So how are you coping?
Funny enough I didn't feel upset or feel any kind of doubt or regret, I was actually very happy and felt relieved (No more migraines and no more scabby scalp due to those evil relaxers! Haha) I was loving my TWA, I was loving the natural mini curls and the texture of my hair, so much so, that I cut it even shorter the next day after returning to London and showing my Mother.
YES my Mum cussed me out, she cussed me hard, she was upset cause the 20 years of hard work she put into keeping my relaxed hair healthy, was thrown away along with the bag containing the remains of my big chop. Did I mention she cussed me? She told me I looked like a village girl in Nigeria who can't afford to do her hair, so she just cuts it off instead...really?...Really Mum?
But hey even with all that (and yes my Father joined in too with the cussings...and my little 6 year old sister who actually said my hair looked ugly...*Tears* it truly was a tough week, under their roof.)
However when I went back to Birmingham I received compliments and praises from the MATURE people who embrace the natural beauty that God has given me. I am glad.
It wasn't long before I realised that I couldn't actually use half the accessories I bought in preparation for my natural hair journey. because it was too short. However I did a lot of research and watched a lot of Youtube videos and discovered what people call...the Wash and Go.
At this point I started looking at the huge tub of Eco Styler gel and realised this could work...I can actually pull this off. So I washed my hair and drenched my hair in the gel to make my curls all defined and whatnot. THEN dilemma number one occurred. See during my transitioning period I used the gel quite a bit, and it worked on sleeking my hair down and stuff, but I realised that the more growth I got, the harder it became to sleek down my hair. So yes now that there were no relaxed hairs on my head, there was no holding my stubborn fro. I learnt that my hair is ridiculously stubborn to the point where even Eco styler's maximum hold gel, can't do a thing about it. My early wash and goes sucked, cause the Eco styler just couldn't define or hold my curls, imagine sticky combed out afro...that was what it was like, even though I didn't comb my hair.
THEN IC Fantasia Hair Polisher STYLING GEL (Hard to hold) came to my rescue. It held my hair and gave it a cute curl definition, I also used Organic Root stimulator's Olive Oil Edge Control for my baby hair and to sleek down my sides, which worked beautifully, I discovered a badass combination here.
THEN I discovered Flaxseed. Using flaxseeds I was able to make some homemade gel, this right here, was amazing. It smelt gorgeous too when I added my essence oils and the hold was really nice. I currently do Wash and Gos and two strand bantu knot outs with it, and when I say this right here defines the curls, I really mean this baby defines the curls and makes it look beautiful! Now my old problem was when I was taking out my knots and there was this crunchy flaking I experienced, but I realised it was because I needed to have some kind of moisture in my hair while I'm taking out the knots so that it doesn't flake while I'm tampering. After that I never experienced flaking again. The only downside is that it doesn't sleek back my edges by itself, unless it has the help of the ORS Olive Oil Edge Control.
So what's up now?
Right now my hair has tripled in length since I cut it to literally an inch long, on the 1st of June, but as I am experiencing the typical shrinkage, it's hard to notice some days. I'm hoping to get my hair in braids soon as my protective styling...cause I think my hair has been out in the open a bit too long now, and I don't want the pollution or free radicals to damage my hair. :(
-Rouge
