It began back in 2006. My natural friend set a bug in my ear about how relaxers were unnecessary and how I would be able to achieve the same results if I "heat trained" my hair. She was already one year fully natural. Her hair looked beautiful for it to not have a relaxer. So I said to myself...I'll give it a try.
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| My transitioning hair in April of 2006 |
But I was very focused on "heat training" my hair. So bad that from the beginning of my natural hair journey in 2006 until the beginning of 2010...I was using a flat iron every day. I would "treat" my hair in the summers by doing wash and gos and wearing microbraids. During this four year time span I trimmed my hair regularly to get rid of the remnants of relaxed hair. But I noticed something...
In the summer when I gave my hair a break...my hair 3+ inches in these 3-4 months. I was amazed at my growth. But during the rest of the months when I was using a flat iron almost every day, I was not making any progress.
So I decided in the beginning of 2010 to remove excessive heat from my regimen in hopes of it increasing the health of my hair. I tried various styles...
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| This is where I realized that I needed to decrease heat. Granted my hair looks rather healthy here...but I wasn't satisfied with the constant shift between healthy and unhealthy hair as the seasons changed. |
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| Senegalese twists |
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| Twistout |
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| Bun |
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| Braidout |
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| Slightly damp braidout |
Even more focused on my healthy hair journey, I ended 2010 with a much needed trim. And this is where I am/was as of December 21, 2010:
I envy you and your fabulous braid and twist outs! I usually keep my hair straightened in the winter since it's not an option to wear wash and gos, which is my favorite hairstyle. In 2009, I decided to go natural and my hair was a little bit past my bra strap but not quite armpit length. After a year, my hair is about 3 inches PAST my bra strap down my back. So, it is true--Less is More!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Your hair is amazingly beautiful! I wish I could go back to straightening my hair in the winter but my hair just needs an extensive break from heat. The only problem for me with twistouts and braidouts in the winter is that the cold weather zaps all of the moisture out of my hair as soon as I step foot outside. I have to wear a bonnet under my hats to preserve moisture. I'm hoping to obtain some length this winter though despite these challenges. HHG!
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