Learning to Embrace the New Me

braidsntwists · #1 07-13-2011, 11:48 AM

Ok, here we go....

Hello everyone! I've been lurking around these forums for a while...long before I decided to join. All of you have been an inspiration and I finally decided to register on the forums and now here I am posting my own hair journey.

A bit about me and my hair:

As a child, it didn't take much for me to figure out I had some seriously kinky hair. My mother always used to say i have zig zags. She had so much trouble with it that it was always a 2 day process to wash and style it: 1) Wash 2) Part in 8 sections, detangle and braid each section. 3) Allow to dry (my hair takes forever to dry at the root so she usually left it braided for a couple of days) 4) Unbraid, slather with product and then fry it to death with the good ol dreaded hot comb.

When curls became popular my mother got one. After a few months of seeing how it did for her, she took me for my first curl. I was 12. Thus began my journey into the world of chemicals. I went all thru junior high and high school with a curl before I decided I wanted a relaxer. So I grew out the curl and got my first relaxer at 19.

I never thought of going natural before. Like so many of us, we get brainwashed into thinking that going around with hair in it's natural state is bad and that we must destroy our hair straightening it in order to be considered pretty. That changed for me last June. I got my touch up per usual. Everyone complemented me on how pretty and straight my hair was and how long it had gotten. But for the first time, I wasn't happy. For some reason, I kept thinking back to how long, thick and full my hair used to be when I was a child. My hair now seemed so thin and lifeless in comparison. It took me 18 years to come to that sudden realization. That was the last time I sat in a stylist's chair. I've been transitioning ever since. And though I'm sometimes stumped as to what to do with my hair and may feel like giving up, I keep thinking about how the hair now growing on my head will be a whole lot healthier and I couldn't be happier.

As you can see from my name, I like braids a lot. I knew from my friends that went through it themselves that I was going to have to really take care of my hair as I transitioned. Fortunately, I've always liked doing my own hair. So I started putting in braids, senegalese twists, and crochet styles to minimize breakage. My husband wasn't too happy at first...he's not a big fan of braids, but once I explained exactly why I was going natural, he's been accepting of the changes. He's always loved my long straight hair, but he understands that I want to have a healthy head of hair without all the chemical mess.

Now, a year after swearing off the crack, my hair is about half natural, half relaxer. For the past year I've had nothing but braids and crochet. I've hardly looked at my new growth. But I just took out my crochet last week and decided it's time to start seeing what in the world I can do with my hair without the braids.

I will easily admit, it hasn't been an easy go of it. I go through bits of hair envy. I see other people with a different hair type than what mine seems to be turning out to be and find myself wishing I had those instead of what looks like teeny tiny curls done with a coffee stirrer. And the amount of shrinkage I have is incredible! One of my biggest arguments against going natural was that my hair is insane to try to detangle. (I fully understand what my mother went through now) But I can say that worry has been put to rest because of KCKT. I used it for the first time last weekend and I swear it's the best conditioner/detangler I've ever had!

So my opinion on my hair is growing on me slowly but surely. I say it to myself all the time: Don't compare your hair to someone else's. Each person's hair is unique. One of these days it's going to truly sink in. Anyways, I guess this is the time for me to learn to accept my hair as it is and learn to work with what God blessed me with. I welcome any and all suggestions, experiences, etc.....I need all the help I can get!

braidsntwists · #2 07-13-2011, 12:52 PM

Here's some pics of me:

The first one is when I still had a relaxer. The rest are various styles I've worn lately.

Learning to Embrace the New Me-29683_102473493134964_100001169401096_20703_6462438_n.jpg

Learning to Embrace the New Me-66287_136255286423451_100001169401096_164221_365315_n.jpg

Learning to Embrace the New Me-imag0145.jpg

I did this one last night.

Learning to Embrace the New Me-imag0182.jpg

Learning to Embrace the New Me-imag0186.jpg

Naturalblackdiva · #3 07-13-2011, 01:55 PM

Yay!!! another blog. Welcome and I am glad you decided to join. I agree let your hair do what it do and embrace it. I look forward to reading the rest of your journey.

Brwnsugar24 · #4 07-13-2011, 02:09 PM

Welcome to the block!!

braidsntwists · #5 07-13-2011, 02:18 PM

Thank you both. Glad to be here.

braidsntwists · #6 07-14-2011, 07:52 AM

So, how's everyone this morning?

My little twists were a hit yesterday. I got so many complements on my hair. You know how you get those little feelings of self doubt about how your hair looks after trying something new. Well, that got blown out the water. I'm all kinds of happy right now.

And this morning, getting up and out the house was a breeze. Just took off my satin cap sprayed a bit of oil shook out my twists and go. Considering how hot it's going to be in Chicago the rest of the week, I'm hoping this style will last me through the weekend.

Brwnsugar24 · #7 07-14-2011, 09:57 AM

I am thinking your twists should last longer than the weekend.

MelMelBee · #8 07-14-2011, 10:45 AM

Hey Lady...Welcome!!!

Love your hair story...Stay strong, all your hard work will pay off!

I love the twists too...Like brown said, they should last longer than the weekend. Try to get to 1 week and see if you can keep them in longer.

I'll be following

braidsntwists · #9 07-14-2011, 11:13 AM

Thanks! I'll see how long I can make them last.

It would probably help if I quit touching my hair....I've got a new addiction!

braidsntwists · #10 07-18-2011, 08:24 AM

Hey! Hope everyone had a good weekend.

My twists did last all the way through the weekend. I ended up taking them out Sunday because I was going out with some friends. It came out really cute, I think. My friend took a pic with my phone, but it came out too blurry to really see the hair, so I took another one later at home in my bedroom so you all can see how it looked. It's not the greatest pic of me, but it's better than the blurry one.

And it's brutal today outside! I walked out my front door to a wall of humidity at only 7 a.m. It's supposed to be high 90's and humid all week. Today I'm wearing my 2nd day twist out. We'll see what happens to my hair later when the humidity hits it...

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