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PureRoots

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PureRoots

I have been natural, as in no perm for about fifteen years, give or take. I got my first perm a couple of years after I graduated from high school. Eventually, after years of enduring a burning scalp, and having sores on my head from the chemicals, I realized I had been "lyed" to, and decided to let it grow out.

I transitioned over a period of about two years, by no longer getting perms in my hair, but pressing or "warm combing" my new growth with a hot comb every week, or every time it reverted back. During that time I wore braids for about four months, kept trimming the permed ends off, and eventually got my hair cut into a shorter style that I pressed and curled every week. Getting rid of the perm was good for my hair, but applying so much heat constantly wasn't. At some point I began going to the hairdresser every couple of weeks because my hair had gotten quite a bit longer, and was more difficult for me to do myself, but that caused even more damage, because she used a smoking, sizzling hot comb and curling iron, and over time, too much heat thinned and dried my hair out, frizzed and fried my ends, which I tried to mask by applying more hair grease and my little curling iron almost daily to smooth them.

Despite all of this, my Journey began, not so much because I was tired of the negative routine with my hair, (although I was) but because I began to have a strong desire to wear my natural hair, even though I had never worn my hair without a press and curl, or a perm. And so my natural hair journey began.

I first experimented with John Frieda's curlly products. They worked as far as allowing me to wear my hair natural hair, but because I didn't know how to take care of my natural hair, I broke off about half of my hair, which was pretty long, by brushing and combing vigorously every day while wet, shampooing every two or three days for months without deep conditioning, and not applying anything to my hair to protect it. I remember being shocked when my hair began to lock in the back and on one side after I decided not to comb it anymore and just wet, apply product, fluff and go instead. It worked for about a week and a half and I went past time for me to shampoo. I had never detangled, and didn't know I was supposed to. Needless to say, my husband had to help me pull my hair apart and cut out the locks that couldn't be saved. It took two days of applying conditioner, and I was left with half a head of hair. Bless his heart!

I almost gave up on natural hair after that, but thank God I discovered Youtube and began stalking natural hair videos, and tutorials for hours at a time. I owe Rustic Beauty, Crown of His Glory, KittyKat, Stra8sis, Ladykpnyc, NajahFace, Tracy of K.I.S.S. 66, IrrisistableB, Marand313, and many, many more, my gratitude for sharing their knowledge, trials, and experiences with me, and allowing me to go along on their natural hair journeys, to discover all I could about my natural hair....

THEN I discovered fotki, and I almost couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. Photo after photo of beautiful black women every color of the rainbow, with every hair texture imaginable, each and everyone beautiful, wearing the hair that God gave them in styles that I never dreamed possible! (the stalker in me was back!) There are far too many women of fotki to thank, so I thank you all!

Then I discovered Terri @biracialhair.com, and then Chicoro123 @Beautify Bit by Bit. Their tutorials and expertise have helped me to take caring for my hair to the next level. I humbly thank you both.

Luv and Peace to All

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