What made you go natural? Was it for a change? Hair damage from relaxers? Appreciation of your natural texture? Freedom?
I was tired of having to HAVE to relax my hair. I had tried to go natural before, years ago. My mom had always told me I didnt need a relaxer and so I cut it all off. I only lasted about a year. I didnt know I had to make a care change, and treated my hair like it was relaxed, straightening it every week, and it didnt look as polished as my relaxed hair, so I was easily talked back into a relaxer. I wanted to try again, but with all the weight I had gained I held off. Once I joined here and realized I could transition and not BC, then I was all for it. I almost didnt do it when I realized some of the mindsets surrounding natural black hair, but eventually during my transition I got the nerve up.
Have you pondered another relaxer? Why/ why not?
I've toyed with the idea off and on, and recently I've had a dream I relaxed it. The dream seemed so real that when I woke up I expected to look in the mirror and see relaxed hair. I remember being disappointed I had relaxed it but after I thought about it for a while, I was also sort of disappointed that I hadnt. It sort of bothers me that I wasnt as upset about getting relaxer as I thought I should be. I've been reading more about natural hair and the more knowledgeable I've become, the more I feel this is a life long decision. I've been doing on my own mental exercises regarding my hair. I realized that normally, when I visualize myself reaching a goal or something, I see myself happy and with long straight hair. As such, I don't think I've embraced my natural hair as well as I would like to think I have so I'm focusing on seeing myself with natural hair in all my successes. I want ALL parts of me to be at peace with my decision and I dont want the mindset that I can only be happy and successful with relaxed or mainstream hair.
The folx here at home didnt care for my BC and tho they have warmed up to my natural hair, I still dont get the range of compliments I did as a relaxed head. My vanity misses that somewhat. I have no plans on relaxing, and I'm not mentally prepared for another transition should I relax again and decide its not for me. Right now knowing a relaxer is always an option is good enough to help me keep the decision to remain natural. I only get itchy about things when I feel there is no choice.
Do you use heat to straighten your hair? If so, how often?
I've only done it twice. Once to try out a new flat iron and heat styling to see just how versatile my hair is, and another for a family event. My cousin pressed it. It came out very nice and lasted about a week, with flat iron touch ups in between.
Which was easier to manage- relaxed hair or natural hair? Honestly-relaxed hair. As long as I had a good cut I could roller set it, wrap it, and do whatever all day long and have it look good everytime. I did my own relaxers so I only had to go to the salon when I needed a cut or I just didnt feel like doing it myself. Going natural was a learning curve and I'm still style challeged with my natual hair. I've only been doing wash n gos, puffs and two strand twists. Once I actively look for more styles and seek to educate myself and become more knowledgeable in creating them, I expect this to become a toss up.