I don't know. Well, yes I do. I have been obsessed with Sisterlocks for the past 3 months, after I decided to go back natural in August 2009. Let me back track further. Besides being born with kinky hair, and relaxing it in the 2nd grade (I was so happy to have that done then! Such a surprise, believing I was more beautiful with processed straight hair, that looked like everyone else's.), after my first 2 years of college, studying African American history as my minor, I became "pro-black" I guess you can say, lol and began resenting the fact that I had to slap strange chemicals in my hair every 2 months to look like other cultures, and it boggled me more when I didn't have a legitimate reason as to why I was relaxing my hair, other than so-called manageability. There had to be more than that.
So I believe in 2003, I became natural, and stayed that way for about 2-3 years. Man what a ride. I was a DIY, I never did the TWA but I did have about 4 inches when I finally cut my relaxed hair off. I was worried the guys would walk past me ( I know, I know) but I got more compliments and admirers of my natural journey than what I expected. I styled twist outs a lot. I remember being frustrated with my hair texture though, why was it not boingy curly like the other girls I have seen? Then I started learning about curl patterns. My hair is more, hmm, tightly coiled + zig-zag pattern on 90% of my head, giving me that tight cotton afro look. This will sound wierd to admit this, but I hated it. I wanted the coily curls, why couldn't I have that??! I learned that all the creams and muds out there wasn't meant to give me that dream pattern I thought I wanted, so although I loved being a natural, I didn't care for what I had to work with. Oh, and the other 10% of my hair is a loose cotton, much looser, in the back of my head, to where it looks longer than the rest of it, and the rest of it looks like it never grows, although I think it is deceiving when dry. I always had to measure my true length when my hair was wet.
After 2-3 years of being natural, I relaxed my hair again. Yeah. I don't know if I was stressed from my financial situation and the relationship I was in at the time that had me confused about my life and needs, but my scalp began feeling very tight and itchy, to the point where I thought it was my natural hair making my scalp so tight feeling. I mean, my kinks was all ready tight, so maybe it was affecting my scalp. I started wearing scarves a lot more, which probably didn't help my scalp breathe and made it worse, and I got even more tired of styling it, keeping my kinks from drying up. I was trying to avoid greasing my hair, as I heard using those type products were not necessary and clogged pores ( I now know better, I use Nature's Blessings hair pomade and it keeps my scalp soo moisturized, minimized flakes too! and there is no petroleum), so I was really in a bad place. Plus, the guy I was with was more encouraging me to relax my hair (guess he didn't like it), but please know, it was my decision, it was not his fault. I chose to take the easy way out. So, I believe it was 2006 when I relaxed again.
After I relaxed again, my hair looked so full and healthy, oh my! Then, after the second relaxer, it got thinner in weight (chemicals do that to our hair) and that really burst my bubble.
I have had a lot of changes in my life, including a growing spiritual life (all praises to God!) and I have journeyed again in the direction of being natural. So I made that decision in Aug 2009, not knowing how I was going to do it again, but knew it had to be done for me to truly be happy with me.
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