Christyn Big Chops!

I've known Christyn for a while and she's always had beautiful long locs.  Well, last year she decided to cut off her locs and start a loose natural journey and she is finding her way through styling!  After wearing her hair cut very closely for a few months, she decided to let her hair grow and venture into attempting some loose natural styles!  This week was her first attempt at finger coils and coil out.  I think for a very first time she did an AMAZING job!  Go Christyn! Check out the photos below.  Also, this was her birthday week.  Wish her a happy birthday and leave her some encouraging words below!

Finger Coils under way!  You can see her TWA length on top.

Finger Coils All Done!

Coil Out in the Back!

Coil out Close Up in Front

Happy Birthday Christyn!!!  Looking Good!

Bracey's Transition to Natural

Some of my friends have taken the natural hair plunge along with me.  Each have had their own journey.  One of my friends, Bracey, has been wearing weaves for 13 years, of which I've known her 3.  Of the 3 years I've known her, I've only seen "her" hair once for a week.  Her intent at the time was not necessarily to go natural but she just enjoyed the styling options that weaves gave her as well as the thickness of it. She would get her weave maintained every 2 to 3 weeks and reinstalled every 3 months.   Another convenience was that due to her 5 day a week gym routine, she didn't have to sacrifice her health because of concerns of messing up her hair.  I and several others have been "gently" encouraging her to let go of her weave even temporarily to see what was beneath.  We even joked, YOUR hair is probably as long as the weave you're paying to get sewn in! She finally said she would give it 2 weeks.  I am happy to report she has been weave free for 2 months!  Because of the versatility of natural hair, her choice is to wear is straight styled. She is interested, however in learning how to style her hair in a curly state for a change from time to time.  I'll be glad to help her with that as well!  Once we successfully get it accomplished, I'll be sure to come back with pictures!  Check out her transformation in the video below.

Free slideshow generated with Smilebox Note:  Please note I am not anti- weave as I sometimes add hair to add fullness to my own natural hair.  However, this was a huge change for my friend & I wanted to celebrate that.

The Origination of My Natural Hair Journey

Ahh the beginning....and to think it didn't start off with me willingly wanting to "go natural".  It began with a trip to my dermatologist.  My hair was thinning in the nape of my head - again.  After some evaluation, he simply said to me, "Trinita, you might want to think about going natural".  I, very defiantly stated, 'Natural is not for me.  My hair is "straight from the motherland", it's tight, it would be impossible to do."  Amazing how I was so certain of my hair texture when I hadn't seen more than 6 weeks of new growth since I was probably 12 years old. He told me that he would never tell someone what they MUST do with their hair, only make recommendations based on his evaluation.

Well, I was planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas at the time and was already planning to get a full sew in for ease of hair care on my trip.  So I got my last retouch on June 10, 2010, not knowing at the time it would be my last.  While researching the best virgin hair for my sew in, I stumbled across a Youtube Vlogger who was using sew ins as a protective style for her natural hair.  I purchased the hair she recommended and started following her site.  It was about this time that I received the results back from the scalp biopsy that my dermatologist had performed during my visit - chemical (or scarring) alopecia.  I had a conversation with myself.  I said, "Self."  Myself said, "Yes."  I had the realization that if I continued to use relaxers, I was going to create so much permanent damage I wouldn't have any hair.   And so, my natural hair journey began....reluctantly.

Below are two pictures of my relaxed hair prior to my virgin Indian hair installation.  My hair has never been longer than shoulder length.  Here it was about mid-neck length straight.  I wore it curled to camouflage the thining I was experiencing in the back.



Salsa event - May 2010










May 2010

The Transition!

Everyone transitions differently.  Some big chop (cut off all their relaxed ends) immediately.  Others, transition for a full year, carefully nursing the two textures of hair (relaxed and new growth).  Since I was already planning to get a full sew in for my trip, I utilized weaves for the duration of my transition, 6.5 months.  I had two installations of virgin Indian hair, and then a faux Afro weave install leading up to my big chop.  This allowed me to transition without dealing with the two textures, and to give myself time to follow others natural hair journey on Youtube.

This time was very valuable to me because I was able to change my mindset about how I personally felt about natural hair.  I realized that my natural hair journey was not only a physical transformation but also an emotional one.  I realized I had negative emotions connected to my natural hair.  I didn't believe it was pretty...I didn't think I would be attractive without relaxed hair.  I had to reassess why I believed that way.  I asked myself several questions:  Why was I so adamant that my mom give me a relaxer before I was a teenager?  Why I was so fearful of what my hair would look like when the relaxer ends was cut off?  What were my personal defininitions of beauty?  I answered these questions for myself.  I continued to follow other's journey online.  I was so inspired and encouraged.  Other friends who were going natural were also encouraging me.  Finally, I looked to my Father to see what He said about me.  I determined to make a positive confession about God's creation:  Psalm 139:14; I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful; I know that full well.  (NIV)

I scheduled my big chop.

Below are pictures of my transitional phase:

June 2010 - Notice how thin my hair is in the nape of my head.



July 2010 - damaged ends, thin hair



July 2010 - Newly installed Virgin Indian Hair

July 2010 Side view of same install

September 2010 - 2nd hair install (Note: This hair was less quality than the first and pushed me closer to the BC - HATED IT!!! LOLOL!)

November 2010 - Faux Afro with Human Kinky Hair (getting myself adjusted to the natural "look")