| | - melmal22
- Hi! I've decided to put some work in my Fotki account. I was never really good at it, and think that I may have missed some really good advice and the trials, tribulations and joys of being a natural haired chick! :-)
So my story goes like this.... I got my first relaxer at age 12 and steadily relaxed it for years and years... blowing out my hair was my favorite pass time. I used to love the sound of the curling iron sizzling my hair! (Sick I know) I went through the growing out process for the first time about 10 years ago.
As I never really mustered up the nerve to do a big chop, I just kept cutting it slowly. The problem was I never really got a routine down how to take care of my hair. My family was not supportive; my grandmother kept asking me why I stopped combing my hair. And that Jesus (yes, Jesus) wanted me to have straight hair. That was the way it was supposed to be. Besides, she would say, men like women with long straight hair. My mother, my aunts and cousins where also steadfastly against me going natural. Why did I want to look like a "loose" woman? A "wild" woman? Let me just interject here and say that my family is from the Islands, and we are still trying to get over colonialism. (LOL) The obsession with long straight hair is indicative of this.
After transitioning from relaxers for about 5 years, I let my cousin convince me that I needed to relax my hair for a big family wedding. Fool that I am—I did it! I regretted it instantly and once again started the process of growing the relaxer. I have been relaxer free now for about 5 years give or take.
But my saga does not stop there. After getting the CG method down. I did a bad thing. I went to a Korean hair salon (I don't know why) and let them flat iron my hair. This literally killed my hair. After that, my hair just refused to curl again. Sigh...More growing out. I finally got to point where I was comfortable with doing a BC, which I did happily at Devachan. This leads me to my, hopefully, last stupid hair move. In October 2008 I let my mother's hairdresser color my hair. She left the developer in way to long, which totally stripped my hair of curl and moisture.
Once again, I have embarked the hair growing out process. Because my hair is this in-between stage of curly AND straight bits, I've taken to getting my hair blown out my friendly neighborhood Dominican salon, where they do a deep conditioner and roller set my hair weekly. I am set to go back to Devachan in either April or June depending on the growth, to once again do a BC. I vow to never hurt my hair again!
The pictures posted or pre-error of my ways. I have been tres reluctant to post pictures of my hair now. Why? Because kids, it's a bad look.
Right now I am on a quest for anything that will aid in good hair health and growth. I think that natural may be the best way to go, but I am open to trying many things.
I love that there is the society of natural, CG who are embarking on the journey with me. Below is the routine that I used to use when I was a true CG and using Devachan products. :-)
So many people have asked my routine that I wrote it out. Here it is...
These instructions refer to Devachan products. You can tweak it to find a routine that works for you.
1. I use the No Poo once every other week. Use the same way would use regular shampoo.
2. Follow with the One Condition (OC).
3. I co-wash with OC every other day that I wet my hair
• Normally I only use my fingers to comb though--- sometimes but rarely do I use a wide tooth comb. (I find that it breaks up the curl; but if you feel like your hair is too tightly coiled, you might want to do this) Try both methods and figure out which works best for you.
4. Rinse completely with as cold water as you can stand
5. Wring (in a scrunching motion) out hair to get rid of the excess water;
• Wrap head in a 100% cotton t-shirt
***NEVER USE A REGULAR TOWEL! ***
6. Work a little of the OC through-out the hair,
• Style hair using fingers,
7. Spray the Set it Free (SIF) in your hair. (I tend to start at the bottom and work my way through my hair and up to the top)
8. If time permits; I use a diffuser or hood dryer (Clearly a weekend luxury)
9. When it's dry, I shake my head and fluff!
• Depending on how it dries (air dry or dryer) it takes any where from 1 1/2 hours to 30 minutes to dry.
• I use the Mister Right (MR) on non wash days. I spray it the way that I spray the SIF. Start at the bottom and work up to the top.
• I never use any gels or mousses. It's just to drying, and it makes the hair "crispy" which I HATE! Furthermore, I have found that the process that I have going is working out fine.
A few notes:
Beware of using a flat iron on your hair--- this can burn it and permanently straighten it.
Also be very wary of harsh bleaches or dyes. This can also damage the cuticle of your hair and change its texture.
Both of these things have happened to me. NOT CUTE!
- General Information
-
- Profile:
- Personal
- Since:
- Friday, April 6, 2007
- Gender:
- Female
 - Tags:
- People always expect more from you when you have naturally curly hair!
- I'm here for:
- Photo sharing, Friends, Networking
- My friend:
- unfriend
 please wait... - Not friend:
- add to friends please wait...
Virtual Gifts Please login to send a gift There are no gifts yet! Be the first to send this user a virtual gift! - My Cities
-
- Hometown:
-
- Background & Lifestyle
-
- Marital status:
- Single
- Sexual orientation:
- Straight
- Smoking:
- Non-smoker
- Drinking:
- Light (social) drinker
- Children:
- I don't have kids yet
- Education:
- College graduate
- Origin:
- Haitian/Dominican
- Body type:
- More to love!
- Height:
- Average
- Friends:
- honey04, subbrock, svrbrownsuga, Curly4Life.....Permanent hiatus, Raven281, EvilGenius1908, Icanonlybeme 2011 UPDATES!!!, EmpressRi ~March updates (finally)!, Sweetladee1001 Dec '09 Updates!!, ~MissFreya2 NEW PICS!~, Cornelia, AuNaturalCurlie(4/26/09 Update), Suburbanbushbabe™, Raxxiloxx [Braidlock Journey], Shamcraz, Mixeded, Curlieyogie, Goldengyrl, I'm @ HauteandNatural.blogspot.com...come over! :)
- Friend of:
- honey04, subbrock, Destinych3 (DC3)--Updated!!, svrbrownsuga, Curly4Life.....Permanent hiatus, Raven281, EvilGenius1908, Icanonlybeme 2011 UPDATES!!!, Tanisha, EmpressRi ~March updates (finally)!, Sweetladee1001 Dec '09 Updates!!, ~MissFreya2 NEW PICS!~, Cornelia, Suburbanbushbabe™, Shamcraz, Mixeded, NaturallyNiké, Wild Curls Raquelle, Curlieyogie, Goldengyrl, I'm @ HauteandNatural.blogspot.com...come over! :), Britt-Brat-Attack
| | |
