My Natural Hair-Story

Introduction:

Hello future readers!

I have high hopes for this blog, hopes that involve interviewing some of the wonderful women that inspire me, writing product reviews, and coming up with great styles and tips for beginners such as myself. But before any of that I want to tell you about myself and why I am creating this blog.

So without further ado, my natural Hair-Story. (Pronounced like History but Hair... LOL)

:)

Natural Beginnings:

I remember being about 12 years old when I had my first perm. Back then the pressure to appear "grown" or older was very intense in my social setting  I was one of only a handful of girls who still wore ballies and barrettes. Because of that I always felt a sense of being out of place. I begged and begged my grandmother to let me get a perm like the girls in my class. Each time I asked she turned me down. Finally my elder cousin talked her into allowing me to get a perm! And Chile when I tell you my hair was laid to the gods, You couldn't tell me nothing!

 

 

 

Doing it by myself:

Growing up no one ever helped me do my hair. From time to time my amazing cousin Brent, whom is a hairstylist, would do it for me. Other than that I was on my own. Nobody ever told me that I needed to put products in my hair to keep it healthy and full. So I didn't. As a result I found that my hair was always dry and breaking. My hair started off as BSL (bra strap length) but eventually after all the breakage it reached my shoulder.


I wanted short hair so bad. Preferably a styled pixie cut. But due to my age (I was about 15) my grandmother wouldn't allow me to do so for fear of "looking too grown." One day after a heated argument with my grandmother. I took a pair of scissors and chopped off my pony tail. I was at a friends house for two weeks, so when I returned home I told her my hair fell out as a result from heat damage. I thought my actions would earn me the short hairstyle I desired. It didn't. So I had to deal with a uneven cut hair that reached the bottom of my ears.

(no disrespect to Britney Spears here, but she cut her hair out of anger as did I, so I am merely using this as an example photo)


Get bright or dye trying:

I've always been the type of girl to get bored easily when it comes to appearance and style so this freshly cut hair had to have some appeal. One day I was sitting with my best-friend Tiara, when I randomly decided I want to dye my hair. Being as random as I, she agreed to dye hers too, and we both headed to our local beauty supply. I chose blonde and she choose a strawberry blonde color. After dying my hair for the first time I was more than pleased with the results. It came out a honey blonde color. I felt like a lion!

My hair was very vibrant for a long time. But I was constantly dying every couple of weeks. I was convinced that this was the "healthier" method, as opposed to bleaching my hair. At this time in my life I clearly didn't know how to take care of my hair very well. My hair was always dry no matter what I put in it. No surprise my hair broke off and was very short and choppy in different lengths.

Hair Weave Killer (No seriously):

Uncomfortable with the length of my hair I decided to start wearing weaves. I had worn weaves before, but I could never keep them in for long because they made my scalp itch too badly. Thinking this time would be different, I tried again. At this time I had just started my modeling career with a local company and they hooked up my hair (and makeup) for the fashion show. I liked my hair so much that I pushed myself to keep it in for 2 weeks (THE LONGEST 2 WEEKS OF MY LIFE).  After it was time to take it out I installed another weave thinking the result would be the same. It wasn't. I only kept it in for 4 days. I literally ripped the tracks out of my head! The itching was unbearable. Yup I was a hair weave killer! LOL :)

My Second BC {Big Chop}

I knew my head couldn't handle weaves and I was way too embarrassed about my length to wear my hair out as it was. It was still winter so I got away with wearing different color beanies for a few months, not having to show my hair. But as summer crept up and it began to grow hot outside I knew I couldn't cover up anymore. I had to make an appointment at the hair salon.


The woman who did my hair told me it was so damaged that she had to shave most of it off. She gave me this style where she shaved the sides and gave me a bang; I fell in love.

Styling: 

Styling is my favorite part about hair! Period. I went from blonde bangs, to black curls, to teased mo-hawks, to red etc. It was just so much fun to see how many looks I could come up with! Below are just a few of my favorites.

3rd big chop:

After rocking this shaved cut for 2 years I decided that I missed having hair. ha-ha. After doing my research on YouTube - in a quest to find out how long it takes females to grow their hair - I stumbled upon a lot of videos that introduced me to the "natural hair community." I fell in love with these women and their stories, they inspired me to cut my hair and began my own journey.

I had been discussing cutting my hair for a while with a good friend Patience. She had also been an inspiration due to the fact that she was the only girl in my school who boldly rocked an Afro. She urged me to cut my hair and to experience the beauty that is natural hair. I spent 3 months being afraid, in fear that if I cut my hair, people would treat me differently.

Finally on September 18th, 2012 I decided to just cut it! And guess what? I was treated exactly the same.

Pictured here with my best friend Tiara

My Progress Now: 

I have officially been growing my hair for almost 7 months! I have been learning about which products work best for my hair. I have been learning from the women who have been on their journeys before me: Candi Janoki, NikkiMae, and Laila Jean., just to name a few of my favorites. 

I am not an expert but I continue to grow and learn and that is what this blog is about. We as women sometimes tend to chemically alter our hair in hopes to achieve straight hair [mention political/social aspect of straightening hair), but in the process we tend to overlook the beauty of the natural state of our hair. I once heard a quote that said:

We don't go "Natural" we return. "Natural", is where it began. 
                                                                                                          -Unknown

With that being said here are pictures that display each month in my journey, from September 18th til now.

When I cut my hair to my one month nappiversary

This is about 2 months

3 months

(pictured with my brother Reese)

4 months

5 months

6 months!! 

It's so amazing to see your progress in the form of photography isn't it? I just want to thank all who took the time to read my natural Hair-Story and I hope that you will continue to follow and support me on my journey.

-Sabrina Renee