One Year Natural!!!

Today marks my first year anniversary of being natural! Last year on this day, I made the decision to chop off my hair and embark on a journey that I knew would change my life. And boy, what a journey it's been!

The first couple of months being natural were fairly easy. I choose to have my hair stylist finger/comb coil the majority of my hair and at the top, set my hair with perm rods to achieve a curly look.

Finger/Comb Coils, July 2013

I began to research more looks for my TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro). I still did my wash and go's and brush coiled my hair. Brush coiling my hair was super easy! And I loved the texture that resulted from this style. I knew that as my hair grew longer, it'd be harder to do so I enjoyed it while it lasted. 

Brush Coils on Wash N' Go Hair, August 2013

Eventually, I wanted to try flat twist and braid outs. My first couple of twist outs took me FOREVER to do. I knew how to twist and cornrow everyone else's hair but my own! What a shame right? But I knew that I had to start somewhere...

Twist Out, June 2013

This was a twist out in September 2013 gone WRONG! But I was the hostess of a wedding  so I had no choice but to rock it!

After awhile, I was beginning to grow frustrated with my hair . As your hair grows, you begin to really see what grade(s) of hair you have. I wasn't satisfied with the products that I'd been using. Some of them left my hair crunchy and dry while others didn't help me to achieve the definition that I wanted. I had to do more research.

Flat Twist Out, October 2013

November 2013 is when I noticed a huge hair growth spurt. My hair drastically shrinks when it's wet. But when it began to get colder in October, I stopped my wash and go's. The night before Thanksgiving, I did my first twist out by myself. Although my hair didn't look like I thought it'd would, I was still happy that I could see how much it'd grown!

Braid Out, November 2013

I began to practice twisting and braiding my hair on a regular basis. It became a very tedious process but waking up with crazy looking hair was not an option! 

Braid Out, January 2014

This past winter was brutal on my hair! It didn't seem to react well to the cold weather and I didn't want my hair to break. I needed a protective style to give my hair a break. The perfect solution was to get super long box braids!

Box Braids, Valentine's Day 2014

Box Braids, April 2014

Having tailbone length box braids was definitely an experience. It took 8 hours to braid my entire head. I'm already tender-headed, so the weight of the braids was almost too much! And I was obsessed with keeping my scalp clean and my hair moisturized to prevent any excess breakage. I cleansed my scalp weekly with Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and my co-wash conditioner. Then I'd apply my leave-in conditioner and tea tree oil. Every other day, I'd spray my scalp and hair with a mixture of water and oil.

Once I became used to the weight of the braids, I loved them! It was nice to have a break from worrying about my hair in the cold weather. I also liked how it gave me a different look! I had a significant amount of new growth so I had them redone after a month. I kept the braids for a total of two months. 

It was finally beginning to warm up (HALLELUJAH!!) in April so I took my braids out. I noticed a lot of shedding so I went to my hair stylist for some much needed hair pampering and a trim. 

Blow Out, April 2014

Old Perm Rod Set, April 2014

Seeing how much my hair has grown has been an indescribable feeling! But I have experienced some doubts and fears of not being happy with my hair. People can be extremely judgmental about your hair! They offer unsolicited advice and make comments about something that they either don't want to understand or have the courage to do themselves. It's crazy that the choices that you make can affect someone so much that they feel the need to be negative. 

Luckily, no one has dared to make such comments to my face. I do hear the "Oh your hair is so thick, how do you manage?!" and the "You should straighten your hair" comments. I just ignore them. I began this journey to grow BIG healthy hair, no matter what. I knew that my hair would be extremely thick and kinky curly but you know what? It's mine. I've grown to adore my hair just the way that it is. 

In all honesty, going natural has helped me to rediscover myself. I needed to shock myself and see if I could handle letting go of something so familiar. In the past, I've allowed my bohemian side to blossom, from my hobbies to my clothes, but never my hair. Now, my hair reflects who I am inside: Strong. Confident. Distinctive. Beautiful.

The only minor regret I have is not doing it sooner! My hair could be flourishing on Esperanza Spalding-esque levels right now haha! But I'll bide my time, see where this hair journey takes me, and enjoy every moment in between. Happy 1st Year Natural to me!!!

Thanks for reading my loves! If you have any questions about my hair or products that I use, comment below! Peace!