A Brief Natural Hair Journey Story

My TWA after doing the Big Chop
in Spring 2009

I was on Instagram going through my timeline the other day when I realized how many naturalistas I have met since joining in late 2013.  It occurred to me that I haven't really talked about the beginnings of my natural hair journey which is now going on eight years.  I honestly can't get over the fact that I have been natural since the spring of 2009.  Prior to that, I had relaxed hair and didn't even know there was such a thing as, "going natural."  So I thought that I would share a brief "natural history" with all of my new readers
and followers.

My hair journey started all because I couldn't figure out why my hair was stuck at one length.  At the time, my hair was dyed, relaxed and I used heat constantly.  The reason for my stunted growth was pretty obvious but I was completely oblivious.  My store bought, auburn hair color put my hair porosity levels on the high end which meant it was constantly dry.  This was in addition to having a relaxer.  The two chemical processes left my hair with twice the damage.  Then there was the heat.  I loved using heat on my hair everyday.  Sure, I wrapped my hair at night, but I still did touch-ups with a curling iron or flat iron each morning before work.  I basically didn't know how to care for my hair.  I just knew how to style it and there's a big difference between the two.

When I did my research I finally began to see how the combination of damaging practices wreaked havoc on my hair.  I started to consider relaxer stretching.  That's where you apply your relaxers less often.  Then I learned about people who stopped relaxing altogether!  Say what?!  I never even heard of such a thing.  The idea of going without a relaxer was actually pretty scary at the time.  I mean, what was I supposed to do with my hair in it's natural state?  It makes me laugh now but that was actually my mindset at the time.

My relaxed hair before I went natural

After looking into it further, I realized how versatile natural hair was.  I went from being scared to death of the idea to being really excited.  My transition from relaxed to natural hair lasted nine months before I did my own big chop.  I deep conditioned my hair every week without fail.  Sure, I made mistakes like giving myself heat damage and using henna that was full of twigs and dried leaves (don't ask).  It was all good though; I was totally up for it.  My hair grew so fast, I barely had a chance to enjoy my TWA.  I still straightened my hair though so I experienced setbacks here and there due to heat damage (see my previous post).

I've learned a lot about my hair and I'm still learning everyday.  At least now I feel like I have my staple products down.  I like to try new things so I'm looking forward to doing some reviews in the future.  Well, that was my very brief natural hair journey story.  If you go way back to my earlier posts you can read more including how I did my own big chop.  See ya next time!

How Heat Damage Led to My Mini Big Chop

My teeny afro after my Mini Big Chop
Feb. 2016

Stubborn.  I guess that's the word for it because I have no other way to describe it.  I keep trying to straighten my hair until it is laid to the gods and it keeps coming back with heat damage.  Yes, I have now, to date, given myself heat damage more times than I can remember.  There isn't a stylist to blame or even a lack of knowledge on my part.  I knew better and still wound up damaging my hair while straightening it.

I blame Youtube.  We've all seen the videos where people are cranking their flat irons up past 400 degrees.  Well, I thought maybe I could too.  I mean why not?  My hair was getting longer and healthier.  I was doing protein treatments and using multiple heat protectants.  I even thought I could just wear my hair straight whenever I felt like it.  I found out the hard way that those things would certainly not work for my hair.

In the past, when I noticed a little heat damage, it was near the ends of my hair resulting in loose curls.  Last year, however, I noticed that the hair from midway down the strands to the ends was thinner than the new growth coming in.  A lot thinner.  That eventually led to some breakage which sent me into emergency repair mode.  Of course I tried protein treatments; usually the 2 Minute Reconstructor by Aphogee.  This time though, I knew that the damaged hair would have to go.

Finally, I decided to do a mini big chop to get rid of the damaged hair.  This left me with a very teeny afro.  That was in February of 2016.  My hair feels completely different almost a year later.  It's even back to my old length from before the heat damage.

Of course, I'm stubborn, so I still like to use heat on my hair.  As far as avoiding heat damage, here is what I have learned, again.

My hair now
Jan. 2017
(curls are back after straightening)

1. Always clarify hair prior to straightening (A must!)
2. Always use a heat protectant (Duh!)
3. MY hair cannot withstand heat over 400 degrees (anything higher = heat damage)
4. Touch-ups are the Devil!  Pincurls, wraps and rollers only for styling after straightening.
5. Use heat less frequently (no more than 1x per month; less is even better)

I would like to think that this time I have finally learned my lesson.  What's good for some may not work for others.  I know that I sound like a broken record but it's true.

Have you ever tried something you saw on Youtube and it went horribly wrong?  Leave a 

comment below.

CHECK OUT MY LAST POST HERE 

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.

Celebrating 2 Years with Natural Hair

This week marks my two year Natural Hair anniversary.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, it was two years ago this week that I decided to go ahead with the Big Chop and finally let go of the last of my relaxed hair.  Since then, I have tried many different styling techniques and hair products hoping to find what works best for my thick and curly hair texture.  There have been some hits and surely lots of misses but it has been a learning experience all the same. 

The reason for all of my trial error is because I wore my hair straightened by chemical relaxer since age 11.  Before that, my mother styled my hair so the last two years have been my first experience with doing my hair in its' natural state.  Not only that, my hair is beginning to grow past the shorter lengths I am used to which means I'm also learning how to maintain my length. 

So proud of my TWA
in 2009

Still, even after all of the research, hair forums, YouTube videos and my own personal hair trials, I am discovering that I still have a long way to go before I can claim that I have mastered my hair.  My natural hair journey hasn't exactly been easy but it is still something I wish that I had done sooner.  It just makes so much sense to do my hair without all of the extra manipulation that comes with heat styling and chemical processing.  I don't run inside when it rains.  I enjoy my fro and my big hair.  When I get that itch to wear it straight, I can do that too.  I love my natural hair and I can't wait to see where it ends up in the next two years. 

My True Hair Length

The other day I was watching a hair length check video by pltbyCormie on YouTube.  She was explaining that if you think that you are not experiencing hair growth, it may be best to start measuring your hair with a tape measure.  This way you end up getting a more accurate look at how long your hair truly is.  Since I'm trying to avoid straightening my hair for awhile, I can never really "see" where my hair is due to shrinkage.  I decided to try it because I have been a little frustrated waiting for APL length hair.  This method not only showed me where my current length is, but also gave me an idea of how much longer until I reach my hair length goals.  It turns out that I am approximately 2" away from reaching my goal and another 4" before I reach BSL (bra strap).  I was relieved to finally have something more concrete than just looking in the mirror and waiting for hair growth. 

Measuring from shoulder length to APL;
about 5 to 6 inches

Height and Hair Length

Cormie also mentioned that when we look to others who have already reached their hair length goals, we should try not to compare our hair to theirs.  This is where height comes into play.  Depending on how tall you are, you may have longer or shorter to go before reaching SL (shoulders), APL (arm pits) and BSL (bra strap).  The distance between these points is different for everyone.  If you are shorter in stature then you may be able to reach your goals sooner than someone who is considered quite tall.  I'm 5'6" and the distance between SL and APL on me is 5 to 6 inches.  I had the unrealistic goal of achieving this length by Dec. of 2010 after only getting to shoulder length in May of 2010.  That's only 7 months time while my hair most likely only grows 1/2" per month.  Now I can stop fretting over not reaching this goal already because I can see that I'm on track to reach it by my 2 year natural hair anniversary (May 2011) which is more accurate.  Others who have reached this goal sooner may or may not be shorter than I am.  Now that I have this knowledge, I am looking forward to seeing hair growth in a time frame that is true to me and based on my own hair. 

I Did My Own Big Chop

My hair after 9 months of Transitioning;
Relaxed ends and lots of new growth

I have been doing my own haircuts and trims ever since I graduated from high school.  Still, I wasn't sure if I could successfully do the "Big Chop" myself.  I transitioned for nine months so it was very easy to see where to make each cut.  I guess I was mostly concerned that I would end up with a fro without the right shape.  I had never worn my hair shorter than ear length so the shape of my hair was going to be pretty important to me. 

For awhile I considered going to my Dad or Brother who are both trained barbers.  I even asked if they would be willing to do it when the time came.  I could tell that my Dad was not going to give me a buzz cut because he's so used to seeing me with longer hair.  My brother however had done the Chop for a few other ladies who were starting their journey so he was up for it.  Before I made my decision though I decided to check out some videos on YouTube to see how other naturalistas got it done.  It seemed to me that having someone do it at a salon meant getting a little more length taken off than I wanted.  This was because of the shaping that was done after the relaxed pieces were cut away.   That's when I decided that I would just do it myself because then I would only have myself to blame if I there were any mishaps.  Anyway, I could always have my brother fix it if it came to that. 

My hair the day after the Big Chop

During my transition, I made it a point to cut off a little each month so that I wouldn't have very much relaxed hair left to part with.  I started out by putting my hair into small sections and cut the first piece right in the front.  No turning back!  My fro was bigger than I expected which was a plus.  The following day, I used some Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-in Conditioning Cream, aloe vera gel and shea butter on my wet hair to encourage my first little curls to come into view.  I was so proud of my new hair and how the cut turned out. 

1400 YouTube Subscribers!

Many of my friends and family are amused when I tell them about my YouTube videos.  Most of the time I don't even want them to watch because I feel a little silly.  All I talk about is hair so I figure they won't really get why I do them anyway.  As for my YouTube family, there is still so much I want to share. 

My first video was just to show others how I transitioned from Relaxed to Natural Hair.  I was so happy to see all of the positive comments and decided to do update videos to show my progress.  With each video, I received questions which ended up leading to another episode. 





The first time I saw that I had subscribers on my YouTube channel I was shocked.  I didn't really think that I had much more to offer than any other Natural on YouTube.  This is what sort of kept me going though.  Ever since those first two subbies, I've been posting more and more content on my hair journey.  I checked to see how many I was up to today and saw that I have a little over 1400 subscribers!  I know that there are "Hair Gurus" out there who have waaay more but I am blown away by that number.  These are all people who for one reason or another genuinely would like to see more content from lil' ole me! 

I wish that I could post more often but my dinosaur of a computer is a real drag when it comes to video editing.  Hopefully I'll be able to push out a couple of vids here soon to feed the masses.  In the meantime, I just hope that my place in YouTubia is a help to someone out there who is looking for more information on how to go natural.


CLICK HERE to see my Channel, "mitchellzee", on YouTube

New Year, New Trim



My new Stainless Steel Sheers by Conair

I was looking at my hair for the past few months and noticing that my curl pattern had gotten looser.  I knew that henna can have this effect so I added amla powder to my last few applications to prevent this from happening any further.  After wearing my hair straight twice in December, I was pretty sure that I was experiencing some heat damage.  My hair texture is thinner in the front so it always happens there first.  The rest of my hair was still curly but not as thick as before.  After using my Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner for a couple of light protein treatments, I knew that my hair, although it looked better, still needed a trim. 



My stretched hair just before
trimming the first section



I was due for a trim this month anyway so I figured why not invest in some new sheers.  I bought the stainless steel hair sheers by Conair.  I was surprised to find them in a kit that also came with a cape...COOL!  Instead of flat ironing my hair again, I decided to do the trim on stretched hair.  This method showed me that it is possible to do a trim without using heat.  I decided to go for it and take off a little more than the usual 1/8" to 1/4".  I cut a full 1/2" off of each section!  That is a whole months' growth for me but it was definitely worth it. 

Front View
Thicker, Curlier Hair with Shape

The result...MY CURLS ARE BACK!  I'm so excited because my hair has not been this thick and curly for so long.  The bangs are still pretty loose but I'm okay with that.  The other thing that decided to join the party is my crazy shrinkage.  My hair looks really short since the trim even though it's still past my shoulders in the back.  This is exciting because I didn't actually have to cut very much in order to get back where I wanted to be.  I'm still serious about achieving great lengths with my hair this year.  Now, with the trim, I have the healthy ends I need to start things off right.  







Back View
Looks short but it's still
past shoulder length



A Family Affair

My Dad is a licensed barber and has been cutting other people's hair since I was very young. He always did cuts and trims for friends and family. I remember when he used to cut my younger brothers' hair. When they were small he would sit them on top of phone books on a chair in the kitchen.

My mother on the other hand was always very good with braiding hair. She taught me how to french braid my own hair when I was 10 years old. Now that I'm Natural, I'm very grateful for learning this technique.

My younger brother and I took after my dad and learned how to cut hair for our friends. I did it more as a hobby throughout college and to get practice for when I did my own hair. My brother is currently going to school to become a licensed barber. He even participated in a "Barber Cut-Off" earlier this year at a large hairshow in downtown Denver. I am proud to say that he is very skilled at his craft.

Now that I have a family of my own, we do things just like when I was growing up. My husband has long straight hair and my boys have short curly fros. Mine is definitely the thickest of the bunch. Still, I manage to somehow keep up with everyone's individual hair needs. I do all of our trims; curly and straight. My trims are usually once a month. Sometimes I'll even have my mother over for a trim and flat iron. For me, it's just always been this way. When it comes to hair, we like to keep it in the family.

My Favorite Transitioning Style

Once I decided to go Natural, I considered how long I should go before doing the Big Chop.  At only 3 months post relaxer, I was certain that I wanted to grow my natural texture out a lot more before this step.  Normally I wore my hair straight but I was beginning to see how damaging all of the heat was.  The next best thing was Rollersetting. 

My Hood Dryer

I personally had never Rollerset my hair before.  I had seen it done in the salon but that was about it.  From what I could see on YouTube, there were a lot of ladies who did it each week instead of using flatirons and blowdryers.  I also kept hearing about how handy it was to have a hooded dryer at home for this style and to do deep treatments.  I figured I would give it a go.

I went to my local Sally's beauty supply and purchased the Ion hooded dryer with multiple heat settings for about $40.  When I got home, my husband thought I had gone mad.  I explained that it was an investment and that I would get a lot of use out of it. 

My Curly Fro

As for the rollersetting, I really didn't know how it would turn out but it was worth a try.  I watched plenty of videos before going for it.  I used the small grey perm rods so that the two textures of my hair would blend together better.  The end result was a cute and curly little afro.  The style often lasted  a whole week which meant less stress on my hair.

It's almost 2 years later and I still rollerset my hair.  I didn't realize it then but it's a technique that can also be used on Natural hair.  I'm glad that I learned how to do it during my transitioning phase because now it's one of my staple styles.

What finally made me decide to go Natural

My hair in Aug. '08

After using a relaxer to straighten my hair for 20 years, there I was trying to decide if I should go Natural.  For me this would mean "re-learning" how to do my hair.  The last time my hair was Natural, my mother was still doing it for me.  I even called to ask her about my hair texture back then.  It wasn't so thick and crazy that she didn't know what to do with it.  I also remembered how long it was. 

Then it was like a light finally went on...my hair was long back then.  I also thought that it was pretty sad that I couldn't even remember what my own hair texture was before the relaxer.  So, that was it, I had my mind set on growing out my relaxed hair.  I figured, I spent twenty years wearing it straight, so why not spend the next twenty natural?

Of course I had to talk it over with my husband.  He and I have known each other since High School and this would be new for both of us.  For weeks I kept asking him if he was okay with it.  Finally he just said, "I didn't marry you for your hair!"  He was behind me 100 percent.  Even now, when I look at how fast it's growing, he keeps saying how he knew all along that it would be healthier if I just quit putting all that harsh stuff in my hair. 

My hair in May 2010

So there you have it.  The last time I used a relaxer was in July of 2008 but I didn't actually decide to go natural until October of the same year.  I waited until May of 2009 to chop off the relaxed ends. 

To watch my video on how I did it, check out my YouTube channel, mitchellzee

Stay Relaxed or Go Natural?

So there I was without a flat iron and wondering how on earth I was going to start growing my damaged hair longer.  I was already certain that my hair was suffering because of the lighter hair color I decided to use for two years.  What else was I doing wrong?

I jumped on Google and did a search on growing african american hair longer.  I found a site called "growafrohairlong.com".  I read about how the site's founder, Robin Woods, grew her hair to about waist length by using the "Crown & Glory" method.  She talked about using braids as a protective style to help retain hair growth. She also gave suggestions on how to care for the hair like, how to comb it and deep conditioning.  The thing I remember most was how she explained that she only did a relaxer 2 times per year.  Say what!  She would go 6 whole months without a relaxer!  That seemed like an extremely long time to me considering the longest I went between relaxers was 8-10 weeks.                  

My hair after my 1st pregnancy

Decoder Ring

In my posts I'll be using some hair terminology and abbreviations that are common on other sites and forums.  Here is a brief list for future reference. There may be some additions to the list in the future.

BC/Big Chop--The point when you "chop" off any chemically relaxed ends to finally expose your natural hair texture.

Co-wash (ing)--Using Conditioner to cleanse the hair instead of Shampoo
DT/DC--Deep treatment or Deep condition sometimes done overnight or using a hooded dryer/heating bonnet.

Pre-Poo--Prepping the hair prior to Shampooing using conditioner or natural oils
Search & Destroy--Method used to trim splits or knots from individual strands of hair
SSK--Single Strand Knot; common with natural hair. These usually occur when the hair is worn in naturally curly styles often.
Transitioning--Growing your natural hair out from a chemical relaxer. During this time you will have both natural new growth and relaxed ends.

Henna--Natural hair dye that is derived from the Henna plant. Lawsone is the active ingredient and has a red/orange tint. It attaches itself to the keratin in the hair leaving the it with a permanent reddish tint and added strength.
Indigo--A natural dye that can be combined with Henna to produce shades from brown to jet black.
Cassia--Sometimes called "clear henna" provides conditioning to the hair and will impart a yellowish tone to light hair (leaves no color on dark hair)

Styles
*Braid-Out--Setting the hair overnight using braids for a crimped, wavy look
*Twist-Out--Using two strand twists to set the hair for a wavy/curly look
*Also used to stretch afro textured hair to show more length and fullness
Wash n' Go--A style where the hair is left curly after washing and conditioning. It is common to use Conditioner, gel or other products to help define the curls and
minimize frizz
Roller Set--Using rollers (mesh, magnetic, perm rods) on wet hair and using a hooded dryer to "set" the style. The result; curls with a silky feel that lasts for days.

Hair Length Abbreviations

NL--Neck Length

CL--Collar Bone Length

SL--Shoulder Length

APL--Arm Pit Length

BSL--Bra Strap Length

MBL--Mid Back Length

WL--Waist Length

Welcome to my Blog, Curly in Colorado!

I'm excited to have a new blog where I can share what I know (and am still learning) about Natural Hair.  I have been Natural for over a year now and transitioned for 9 mos before actually doing the Big Chop.

Why I started a Blog
I have a YouTube channel called mitchellzee where I post videos on how I do my own naturally curly/ kinky hair. Editing video is pretty time consuming so I'll be sharing some things here that I may not have time to put into video format.

Upcoming Posts
I really like all things hair and makeup. I plan on doing some product reviews on items that I have discovered that work for me. I'm also a mom...a little bit of a Domestic Diva if you will so I'll also be sharing some of what I've learned over the years raising my three sons (we call them the "Curly Hair Crew").

Stayed tuned for info on hair, beauty, shopping, food, and just plain tips on what I do to make it all work.