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| Bday 2012 |
I will never forget the look of horror on my mama’s face the day she picked me up from my freshman year of college for a weekend trip to my hometown. “I cannot BELIEVE you cut off all your HAIR. As hard as I worked to GROW some hair on your head, and you go and cut it all off”, she fumed. We rode home in silence. Some 17 years later, through countless hairstyles, bad dye-jobs, tattoos, career changes, heart breaks, and growing pains, mama may not always agree with my choices; but she loves me just the same and is always in my corner. Love you ma! :)
So on to what we’re here to talk about…natural hair! I made the decision to go natural a couple of years ago for the same reason I decide on any variance to my physical appearance - I simply wanted a change. I was bored and frustrated with my relaxed hairstyle, and was curious as to what I would look like and how fast my hair would grow without chemicals. I didn’t do much research, youtube video-watching, or interviewing sistahs that were already natural because it just wasn’t that deep for me. It looked good on Delana and her little sister Ebony, so it would work for me too!
After transitioning for about 6 months with rod sets and a helmet-like sew-in, my bestie and forever kitchen beautician Delana did the big chop for me. I loved it and it really felt like “me” - like this was the look I was always supposed to have. I did wash-n-go’s for a while until my hair got too long. Then I learned how to double strand twist. As far as my every day look, I would either wear the twist out with side combs for a fro-hawk effect, or an afro puff using a stretchy band. Every few weeks or so I would apply a dark brown non-chemical rinse in my hair to attempt to cover those pesky gray hairs and add shine to my coils; but the gray would never go away completely. Arrgghhh those pesky wirey gray hairs!
In an attempt to cover my gray and give my hair a little pep in its’ step, I opted to permanently color my hair a strawberry blonde-like color in the summer of 2011. Now folks I have colored my hair many a times before, cut it, had chemical relaxer on top of chemical relaxer, but this trip to King’s Beauty Supply Store proved to become the biggest HAIR-stake of my life!
A few weeks after applying the boxed color treatment and mass texting my friends “blondes have more fun”, I noticed my hair starting to break off in clumps. My hair was doing more snapping, crackling and popping than a bowl of rice krispy cereal. I was terrified, losing sleep, and seriously getting depressed. After some time, I pretty much had a hole in my hair, and it looked like I had turned that bowl of rice krispies upside down on top of my head and cut out the imprint – a reverse bowl fade if you will. The hair in the crown of my head had the texture of something between a tennis ball and dead grass. Can you say PANIC!
That’s when I knew it had to be done. I contacted a stylist buddy up here in Charlotte for an emergency appointment to cut it all off and start over. She did a great job with the cut, but she didn’t have any clippers, and any barber will tell you that when you are going for a cut that low, clippers are a must. The scissor cut left a few gaps in my hair; which I wore for a couple of weeks just because I didn’t know any better. I was then referred by a friend to a professional barber who finalized my haircut into a nice neat caesar-style.
It’s a good thing that celebrities like Amber Rose, Chrisette Michelle, and others had made this whole bald and gloriously sexy thing a hit; otherwise I think I would have had a more difficult time coping with not having hair. Strangely enough though, I felt more confident, bold, sexy, and feminine with a low cut than I had ever felt with lots of hair on my head. I noticed that I was getting attention from men too and turning quite a few heads. Hmmm…maybe this whole cropped cut thing would work out for me after all!
It has now been a year since the 2nd “big chop”. My hair and scalp is healing; yet still very damaged in the crown; and honestly I don’t know that it will ever be the same. At this time, I’m not convinced at what to do with or for my hair…so I’ve been taking periodic trips to my barber just to keep it tidy, as well as keeping it moisturized and conditioned. Are the gray hairs still there? They sure are, but I plan on seeing a professional stylist soon to see what natural products can help with that. Arrgghh those pesky wirey gray hairs!
At the end of the day, children are dying of cancer, maniacs are mass murdering innocent citizens, and homeless people are on the streets…HEY, IT’S JUST HAIR, and there are way more important things to worry about. And yes, I’m still turning heads! :)
Hearts,
Candice
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| bc 2010 |
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Thanks Candice for your story, you look great no matter the do. Candice has an unprecedented originality and will be featured more on her style her way! What have been your challenges in your natural journey?
Share your kinks delasense@gmail.com.
I twisted of course with Shine n Jam on dry hair on Thursday night. You talkin about some moisturized hair!!!
I always admire one of my coworker’s Flat Twist out. Who knows about the outtakes, but Monique’s hair is perfect every time I see it. We talk about hair, accessories, and other things, so Monday I asked her what she uses on her flat twist outs. Motions naturally You Hydrate your curls Pudding and Define your curls Cream. Hmmm-my PJ’ism was brewing. Then she said, “Well since my hair is straight right now, I’ll bring you my jars so you can test them out. Sweet Genius!!! So I almost just bought them anyway, but I was actually strong enough to wait until yesterday, a whole day, for her to bring me her Motions products.
