Transitioning from Relaxed to Natural Hair

No matter how much I tried to smooth my hair down with moisturizers or gel, those little broken pieces (my frizzies, I called them) would always stick up and ruin my hair style.  It was a long, tough road.  I felt so ugly most days and would typically avoid looking at myself in the mirror at work. 

I didn't even want to know what other people thought.  I looked so different with my un-smooth, bushy, updo ponytail from my long, healthy straight waist length hair style.  I never really discussed transitioning from relaxed to natural hair.

During this time, I became really active on a black hair care board with members who were actively promoting healthy hair and tons of other tips for hair care.  I learned so much, especially about transitioning from relaxed to natural hair.  

Even though I felt my hair still needed a ton of work and despite the fact that I was still transitioning, I was selected as their monthly feature for April 2004!  It was such an honor.  I was seeing the fruits of my labor once again.  My hair was still damaged and I still had a lot of transitioning to go but with the support I received, I was able to keep with it and not give up!

In June of 2004, I saw another stylist for a haircut.  This time I got it cut to just a few inches below my shoulders.  The tangling when washing was getting to be too much to bear.  My relaxed hair was bone straight and thin while my natural hair was wavy, curly, and thicker.  The cut helped a lot but I was starting to get really impatient with transitioning.  My original plan was to transition for at least two years before getting rid of any remaining relaxed ends.  But I didn't quite make it.

By August 2004, I was really fed up with the lack of styling options and time I was spending on my hair and still not being happy with it.  During an all-day training class for work, I completely thought through what I wanted to do.  I was finally ready to get rid of those stringy relaxed ends and have natural hair.  But how would I get there? Who would cut my hair for me?

I contemplated doing it myself for a short time but ultimately decided that I wanted to see a stylist.  I called around and finally talked to a woman at a JCPenney salon.  I told her exactly what I wanted done.  The next day I went in and had all my relaxed ends cut off.  My hair was just a little below my ears in the front and just below my neck in the back.  My hair hadn't been that short since I was a toddler!  Having wavy/curly hair made my hair shrink even more once it was dry!  But you know what?

I absolutely LOVED it! 

I remember walking in the mall back to my car and getting a few looks from some younger guys walking by.  That was a nice ego booster!  As soon as I got home, hopped in the shower and washed my hair! I was in love! MY HAIR!

It was MY hair and I loved it...but it didn't yet feel like ME.  I'd had long straight hair for so long, that I didn't know who I was with this hair - this short, curly hair.  It didn't seem like me just yet.  Still, I was so happy to finally be done transitioning!