Enjoying Your TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro)

A wash n' go style with Eco Styler Gel
 at 3 months Natural

Sometimes I find people in hair forums who are trying to figure out what to do with their TWA a.k.a. "Teeny Weeny Afro".  Everytime I see this I think to myself, don't they realize how good they've got it?  When I was new to being natural and my hair was shorter than ever, I embraced it.  It was so much fun!  Now don't get me wrong, it took some getting used to.  However, after a nine month transition, it seemed like my hair wasn't short for very long. 

When I think back on it, all I can remember is how easy it was.  My routine was pretty simple.  Each day I either re-wet my hair with my homemade spritz or co-washed it in the shower with a cheapie conditioner.  I didn't really use a lot of products.  I moisturized my hair with leave-in conditioner, my aloe/glycerin/water spray or shea butter.  I tried a few different hair gels and realized that Eco Styler worked the best for making my curls pop.  Other than that, I played around with finger coils, the conditioner only method, and hair accessories.  This was also the time when I started wearing earings more often which turned out to be a great compliment to my short hair. 

Using a large, snap barrett
for something different

My only piece of advice for anyone who is wondering about caring for their short fro is to consider what season you'll be doing the Big Chop.  Why?  Think about it, the only way to work with your newly natural hair will be when it's wet or damp.  So, doing the BC during the winter months is probably not the way to go unless there's no way around it.  This is precisely why I decided to cut the last of my relaxed ends off in May of 2009.  By the fall, I had enough hair to do braid outs, blow-outs, and individual braids.   Other than that, I think you should enjoy your short and sassy TWA.  It's fun and easy to care for.  Ultimately though, for anyone who is going Natural for the long haul, it is also just the beginning.