A Break Up

I’ve been gone for a minute now I’m back again! Between my study abroad trip, finishing up my second to last semester of undergrad, internship, and job hunting I have been spent! But on the bright side I am excitingly looking towards graduation. Still many moons away I have been distracting myself with nonsense and youtube videos. Encouraging my addiction my bestie directed me to a video by Bri Hall titled “Eco Styler Gel is Canceled”. Gasps* I found out that one of my staple products was damaging not only my hair but my overall health!

I, like many other women refer to my hair as my crown and for so long I mistreated it, ignored it, and neglected it and now that I put so much emphasis on hair care you best believe I was pissed when I found out I had been bamboozled. 

Overwhelmed with grief I did what I normally do when in a crisis…I slept. But after I slept I reflected on my natural hair journey and why I even started it:

My journey began in 2011 after I watched a movie titled “Good Hair” where Chris Rock explores “Good hair” and the lengths that African Americans go to obtain it. (If you have any questions about Black Hair watch this movie it will cure your ignorance).

In this movie I saw that the chemicals in relaxers had the power to burn through a tin can, in a matter of hours. Yes Bih I said hours! So when your hairdresser asks you if you can stand a few minutes just know you are burning skin and sacrificing your brain cells. 

For those who can’t follow (I got y’all) some African Americans place a potent chemical on the roots that essentially makes it more “manageable”. People who utilize relaxers often want to achieve the look of straight hair without the hassle of their kinks and curls. Did I mention it burns? 

I’m not trying to convert anyone to #TeamNatural I just want to educate. Your skin is the body’s biggest organ and what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in it, thats why like my relaxer, ECO Styler Gel has to GO !

Going natural was fun for me, with each curl that sprout from my head, I was intrigued. I treated my hair like a 24/7 science project mixing and matching products, twisting and pinning and researching on youtube. 

My transitioning happened in High School which was a gift and a curse. A gift because I was SUPER creative, a curse because the health of my hair was not a concern. I constantly pressed it out and even let my non-licensed girlfriend slap a weave in for me a few times.

I was just doing anything folks.

Then college came and I made a pack with my best friend to lay off heat until graduation…and while that did not happen necessarily I did a big chop and lasted a year and a half without heat.

In my sophomore year of college I was on a schedule and my hair was flourishing! Then BOOM I went to the hairdresser and got Hella. Heat. Damage. Besides being upset, all I could do was cut it off and start over. During my Junior year I had another hiatus from heat and asked another friend to straighten my hair and I’m pretty sure she ripped 25 % of hair out JUST from the detangling ! (I guess I never learn)

With protective styles saving me throughout the summer, Senior year I totally gave up on straight hair and decided to get color because I got tired of looking at my same ole face, with my same ole braid out!

The dye was lit okur and I became inspired to deal with my hair again, but in the back of my mind I was still unsatisfied because no one could straighten my hair properly!

What’s the point of all this TLC if I can’t show off my progress every now and again?

God answered my prayers finally by sending me a stylist who could actually straighten my hair with no damage! God bless you if you ever see this. 

Now that I’m breaking up with Eco Styler Gel I find myself in the same position as I was 7 years ago, not discouraged by the journey but intrigued about the future. I don’t really know what this means for me but I do know that being natural is a part of my identity. It isn’t something I do it’s who I am. I encourage all those considering a change to be brave and bold. Forget the loud unwanted opinions and go for it! Life is a journey meaning it’s constantly changing and although that is extremely scary for people I went through a great deal of change with my hair and have learned a lot. As I mentioned before I’m not worried just along for the ride! Stay healthy an encouraged !