Swoodward, working on retaining my growth - still working it out

Ok, ladies, I am late in going natural and late entering the contest but here goes!

I have been relaxing my hair steadily for about 22 years. Now that doesn't count the off and on relaxing I did from high school through to college graduation. If I add that in, we're talking 31 years of creamy crack.

When I was 7 or so, I noticed my first commercial for shampoo. The young white model piled her bubble-covered hair on top of her head and rubbed like she was kneading dough. She smiled the happiest, buy me smile. The next shot showed her swinging her long blond hair. By the time I was 8, me, the hot comb and my mother were seriously at odds, so I started doing my own hair and that was the first hair model I ever tried to copy. What's really sad is NO ONE should wash her their hair like that! When I think about this now, of course it makes sense that my hair broke off.

I am very lucky because I can see see my hair always grows. I don't mean my hair grows fast. Everyone's hair grows, but a lot of women don't see that their hair grows or even how fast it grows. For those of you ladies who grew up in a very hair-competitive black community, you know that perpetually long hair that never breaks is the best hair, but hair that breaks and grows back is almost acceptable. For too many women, even that is unknown. I always knew that even after a minor disaster, it would grow back and I just had to be a little nicer. The great secret of long hair though, has eluded me for most of my life.

By the time I was 13, I had a very good idea of how my hair worked, how fast it grew and how to keep a decent amount of it on my head. When I got to high school, I was considered one of those girls with acceptable hair -long by some standards, ok by those with long hair (bsl or longer).

In 10th grade I transferred to a mixed High School, I started relaxing my hair . (even sadder!) I think someone else did it first but I don't remember, I touched it up myself for years. I was never relentless about it and never relaxed my roots more than 3 or 4 times a year. But you all know how this ends.

There was a hair tragedy with relaxer, bleach and dye, after which I got my self to a real hairdresser ( still see him today). I would go a year or more with no relaxer then start all over again. From about the time my daughter turned 3 until last June, I kept up the relaxers via the stylist 3 or 4 times a year.


About 5 years ago, my scalp started turning bright red when I got my drug. Even my stylist noticed it. Then came the snow showers (Don't touch the hair in a meeting! And don't shake your head too hard because you'll trigger another "event").

Finally, there was shedding - a LOT of shedding and a psoriasis diagnosis which I went immediately into denial over. Once I pulled a enough hair out of the shower drain to cover a hairless cat. Yikes!


I knew my relaxer days were limited and going on this journey was one of the most wonderful things I have ever done. I still envy all of those young women who have done and are doing it while young.

I did this because I wanted to see how long I could grow my hair, because I wanted to see my real hair, because I think that curly cues and tight spirals are gorgeous, because I see beauty everywhere and want to see it in myself.

But most if all, because I want to have some fun! I say fun because I have recently RE-discovered that my hair is soft, cooperative and will pretty much do what I tell it. What I like telling it most lately is to be curly! (Or does it like telling me?)

Welcome!!

thanks!!!

Welcome!!

Hello and welcome swoodward!!! You have a great story and I'm excited to see your hair grow and prosper

Thanks!!! Every day I fall more in love with my hair. I think it's already growing!!!

Welcome!!!!

**gates of heaven open** AAAAAAAHHH AAAAAH!!! Welcome!!

Thanks for the warm welcome. Feels great to be in such a wonderful community!

BTW, my kid sis BC'd on Saturday after a four month transition. I really want her to post but so far no go.

today's hair: started as a twist out but it was da#m near 90 degrees today. The good news is - i have a curl pattern!!!.

red lipstick


henna - yay!

YAYYYYY!!!! WELCOME!!!!!

AND YAYYY FOR HENNA!!!!

Intelligentbeauty wrote:YAYYYYY!!!! WELCOME!!!!!

AND YAYYY FOR HENNA!!!!

Thanks!!! I love henna. I don't know how I went so long without trying it. I've had permanent hair color wipe off , break off and wash off with my hair still attached. I've seen highlights gently float away in the wind FROM MY SCALP - now that was a sick feeling. I used to get Jazzing put in with every touch up. By the end of the first month you could see the gray. By the end of the third month it was just a hot mess. White, Silver, dull orange and dark brown. Yuck.

I put my last henna in on 3/22. I cannot believe how great this stuff is - the color is so deep and rich. Meow! I love it.

Thanks CN for continuing this thread - I may not post every day but it is so great to see it and read all of the stories. Plus I can keep logging my progress.

Hello and welcome ....

Tried to do a wash and go before work this morning and it was a disaster! I had too much product buildup for a cowash so I shampooed with a sulfate free shampoo. I conditioned, the curls popped and then I added Elasta QP feels like silk. My hair felt weird. I thought "maybe a heavier moisturizer" so I slapped on some qhemets amla and olive heavy cream and plopped.

Well, I took off the t-shirt after fifteen minutes and i had GLOBS of product in my hair - it was like a horrible science experiment gone horribly wrong. I looked like I had randomly dropped spoonfuls of mayonnaise on my head. I couldn't even take a picture. My hair felt awful.

I washed it AGAIN and used up the last of my DevaOne conditioner. This time, I went for the devil I knew - Kinky Curly. I had to sit under a cool dryer though and that ain't gonna fly during the work week.

I am going to try this again and hopefully - post a few pics. Trial and error - well, mostly error!

For whatever reason, I got a lot of compliments today but at 7 am this morning I was in a total panic.

SWoodard...Welcome! Your story took me back for real!

Henna...I love it, too. Just today I was thinking about how much I love it (LOL) and realized I'd always been told it would HURT my hair or that is was for white women! SMH

Sorry about your "AM Hair Mishap"...keep trying, that's all you can do!

Thanks TheRYL1, I am still laughing at your stories. I can't wait to hear more!

I am going to try again tomorrow. Will take a pic. I am going to give the elasta qp one more shot on wet hair. so fair it's only good for me on dry hair.

Oh, and my daughter said I didn't have to watch Jessica Simpson tonight since I was on that site "NAPPY HAIR".

NOOOOOOOO! She didn't go there! ;-)

Today mine commented on how I'm always online..."looking at YouTube with Curly Nikki"...she had me laughing!

Anyway...we shall overcome! LOL

lol!!! no she didnt!!

not randomly drop spoonfuls of mayo tho' hahahahaaaa!!

hey Lady!

Just stopping through to say Hey and have a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! ;-)

@TheRyl1, Thanks - Happy Mother's day to you too!!!

Ok ladies, Well, I tried to W&G the next day. I decided to use all curls products - condish, moisturizing spray and curl-gels-c. I thought I would take a more scientific approach. One set of products at a time. Drum roll please......

It was even more of a disaster!!! Check it out:



My hair was just icky - NO CURLY. What you see is an impending snow storm or a "Snow Event" as we like to call it in Philly after the crazy winter we had.

It was so dry by the end of the day I had to prepoo overnight. Remind me to not use Curls if i don't have time to 1. Shingle properly and 2. Sit under a dryer.

When this stuff dried 6 hours later and I touched my hair the flakes came flying down. I was double p!$$ed this time!!! (Let it snow, let it snow, let. it. snow!) GRRRRRRRRRRRR!




Oh well. You live and you learn. I should have known when my husband asked what I was doing to my hair and when I said I was trying to make my curls pop, he stopped and said " is that what you think you're doing?"

Swoodard...have you tried the Accordion Method for a wash n' go. Mahogany Curls did a video on it.

But, here it is in a nutshell: co-wash, add some of your leave-in...then while it is wet...apply your styler and SMUSH (push your hair toward your head...all the way around..accordion-like). Now wet it again...this distributes the styler throughout your hair. Smush more (if you like) and arrange curls how you want them to be. Use a towel (or whatever you use) to catch the drippies. Then let it dry...oh, and don't touch it while it's drying. :-)

This is my life saver when my hair looks electified on some mornings! Try it and let me know if it works for you.

I did see Mahogany Curls vid. How long does the process take once you apply the leave in? Can you estimate how long before you are ready to walk out the door?

Let's see...it really didn't take too long before I was heading out the door...less than 30 minutes. Also, you can wring out as much water as you can once you've added your product. That way it won't be super wet and dripping.

I mean this is my last minute, save my life do! So, I've done the whole thing in less than 20 minutes! ;-)