Natural Hair/The Big Chop

I officially permed my hair for the last time January 2014. My decision to stop perming my hair was a tough one, I literally contemplated it for two years! One major reason that held me back was the fact that I didn't like the way weave looked on girls with natural hair. Around the time I went natural something called the "invisible part" was very popular and trust me it wasn't invisible at all! LOL In a nutshell the invisible part is a technique stylist use to keep all of your hair under the weave so that you don't have to leave out any to flat iron and ultimately damage by heat. It was funny that this even concerned me cause I hardly wore weave but when I did, I wanted it to look real not look like a wig. Thankfully hair stylists have come a long way since.

Another reason I was hesitant to go natural was I didn't want to go through the "ugly stage". Whether I opted to grow out my natural hair and keep flat ironing it til it reached a length of satisfaction then cut of the remaining perm or the big chop and walk around essentially bald which I wasn't used to, it would be awkward. What's worse is I was coming from a pixie cut (short & permed) so it would be obvious I was making the transition.

The last time I permed my hair I was in tears because it burned so bad, I assumed it was due to me scratching my hair a lot prior but regardless of the reason, I finally had enough! For 6 months I grew out my natural hair and I was annoyed because it was a different texture from my permed hair and eventually I became fed up and did the big chop on June 21, 2014 (it also grows faster with no perm) and I haven't looked back since!

Natural Hair

Of course I've had my ups and downs throughout this journey. People of other races and even my own ridiculed me, some felt I looked like a boy when it was short and when it grew I was told at work (a place that was my second home for 4 years) that it was "too much" and I thought to myself, had my hair been straight when it was left out would it still be too much? I doubt it. But overall I received more positive feedback than negative. Another difficulty was learning how to style my hair and what products to use because being natural is not as cheap and easy as everyone assumes and there will be a lot of trial and error but you have to embrace it.

My late father who I love with all my heart, hated weave, hated anything that was not real and it drove me nuts LOL because although I don't wear weave 365 I like to switch up my style once in a while. I grew up with a lot of hair and during my stay in my parents country, Trinidad and Tobago is when they first permed it. My family felt it was "too hard to manage" I think I was 10. So I continued to perm and flat iron my hair like I was taught and eventually my beautiful thick long hair became thinner and shorter. But my dad always loved my natural hair and wanted me to revert back to it so although he cannot see how far I've come, I'm glad he got to see me begin this journey.

And just like my dad drilled into my brain that I don't need make up and weave to be pretty, I want to do the same with my future daughters and the only way I can do that is to lead by example. Don't get me wrong I wear these things once in a while but I do not depend on them. We're brainwashed by these unrealistic celebrity bodies and "beauty" we see online and on the TV screen forgetting that we don't have their money nor do we live their lifestyle and I honestly wouldn't want to because if a person cannot love me for me then that person is not meant to be in my life. Not to mention a lot of the things they do to themselves are not healthy and that includes this chemical perm that we so faithfully use.

So if you haven't already and you're contemplating it, I encourage you to go natural and embrace the real you! You won't regret it!

XOXO