Epiphany Moment

Omg, i love tellin how i ended up natural. my co-worker/ fellow twinnie inspired me to go natural. the first attempt years ago didnt work becuz i had no direction, now there is a plethora of info out here and plenty of people to keep me inspired so its much easier! I LOVE IT!! i get more attention and im a rebel wit a cause so i didnt do the transition thing, just CUT IT OFF!! i didnt like bein the typical light skin chick anywayz! i no longer need to run in between raindrops or dish out $70 every 2-3 wks at the salon, not to mention waitin around at the salon 4ever! im in the carefree stage so i aint go to do much to it which i love eeeeeeeeven more! i found myself bein a product-nista n gotta try everything. its motivated and inspired me to work on my eating habits and to take better care of my face wit the rest of my body! im black again, lol. where have i been all my life...

Originally, I had never planned to go natural. I was leading a very busy life and in a new state ( ie. there was nobody nearby I trusted to do my hair). So I "accidentally" went 4 months without a relaxer. At that point I still wasn't sure. I figured I'd go without a relaxer for a year and then make a decision. Turns out this was the best "accident" that ever happened to me. I fell in love with the curls popping up. I did more and more research. I didn't even make it a year... I BC'd at 8 months because I couldn't wait to reintroduce myself to my curls and just work with them. I'm so happy and think this is one of the best decisions I've made in a while

I initially became natural to experiment with my hair. I love trying new things when it comes to my hair, color, makeup and all things girly. I would always go back to a relaxer. The last time I decided to transistion back to natural, it was more about accepting myself and loving myself through and through. When I turned 30, a shift happened in me. I spent too many years having low self-esteem. low confidence and full of negative self talk. I was tired of competing and comparing myself to others. I decided it was time to live my life the way I wanted to without apologies. I am still on the journey of self-discovery. Being natural is a natural part of my journey.

My process was gradual. I didn't start realizing how damaging relaxers were until I lost a great deal of my edges. I'd been relaxed since I was 8 or 9 (I'm 21 now). One day earlier this year I started noticing natural-haired girls more, and I decided that I wanted to get to know my true texture. I'm currently 20 weeks post relaxer and I can't wait to get the BC done so my hair can grow to its full potential! It's really been a struggle dealing with the battling textures, but I feel like I'll know so much more about my hair and myself.

checkin to see if my signature works! sorry im a newbie!

What sparked me to natural? Well I had been playing with the idea (in my head ) for a while because my sister is natural and she would always try to convince me to "come into the light". After watching the episode of Tyra Banks "Good hair" show, I was in shock and disgusted at the way these women and little girls viewed natural hair. I mean, I wasn't pro natural myself, and I got my fix of the creak crack every two months, like every other black women with an relaxer, but never, ever! did I think of natural hair as dirty, unprofessional, or unkept!! Never! After seen that episode I decide to go natural to prove a point. NATURAL HAIR IS THE BOMB.COM!!! So i decided to do my research and transition for 6 months. Well I only made it to 4 months until I got the BIG CHOP. I was sick of the two textures and I was on an emotional ride of a life time with this guy I had been dating; so I decided to bc to take back some control( funny thing is this "guy" that put me through hell dropped me off to get the big chop!) I went to my sister's house and got the job done there! It was a beautiful experience. Jill Scott and John Legend playing in the background, wine(I'm over 21),and I even got surprised with a few new pairs of fly earring to fit the new do!
Its been almost 3 months since my Big Chop and I've learned so much and have a new swag about myself and this natural life style.

cant figure out how to post a pic

I never really planned on going natural. Luckily, I went to a hair salon where the owner was all about healthy hair and she REFUSED to give me a relaxer unless she felt I absolutely needed it. I remember I used to go into the salon and pray that Charla wasnt there, because I (thought I) really needed a relaxer. After being rejected a couple of times, even though it had been 10-12 weeks post relaxer I thought I'd experiment and see how long I could go with out a relaxer. After so long, I began to ask myself why I even needed a relaxer if I could flat iron my hair w/o one and it look just as good. About 4 or 5 months in I decided I would officially go natural. My mother never thought I would last. In fact she told me I wouldnt do it. I was really close to giving up, but luckily my good friend (who was in another city) had been transitioning even longer and I didnt even know it. I saw her one day, and how beautiful her hair was and decided that I just couldnt give up. I remember spending hours on the computer looking at peoples hair journeys on You Tube, and thinking that I can't wait for my hair to be as beautiful as all the women I saw. Now I'm almost 14 1/2 months post relaxer and I havent looked back since.....

My process was gradual. I was in Western Kansas we nary a decent black salon within 40 or so miles for college. After a few dorm kitchen box perm disasters, (how my hair didn't fall out is still a mystery), I just decided to stop. I tried pressing it myself, and letting the dorm mates try with disastrous results. I wore conrows because there was always a girl in the building who could braid. I switched to flat twistouts (not knowing what they were called) as my signature style.

I should mention that I have the kind of thick hair that used to tire professionals when getting pressed. This was WITH a relaxer. I have had braiders upcharge me after taking my hair out if it's ponytail. My hair intimidates the weak, and used to intimidate me too.

My family was exactly supportive of my curly transition. My mother loved my hair when it was "tamed" This meant Thanksgiving, spring break and Xmas, my hair would be burned into submission. And more or less undoing all my hard work. I didn't know I was transitioning, but I was.

This pattern repeated of me curly and straight for special occasions for years. After graduation, I got a job in New York, and stayed straight to be corporate appropriate. Beginning of the end: Jamaican salon in Brooklyn. Burned hair. LARGE chunk missing on the side of my head. ( and I paid her) No.more.presses.

So I "transitioned" again. Repeat above burning Hair story (sans the missing chunk) in Current town of L.A for a winter ball I was attending. Final Final Final Straw.

I decided that my hair was too long and too thick to be manageable by others in it's current state. This time I doing it deliberately. With help. I have a super thick bushy 4a/4b jet black hair that I love. It's the real dark and lovely. I have heat damaged hair at the top. But it's almost all natural now. 6 months until we are straight hair free!!

IF IT COMES nATURAL wrote:cant figure out how to post a pic [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Go to your "see ur profile" and above the registration part is different tabs, pick AVATAR!

When my crown progressively became thinner each year, I decided that I needed to take a healthier approach to my hair. I immersed myself into trying to find out as much as possible about the natural journey and haven't regretted a moment.

Well What a great question! I started to inquire about natural hair back in 2006 out of curiosity and I didnt really know what it meant to be natural...I knew I wanted to try something different. I didn't have ANY knowledge on how to start the process or maintain it..there wasnt many blogs or youtube vids out yet. But I started my transition process..I learned that u had to cut out the perm tho and I wast ready 4 all that yet.

I was dating and was to scared of my bf (now hubby) reaction, plus the reaction of my family/friends. I was always known 4 long healthy hair. After transitioning for 3 mnths..I couldn't take it anymore and gave in the the "creamy crack"..lol Fast forward to 2008 I began the process of loosing weight and I would literally sweat out my perms and well all know how new growth looks..so I would do a touch up every now and then to keep my "kitchen" tamed.lol I started to see the effects of the relaxer around my edges and I was like "uh uh" either I have to stop working out or leave the perm alone..I was on a roll with my weight loss..so I decided to stop perming my hair and I started my transitioning process in July 08' and not knowing what to do next.....so around Oct. 08' I started to do more research on the web and youtube....

I was so overwhemled with the results I was seeing and I wanted that. I didnt have a clue what I was doin..all knew is that I wanted this perm out my hair and I wanted to see my real texture..fast forward again..I had a friend do the BC for me on Oct. 11 2008 and I havent looked back since..I always wanted curly hair and who knew that I had it all along..

my choice to go natural was a lightbulb moment when my hair was getting dryer and thinner and finally the amount of hair i was lossing [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . I throw away my pressing comb and said this is not worth it and all I need is to throw away my flat iron and I really be set(havent used it over a year since i went natural).

Honestly, my transition to natural was an impulsive happenstance. I have a hectic work schedule and can be pretty lazy about doing my hair so from June 2008 to April 2009 I wore sew-ins religiously.

I had been on relaxed hair forums before and at that time my goal was just to grow my relaxed hair out to BSL. I had a week-long stint with microbraids in October 2008, but I hated the way they looked on me. I went to a shop to take them down and put in a sew-in, but in the process they chopped off about 3 inches of my relaxed ends! Talk about pissed! They tried to act like they didn't know what I was talking about, but shoot I knew how long my hair was.

At that point there was no reason to relax my hair because it would just be a short bob--and I freaking HATE bobs--well on me anyway. So I just continued to get sew-ins. Every time I went to the shop they asked me if I wanted to relax the new growth, but I declined. There was no point if I was just going to be hiding it all under some weave. Besides the braids underneath stay way better when you've got some new growth to grip, so I just kept doing that.

In April 2009, money got TIGHT! I couldn't afford to get that next sew-in and I didn't want to relax my hair. I had been talking with my BFF about what I should do with my hair and after watching tons of youtube videos about people big chopping and styling their natural hair I said well I'll just go ahead and give this thing a try.

I had no desire to deal with two textures, and I was excited to see what my curl pattern would be. I would wet the hair that started to come out of my cornrows in the back and on sides to see if I could get it to curl and of course it did! I just couldn't wait to see the full shebang.

So one Thursday night after work (on impulse) I took out my sew-in, combed through it, and then cut a big chunk in the front so I couldn't chicken out. I cut the rest of it off. Got in the shower and washed and conditioned, and I think my first "style" though it didn't look like much was a twist out. And there you have it, my happy accidental transition.

OMG, my decision to go natural was definitely a light bulb moment for me. I decided I was just tired of going to the salon and spending money every two weeks and believe me I was faithful to Saturday mornings. I could have been buying other things with the money I was spending. Anywho, I transitioned for five months when on the day after Christmas I took my braids out and washed and lawd hamercy, my roots were a mess I quickly panicked and told my husband to take me to get it cut off cause I can't take it any more. To make a long story short, I have been natural for 11 months now and I am so glad that I did it, it has been life changing... even in the way I carry myself, I feel more mature. I will be turning 30 in January and look at my BC and the lead in to my new age.

freshman year of college, i was pretty involved with the political and history buff students. i was exposed to a lot of books and people that thankfully opened my eyes. i came back sophomore year with a twa and have loved natural hair ever since - all natural hair. i've bc'ed a few times years later b/c of disastrous self-coloring and boredom. but i think i now know how to get several looks with my natural hair and i leave coloring to the professionals. well for the most part [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I tried going natural twice before I finally did it in 2005. I just remembered loving my hair as a little girl. I would always get compliments on it. I have to say I never experienced any breakage with relaxers. My hair was very healthy when I was relaxed. That attributed to my regular weekly or bi weekly visits to the salon.

The final straw with my relaxed hair was on a trip to Orlando. It was March and so humid I could not stand it. My hair was cut very short in a little pixie. I fought a good fight trying to keep my hair straight during my visit but there was one unrelenting curl smack dab in the middle of my forehead. So I inspected this worthy opponent and realized how beautiful it was. I thought...I wonder if the rest of my hair will be like this. I returned home to NYC and went to my usual Fri evening appointment in Harlem and told my stylist that I was going natural. I will never forget the look on her face.

Transitioning was very easy for me because my hair was short to start with. The curls just started coming after that. The best decision I every made. I love my hair. I could be just saying that because today is a great hair day:) No seriously I would never go back to the creamy crack.

I decided to go natural this past spring when I was training for my first half marathon. It was something I always secretly wanted to do but didn't get the courage until I found myself getting tired of trying to maintain my hair while running 3-4 times a week. I decided I was finally going to do it. I have been transitioning for a little over 7 months and plan to cut it on 12/2/2009. I am beyond excited to make the big chop and also a little nervous. I just discovered your site about 1 week ago but it has really inspired me to keep pressing with the hopes of soon being completely natural. Your site has been such an inspiration to me! Thanks to you and all the beautiful natural woman who have inspired me!

My freshman year in college, there was this girl who lived in my dorm with the most beautiful natural hair I had ever seen. I never knew her name or even spoke to her, but I had the biggest crush on her hair. It wasnt just her hair that inspired me. It was her demanor, confidence and courage to be who she wanted to be. I think she was a senior at the time and I will never forget her. I didn't start the transition until two years later, but she was undoubtedly the source of my inspiration.

It was definitely a gradual process. It took six years and three different tries to finally let myself love who I am enough to let my hair be what it is. I tried transitioning twice. I did a big chop once, stayed natural and still went back to the relaxer. I regretted it immediately. This last time, I transitioned for 13 months. I've been natural for 5 months. It has been the best decision for me. I love the versatility of my natural hair and discovering new ways to style it all the time.

I did it because I knew it was the best thing for my hair. I had a great support system at the time (freshman year) and I knew there was no turning back yayyyy!

I went natural because I fell in love with the many different textures of natural hair. For as long as I could remember my hair has been relaxed and damaged. I have seen pictures of myself as a young girl and my hair was thick curly and down to the middle of my back. WHERE DID ALL THAT HAIR GO? Over years of relaxing and heat it got shorter and shorter. I began looking on you tube and it was an instant lightbulb of what I needed to do. I big chopped on my boyfriend and I's anniversary Oct. 18 and have not looked back since. I am very excited about this journey of growing my hair long and healthy.

I'd been natural for 18 years of my life, but once I went away to college in Florida, with the humidity and hot temps I thought a perm was better. As most 18 year olds, I didn't really know how to take care of my hair, which was just about bsl when I entered college. I allowed other college students to do my hair, fry it with all types of straightening irons, and put just about any cheap perm I could get into it. My hair went from being very thick and bsl to thin and just about shoulder length. I wanted to reclaim my hair, enjoy my curls and really get an understanding of how to take care of my hair properly. Since I've gone natural, my thick hair has returned, I'm loving my curls, and taking care of my hair, and achieving healthy hair has become my main goal. I'm so glad I went natural again, I just wish I would've made the decision sooner.