I've been natural for about 8 months. My hair is shoulder length now but shrinks up to my nape when wet
. I takes forever to twist and detangle because my kinks are in love with my coils and they never want to let each other go. My wash and go's are crazy looking-I look like a coily girl when wet but after air drying and shrinkage I look like I have knots on my hair because the coils shrink up soo much not to mention the 4a curls get smaller and tighter toward the back of my head until the nape is 4b. I've been eyeing texturizers for the last month. This being said, I am determined to be natural this time next year. The challenge is easy, just don't relax or texturize. Go ahead, blow dry or press if you need to. Just join me in the quest to stay away from the relaxer isle at your local BSS.
i felt similar to this not too long back. it wasn't so much that my hair was difficult but i didn't like the length, i felt i looked less pretty
and my style options were limited. it didn't help that my "hair idols" were relaxing either.
right now, i think for the most part i like my hair again. what really helped was remembering that how ever annoying my hair got, relaxing was
not the option. my hair used to be dry, breaking and damaged when it was relaxed. for the first time in ages, my hair is thick, strong and thriving. i am actually retaining length and can see my growth. i know this is mainly because i am natural now.
i think when you really at your wits end with your hair, it's always best to remember why you decided to go natural in the first place and what it would mean to you to continue being natural. also experiment with more styles and look at the option of braiding up for 2-3 months to give yourself a break. for me, it helps to stalk fotkis too
. it just gives me that extra motivation to continue down this path. btw, those "hair idols" are now transitioning back to natural or have big-chopped already. more often than not i see that naturals who went back to the relaxer, do not stay relaxed for long at all. you tend to glamorise relaxed hair when you are frustrated with your relax hair. relaxed hair comes with its problems too.
good luck to everyone on this challenge