At least 3 years I'd say. 2 years for sure.
Natural Ladies, what is your natural story/ experience ?
- Thread starter Raava
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- hair journey natural hair
At least 3 years I'd say. 2 years for sure.
1.Why did you really go natural?
I always had collarbone length hair and wanted long hair (2008). My older sister was (and still is) natural at the time and her hair was long and beautiful. So, I was like...natural = long ass swanging hair
2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
My linesister taught me the importance of deep conditioning and how to style my permed hair. So it looked nice, I did my own hair weekly. But my hair wasn't long (I also was perming my hair too often, and I had a section of hair in my crown that I routinely overprocessed because it didn't behave like the rest of my hair. But that was because I was overprocessing it and using to much heat on it).
3. Have you ever backslid?
So....my slow self put a texturizer in my hair a year after I had done the big chop (2009)...But it didn't register that this was a permanent change that I would have to either keep doing to my new growth or grow back out. So I transitioned again, this time without a big chop.
4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
I've shared this story somewhere on the interwebs. But essentially the big chop was not a good look for me. My hair stayed moisturized, soft, enviable, but that shyt did not fit my face. My fwb called it off for good when he saw me with my twa. And I had to do my BC myself, my friend refused to help me cut it and contribute to me being 'a bald headed scallywag.'
5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Honestly, I am toying with the idea. My hair is long af now, but I have major styling issues. I can't do twist, braid, bantus-So I mainly rock hair hats. When I do wear my own hair out in the world, it's straightened BUT roller curls or those done by curling irons drop within two hours AND when i get hot, my scalp sweats first so reversion is a beast. I'm also lazy af
I always had collarbone length hair and wanted long hair (2008). My older sister was (and still is) natural at the time and her hair was long and beautiful. So, I was like...natural = long ass swanging hair
2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
My linesister taught me the importance of deep conditioning and how to style my permed hair. So it looked nice, I did my own hair weekly. But my hair wasn't long (I also was perming my hair too often, and I had a section of hair in my crown that I routinely overprocessed because it didn't behave like the rest of my hair. But that was because I was overprocessing it and using to much heat on it).
3. Have you ever backslid?
So....my slow self put a texturizer in my hair a year after I had done the big chop (2009)...But it didn't register that this was a permanent change that I would have to either keep doing to my new growth or grow back out. So I transitioned again, this time without a big chop.4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
I've shared this story somewhere on the interwebs. But essentially the big chop was not a good look for me. My hair stayed moisturized, soft, enviable, but that shyt did not fit my face. My fwb called it off for good when he saw me with my twa. And I had to do my BC myself, my friend refused to help me cut it and contribute to me being 'a bald headed scallywag.'5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Honestly, I am toying with the idea. My hair is long af now, but I have major styling issues. I can't do twist, braid, bantus-So I mainly rock hair hats. When I do wear my own hair out in the world, it's straightened BUT roller curls or those done by curling irons drop within two hours AND when i get hot, my scalp sweats first so reversion is a beast. I'm also lazy af
I don't believe it. It looks so defined and untangled in your avi pics.Me tooheaded there now
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Gift and a curse, my hair still looks ok for a while. But when you get to the middle :huldup: It looks like that now, but I need to detangled it before it starts locking up and fusing together. I'm on the cusp of having to wear buns until I have time to do hours of detangling. If I wait too long it takes over 4 hours and can be painful.
1.Why did you really go natural?
Honestly? I just wanted long/thick hair. My permed hair was a mess and I didn't know how to take care of it, No one did. I youtubed "how to grow long african american hair" or something like that and saw a RusticBeauty video and was like
I want her hair. That was it. Didn't get another perm after that.
2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
I got permed pretty young, too. Wanted to be like the big kids
I wanna say I was about 5 or 6.
I hated my permed hair cause it was short, thin and ALWAYS breaking off. Disaster. I kept my hair braided (micros mostly) and just said forget my real hair. The few times I actually went to a salon the stylist would give me a trim every session so I wasn't seeing any growth It was a mess forreal, y'all. I'm so glad I learned early (got my last perm at 14).
3. Have you ever backslid?
Nope.
4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
I was a little upset when I realized my hair was still thin and I couldn't do the type of styles I saw on youtube.
Did people discourage me? Nah, not really. I'm always trying to do something so when I told my fam that I wasn't gonna perm anymore they were like "
Ok girl, have fun". They seem to like it now, always giving me compliments.
5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Can't say for sure but it's highly unlikely. I look better with a fro.
6. Regrets?
There is a very small part of me that wished I had big chopped instead of transitioning through braids. But like I said, I was 14 and walking around with a twa wasn't an option
Honestly? I just wanted long/thick hair. My permed hair was a mess and I didn't know how to take care of it, No one did. I youtubed "how to grow long african american hair" or something like that and saw a RusticBeauty video and was like
I want her hair. That was it. Didn't get another perm after that. 2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
I got permed pretty young, too. Wanted to be like the big kids
I wanna say I was about 5 or 6. I hated my permed hair cause it was short, thin and ALWAYS breaking off. Disaster. I kept my hair braided (micros mostly) and just said forget my real hair. The few times I actually went to a salon the stylist would give me a trim every session so I wasn't seeing any growth
It was a mess forreal, y'all. I'm so glad I learned early (got my last perm at 14).3. Have you ever backslid?
Nope.
4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
I was a little upset when I realized my hair was still thin and I couldn't do the type of styles I saw on youtube.
Did people discourage me? Nah, not really. I'm always trying to do something so when I told my fam that I wasn't gonna perm anymore they were like "
Ok girl, have fun". They seem to like it now, always giving me compliments.5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Can't say for sure but it's highly unlikely. I look better with a fro.
6. Regrets?
There is a very small part of me that wished I had big chopped instead of transitioning through braids. But like I said, I was 14 and walking around with a twa wasn't an option
Mine has locked up and fused together.
I don't want to cut it, and be bald again, but I might have to. 
KinksandCoils
African American Queen
Ok so I never in my life got relaxers often. I think the most ever would probably be 3 in a yr but most of the time it was 1-2 relaxers a yr.
It started off with me being too broke to pay to get a relaxer done(at the time) I know how to do it myself but I don't like to because I figured that mixing box relaxers and salon ones too much would be bad. My last relaxer was a box one but the ones before that, I had went to the shop.
So....
Basically I have always stretched my relaxers out. One day my friend was talking about leaving in rinse out conditioner I gave her the
anyways she gave me some of her conditioner because it was giving her dandruff
. I started using the conditioner on my edges and noticed that it was smoothing them out
.
So I figured if I want to wear my hair straight why put a chemical in it when I could just flat iron it?
I didn't have any moral reasons to stop getting relaxers it was just the fact that flat irons gave me the same results that I wanted. And trust me, My ass is a genius with the flatiron
.
So I officially decided I was going natural. After a yr of not having a relaxer my hair started to break off. So I ended up cutting it 15 months in.
I stopped flatironing it. It's been about 7 months.
I went natural 9/2014
I have no desire to ever get a relaxer again. My hair texture isn't even much different than my relaxed one and I know how to maintain both so I'm cool. I haven't had a relaxer since 7/2013
It started off with me being too broke to pay to get a relaxer done(at the time) I know how to do it myself but I don't like to because I figured that mixing box relaxers and salon ones too much would be bad. My last relaxer was a box one but the ones before that, I had went to the shop.
So....
Basically I have always stretched my relaxers out. One day my friend was talking about leaving in rinse out conditioner I gave her the
anyways she gave me some of her conditioner because it was giving her dandruff. I started using the conditioner on my edges and noticed that it was smoothing them out.So I figured if I want to wear my hair straight why put a chemical in it when I could just flat iron it?
I didn't have any moral reasons to stop getting relaxers it was just the fact that flat irons gave me the same results that I wanted. And trust me, My ass is a genius with the flatiron
.So I officially decided I was going natural. After a yr of not having a relaxer my hair started to break off. So I ended up cutting it 15 months in.
I stopped flatironing it. It's been about 7 months.
I went natural 9/2014
I have no desire to ever get a relaxer again. My hair texture isn't even much different than my relaxed one and I know how to maintain both so I'm cool. I haven't had a relaxer since 7/2013
Mine has locked up and fused together.
Do you finger detangled?
Elle Driver
Veteran
I been putting my hair into french braids just to keep me from straightening it @Raedawn07 but I hate it.
What about some Havana twists or braids so you can leave it alone? That's what I am about to do.I been putting my hair into french braids just to keep me from straightening it @Raedawn07 but I hate it.
Elle Driver
Veteran
HONEYBLAY
Pro
1.Why did you really go natural?
I was so over,tired of perming my hair....
2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
It was thinning,and i had to use so many diff products..
I said i can't continue to do this to my hair...
3. Have you ever backslid?
Never...i Love,love,love my Natural roots/strands.. ;)
4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
Nope,.Once i set me mind to do something..I'M THERE...
5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Nope,never,,I'm done with perms.....~I'z Free..~
6. Regrets?
My only regret is not loving my natural strands....
No more head wraps,bonnets,perms.etc...
My hair is super easy to maintain...
Wash,condition,oil(i use olive oil on my hair} as needed,braid-out,and Go...
@TeamNaturalHair..
I was so over,tired of perming my hair....
2. What was your experience with/ thoughts of of your hair before?
It was thinning,and i had to use so many diff products..
I said i can't continue to do this to my hair...
3. Have you ever backslid?
Never...i Love,love,love my Natural roots/strands.. ;)
4. Did something discourage/has someone or something either discouraged you?
Nope,.Once i set me mind to do something..I'M THERE...
5. Would you ever get a perm again?
Nope,never,,I'm done with perms.....~I'z Free..~
6. Regrets?
My only regret is not loving my natural strands....
No more head wraps,bonnets,perms.etc...
My hair is super easy to maintain...
Wash,condition,oil(i use olive oil on my hair} as needed,braid-out,and Go...
@TeamNaturalHair..
I be scratching my scalp though.
I might do them Poetic Justice braids.
Does your scalp dry out or something?
I think you would look very pretty with those
Elle Driver
Veteran
Yeah I got dry scalp.Does your scalp dry out or something?
I think you would look very pretty with those
I feel like getting some kinda braids cause someone won't keep they hands off my curls and afro.
