My Hair Journey

August 2011

I started my hair journey in the Spring of 2007, I believe. I wanted long hair for a long time but I didn’t know how to get there. When I first came to this country I would search online for natural hair care tips but never found anything I could really use, or maybe my mind was wasn’t prepared. I think it’s a little of both but more of the latter. Throughout the years I did relaxers and weaves along with other normal heinous acts toward my hair such frying, dyeing, and laying it to the side.

One day I wanted a change and got braids and when I took them out my hair had gained a considerable amount of length, as I normally hovered somewhere around shoulder length. I don’t remember how much length I had gained and wasn’t into taking hair pics yet but even my hairdresser said something after my relaxer. I do know I wasn’t APL though. So that prompted me to resume my search for hair care tips which led me to fotki and McElweewife. [Ya’ll remember her? I remember when she said she wouldn’t be around much anymore.] After watching her methods and one year progress at the time I decided that it was doable. I could get the same progress if I followed her regimen of wash and dc twice a week, and moisturizing, sealing, baggying my ends. I was then led to LHCF and BHM. I am so happy to have found her to this day as her progress was inspiration for my own hair journey.

Over the months I followed that regimen, then modified, then after reading about growth aids I hopped on band wagon after band wagon either failing or getting fed up of doing too much. I finally made it to nearly bsl after battling to get to apl and a scissor happy stylist cut off TWO WHOLE INCHES!!! After a few months I decided to go natural as my hair just didn’t feel right which I think was because of the bandwagons. I tried to do a long term transition but punked out after 3 months. 

THEN: - June 23rd 2008, 2am

I relaxed again January 19th 2010 after boredom and frustration with SSKs(single strand knots). I was APL(armpit length) but I instantly realized that I had made a mistake and relaxed two more times while weaving most of the time. September 2010 was when I decided that I was going to officially transition for as long as I can hold on to my relaxed ends and haven’t looked back at a relaxer since.  I can’t find all my pics but will surely update when I do but here are my last two updates. 

BSL (bra strap length)

MBL (mid back length)

Throughout this entire experience I've learned to stick to the basics and that less is definitely more. Leaving my hair alone and maintaining moisture, protein, and my ends have really given me fabulous results. It has been surprisingly easy working with my 13 months post hair.