratings according to the movement or the lack there of. You feel forced to keep your hair in picture perfect style. Even while at the beach it should have that perfectly windblown look.  I always had a yearning to go natural and every time my hair was wet I could see the curl pattern that I would have if I were to go natural, I envisioned myself with hair like Angie Stone or Jill Scott.  I had done the big chop several times and the lower I went the more my hair resembled that of a new born baby. Little wisp and curls would form on my head without any product and to say the least my husband was in love with the style.  But of course I would always sub come to the masses and start with the braids and weaves while I grew my hair out to go back to the pressing comb which is but another form of a perm, press perm to be exact.

While on my way to the shop one early morning (standing apt. 5:00 am) to get my weave whipped back into weavetastic shape, I thought back to my last visit and how much my hair had grown, this was truly all natural hair and if there was a time that I should venture back to the wild side it was NOW!  I thought about how freeing it would be to be natural, no more visits to the salon on a weekly or by monthly basis depending on which style I was sporting at present, no more of the beautician or salon drama and we won’t even mention the mere fortune of money as well as my time that had been spent throughout my life. I could only thnk; awww just me and my hair at peace with one another (insert smile).

HAIR NATURAL & FREE

 I laugh when I think back because I thought going natural would be a snap.  I mean after all I had not used the creamy crack or a pressing comb in over 4 years.  Well to my surprise there’s more to it than just letting it all hang loose.  I soon found out that my hair was going to still need some tender loving care.  I was going to either visit a salon once again on a regular or get busy with some research on the web to learn to do it myself. My transition had left me with a Angela Davis or I could say a Macy Gray, now there’s nothing wrong with a Afro but I repeat I live in Los Angeles and I wanted to have that 21^st Century Afro. You know the one that has lots of bounce, movement and curls, curls, curls!  I chose to do the latter, my research lead me to some very helpful spots like Curly Nikki, Natural Hair Rules and Entwine Couture which is an amazing product line that whipped my hair into shape. On one or more of these sites is where I became familiar with co-washing, moisture mask, coconut oil conditioners, rod sets, two strand twist, bantu-knot-outs and hair steamers.  My collection of research also inspired a Pintrest Board (click below).  http://www.pinterest.com/mitzimsadventur/happy-to-be-naturally-nappy/ 

I’m still not where I want to be in my natural hair glory and throughout this transition I’ve had some crazy days but I can say that I’ve learned a few tricks to stop the breakage, shrinkage and my hair is starting to show signs of being trained.  Now about this gray!