Back cause I never left, my natural hair journey continues

So, it’s been over two years since I have updated my blog. The last time I posted I was entering a “accidental freeform journey”. And guess what, I ended up absolutely enjoying my hair being freeform!

It WAS truly a free state. I didn’t have to do any maintenance but wash, condition and lightly moisturize.

But, I could tell that eventually my hair would mat into larger Locs; or break off due to non-twisting. That’s not really what I wanted. IF I could have kept them small and individualized; along with little Maintenance – I probably would have kept them. But then again probably not! My desire has always been to grow my natural hair loose & long, no locs, no weave!

Then, in March 2018 I literally cut my hair without any preplanning and sort of in an stressful emotional pregnant state (yes, I now have 3 boys). This was the same day I cut my hair and little did I know I had plenty of “new growth” underneath those freeform locs.

FWD: I rocked my natural hair for a while,  getting a sew-in during the end of my pregnancy. I thought it was butt ugly and a waste of $90. The parts were crooked and the hair was just too thick! I will say sew-ins are quick and easy, and the take-down process was a breeze.

Then I had the baby and took the sew-in out. This was my hair after I took out the sew-in and on my way to get individual long braids for the first time. They were supa cute and I was pleased…

Only to experience hair loss around my edges during the take-out maybe 6-8 weeks later. Maybe there is a technique to properly removing braids – but honestly I believe I will always experience hair loss during take out around my edges. After a few panic phone calls to my sister and husband – I decided I would no longer put weave in my hair! I had even been contemplating getting locs again.

It was then that I decided to completely focus on the health of my hair – and likely never use weave again. Nevertheless, my goal is to grow healthy bra length kinks using reasonable price products. Let the game continue!

Semi Freeform

I cannot, may I REPEAT, I cannot believe I’m back here! I told myself and everybody else that I would never get locs again! I so wanted to have the big kinky curly afro. And I tried hard, I really did.  I cut my “locs” of  7 years May 2015.

Now I have decided to “semi freeform” my hair,  est February 2017. It was unintentional, which I think make some of the best outcomes in life. I got my hair plated in itty bitty braids, which I planned to only keep temporarily from a African braiding shop. After realizing the difficulty it would be to remove them and the loss of hair in the process, I decided not to remove them. I also appreciated the “get up and go” freedom. I found that I was missing what I once was annoyed with. But this time the look is more untamed, even more natural, which I realize I’m going to be judged on. Which I realize I have no control of how they will ultimately look. Which I realize I may not even “like” the outcome. Which, I’m willing to accept and embrace!

I no longer have to sit in the mirror for hours detangling my hair only for it NOT to look the way I imagined. I no longer want to get retwisted or wait hours for my hair to dry.  To me taking away the maintenance of grooming my hair to the magnitude of constant upkeep and expectations, is one less thing to worry about it in life! I prefer my hair maintenance to be limited to it’s cleanliness only:

-I only use clear shampoos and I wash at least once a week. No conditioners. No products with color period. Spitz daily with water, lavender/water, or Rosemary/water sometimes.

-Seal with coconut oil/olive oil and when really dry, kemi oyl.

-I use a natural protein conditioner and ACV maybe once every 6 weeks.

-I  also keep my locs separated. I prefer not to intertwine locs, hence “semi” Freeform. The ends have a defined curl which I’m hoping will stay loose and not loc, so I finger detangle often. So far my hair has shrink and the plats are swole. My goal is to be lent and build up free.

I have no ideal how my hair will turn out, but I must admit I feel free! 6 month update September 2017.

Post Pregnancy Hair Shedding

This is a late post, but I forgot to mention that about 7 weeks post pregnancy I experienced tremendous hair shedding. Something I never experienced during my first pregnancy, yet that was 10 years ago!

I mentioned before that about 3 weeks before child birth I got my hair done in yarn braids. When I took them out 4 weeks post pregnancy I did notice “some’ shedding, which alerted me because I’m not a big shedder at all!

A few weeks later my hair was shedding at a rapid right especially during washes. Anytime I even looked at my hair it would shed. I researched and topped my problem off to post “pregnancy hormones”; but I was so afraid that I stopped using one of my favorites since my big chop, Coconut Jamaican Black Castor oil by Jamaican Lime & Mango.

I read that sometimes black castor oil can cause excessive hair shedding as well. And I also know all the jibber about losing 100 strands a day, but I decided to cut out all products besides my basics until I seen a reduction.

Here at 4 months post pregnancy my hair has stopped shedding to the touch and it has minimized tremendously when washing. Although it’s still not at the extremely low to none, rate it was pre pregnancy!

Honestly it appears that my hair is continuing to grow and the shedding didn’t make too much of a difference in appearance.

I’m hoping that by 1 year postpartum things are back to normal. Or am’ is my hair just going through a different stage, I am close to 30 now, lol. Anyways, I love to hear about some experiences post pregnancy or hair shedding in general.

-Angel

4-month Growth Comparison

Spring 2015 Hypothesis

Spring 2015 was a short but fulfilled season for my hair. I cut off my locs and all the dead hair in reach of a new beginning. Some people prune trees/ plants [compared to cutting or trimming hair] in the winter season to prepare for spring’s new blossom, but of course my journey started in spring.

Personally I do not feel trimming alone produces hair growth. I do believe it will help hair grow and appear healthier, if you are removing unhealthy hair. Therefore I believe hair should only be cut for style preference or to remove damaged hair. To me there isn’t a specific routine needed for trimming hair. You should trim or cut as needed.

As I compare hair with trees, we trim our trees in our front yard yearly before or during the beginning of spring. These particular trees will grow regardless, but for sake of them not growing too high, we trim them. I also noticed [as we did not trim them last year] that the leaves have grown-in thicker and the overall appearance is healthier this year around.

When I cut my dreads I actually had several inches of loose hair remaining, but it was thinned out and processed due to the bleach damage. I decided to cut off anything that was unhealthy.

At the beginning of my journey, late Spring, I thought I should co-wash and leave-in condition my hair every 7-10 days and then on the 3 round use a shampoo and conditioner. However, because it is so hot, I feel like more water is needed. So that regimen will not continue throughout the summer. I will wash my hair more.

I also found out that some products made my hair too oily or contained ingredients I wanted to avoid or not satisfied with.

Overall, I measured by hair on May 27th, 2015 and my hair has grown 1 cm in curled form, in 28 days.

Curled: 1 cm = 10mm

Pulled Out: 2 inches & 1 cm = 61.4mm

144% Shrinkage (difference)

The Big Chop

My natural hair journey started almost 10 years ago. However, for the past 7 1/2 years I have had dreadlocs. Before locs, I always used relaxers, like most ethnic females, especially during that time period, especially in my area of region. I probably started getting “perms” at about 5 years old, I imagine.

relaxer aka perm: a chemical process which straightens the hair and makes it more manageble.

I cut my hair in December 2006. I wanted to try something different, but more so my hair was badly damaged because of bleach damage.

i bleached my hair and dyed it that ole’ that Keisha Cole “orange” and relaxed it too soon afterwards – really Angel?

This time around my going natural is a real journey for me. It’s about personal acceptance of my natural state; embracing my natural hair. It’s about change, and growth.

Cutting my hair in 2006 was detrimental; and more so a tragedy! I watched my hair break off for several months before I made the decision to “let it go”. I remember crying in front of the mirror at my breaking point, like “I’m losing my hair”!!

So by force and not choice, with limited information on natural hair care, I cut what I had left. My intentions were to just grow out my hair, not “loc up”. Nevertheless, growing locs was a journey in itself and it was a new time period in my life.

I moved to Georgia in 2007 and thru the influence of my sister’s and social circle, I was introduced to the beauty and style of locs and constantly encouraged to “do something to my hair”!

Most black women have received “perms” for a long time and it is of the majority; although “natural” has made it’s surface and is more normal and acceptable within the culture, world and workforce.

When I cut my hair, it was a new trend in my world. It was a big culture shock from my peers. Many stares and questions!

Even to this very day, not many people from my hometown wear their hair “natural”. The social norm is relaxers and/or weave (extensions) of some sort. And a lot of those with natural hair do not show it.

Fast forward, I dreaded my hair and I loved it. It was easy to maintain, I always got a lot of compliments. More people in Georgia have locs and natural hair, so it wasn’t abnormal. A lot of people in my family in Georgia have locs as well. So basically it was “all good”.

Well back at the end of 2013, I started to get frustrated with my hair, wanting to try something different. I was getting bored and I sometimes I didn’t feel feminine, and I thought adding some color would help.

So, I decided to dye my hair red. This took about 4 months to complete. My hair was black so that was one factor. Then I had dreads, so the hair is layers of thick and matted hair.

meaning, it takes more dye and time to penetrate the hair. Also, I wanted to decrease damage so I dyed it gradually.

Eventually I got the color I wanted and loved it! But I figured out red color with locs was hard to maintain! You constantly have to touch up it to keep it vibrant and it was a lot of residue, everywhere! Red continued to drain out even after I dyed my hair back black.

The color was also a little “loud” in appearance, and when I lost my job I feared my new job search may be affected due to my hair color.

But most evident, my hair started “breaking off”. Bleach damages! At least for me it does!

I was tired of it; I wanted my natural (loose) hair back. I wanted to freely wash my hair; I wanted the option of wearing more than one style. I also felt my locs were not as healthy as they once were.

they were definitely savable, but I just wanted a change.

Needless to say, having loose natural hair in 2015 is much easier than it was in 2006. There were not as many products or information back then.

i remember using vaseline and Wave Nuevo, which is for Jerri curls, lol and really wet.

I cut my hair on Sunday, May 24, 2015 and I loved it. After years of semi-thinking about cutting, it took me like 1 week to finalize my decision. I actually had a thought, discussed it with my husband, and did it. I believe my pregnancy hormones help me make a quick desicion as well.

I will admit there was some disposition about it, but not fear. I mostly considered my husband – whenever I would casually mention it, he would be like “no I like your hair the way it is”. Having locs is the only hairstyle he ever knew of me.

overall, he is 110% supporting me, but I don’t feel like he totally gets it, or realizes the potential and beauty of loose natural hair – like many people.

But this is not about anyone else, but me. I know some days will be hard and I will not grow long hair overnight. I also know beauty comes from the inside out. God made me beautifully without any preservatives. And I have learned that anything worth having takes time to flourish.

To my fellow natural sister’s (loose or loc’d) !!