Love the confidence, love the smile, love the HAIR! Congrats on your BC and thanks for sharing your experience with us!!
Kcurly: What influenced your decision to go natural?
Determined: It was combination of boredom & a love of big wild curly kinky hair. I had reached my length goal relaxed, and I was getting bored, and at the same time I kept noticing all these these beautiful heads of natural hair. I always stretched my relaxers to at least 12 weeks, and I start really loving my little curls and coils so I decided to just take the plunge to transition. I wound up only transitioning about 5 months though, because dealing with the two textures became too much of a hassle, and I really wanted to see my natural hair.
Kcurly: How long did you transition?
Determined: 5 months. My last relaxer was at the end of November 2008 and I chopped at the end of April 2009.
Kcurly: What is the most important thing you learned while transitioning?
Determined: To appreciate what my natural hair was doing. For many years, I had a “anything that isn’t bone straight is bad” mentality and I didn’t like my new growth. I would flatiron it all the time. Once I decide to transition, my entire attitude about my natural hair completely changed, and I loved how my hair made these perfect little coils like little corkscrews all on its own. I just started going along with what my hair wanted to do and it made life easier. I also did either textured styles like braidouts and twistouts, or I did protective styles like cute buns to hide the 2 textures.
Kcurly: What’s your biggest problem now that you’ve BC’d?
Determined: That I can’t do all the cute styles yet! My hair is about 2 inches long in the back, and 3 inches in the front/middle, so its not long enough for many of the styles I love. Right now I’m just testing out different products to see how my natural hair responds, and keeping it moisturized.
Kcurly: What’s your favorite thing about your newly BC’d hair?
Determined : My curls and coils! I play in my hair all day, and I’m just fascinated with my curls and coils. I also love the freedom that natural gives me in terms of my lifestyle.
Kcurly: Any advice for the newbies out there?
Determined: Keep it simple, and read the hair boards & blogs! There is a wealth of information out there, and you can find the answer to almost every question you have. But most of all just enjoy your hair and don’t take it too seriously!
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Congratulations Determined!
I’m coming up on my 1 year anniversary but I was behind the ball. I’m just now finding all these wonderful hair blogs and forums!
Congrats Determined!!! Your hair is gorgeous!!!
You’ll be able to try all of those new styles in no time!!! I’m still transitioning and can’t wait until all of the relaxed hair is completely gone!!! You’re right about the wealth of info out there!!! I’m always learning something new.
aw, she looks so cute w/ her natural hair! it fits her better. Congratz Determined22
Congrats Determined22! Your hair looks great.
Good for you. I went natural for a couple of years a few years ago. It was so liberating. My hair was growing like crazy, but it got to such a length that I didn’t know what to do with it, so I gave in and went back to relaxers. Hang in there, be confident, be natural and be beautiful!!