Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, I cut my hair ! I had a MAJOR setback after a hairstylist at a photoshoot I was on decided he could achieve a certain hairstyle using my real hair, and that was the last time my hair was ever normal again. “Did he achieve the hairstyle?” you ask… NOPE! I suddenly started experiencing severe hair loss in the back of my head, like literally all the relaxed bits of hair in that area fell off, all I had left was my new growth. I ran to the only person in Lagos I trust wth my hair, Dabs of NaijaHairCanGrow, she owns a salon here in Lagos called SavvyChic, so she came up with a strategy: to stretch my relaxer until June 2017, and then Big-Chop. This was like in October 2016, I thought “June is a loooong way away” and my hair starts breaking exactly 12 weeks post relaxer, so I already knew I wasn’t going to be patient enough. I tried to manage it 3-4months after, but in March I rang Dabs up and said I was going in for a big trim, but while sat in the chair at Dabs’ salon I asked for all my relaxed ends to be cut off and that was how I unceremoniously big-chopped. The picture above is literally seconds after the last bit of relaxed hair was snipped.
I have had my hair relaxed pretty-much all my life, so I had no idea what my natural hair looked or felt like. It’s been an interesting journey so far, I am currently looking for hair products that I can use to grow my hair, and also get my curls to ‘pop’. It’s all a bit strange to be honest, I kind of need it to grow past this stage and then I feel like I’d have some fun.
So now that I am #TeamNatural, I thought to make this list of things you will not catch me doing:
- Rocking a TWA (Teeny-Weeny-Afro)….. Nah, son!
- Give up hair extensions… yeah right
- Pay so much attention to my hair growth and become so obsessed… bloody hope not
- Only ever use ‘natural’ products and oils in my hair…. my scalp is even allergic to shea butter
- Telling everybody else to go natural
- Talking about my hair all the time
- Side-eyeing people that have got relaxed/texlaxed hair
- Religiously attending every seminar, workshop, convention, meet-up, communion targeted at ‘Naturals’
- Concocting hair products in my kitchen
- Rocking a TWA
This has just been my thought-process the entire time, I am probably going to be the must unnatural #TeamNatural member! And please note I said things you will NOT catch me doing…. I won’t say ‘Never’ 😉
Also, any fellow #TeamNatural members reading this post, please leave a comment recommending the products you use that you think are absolutely amazing!
23 Comments
NaturalistaMama
7 years agoI wanna recommend eggs, just beat some eggs in the morning with a dash of coconut oil……some paprika…… and salt. Then leave it in your hair for 30 mins. Trust me! The paprika will spice up your edges. ?
Ez
7 years agohahahahahaha!!! Why do I feel like I know who you are!!! lol
Valerie
7 years agoWelcome to #teamnatural your list is so funny yet realistic.
I only succeeded in rocking mt TWA very few times tbh.
I suggest you try out products from @shanyiorganics they cater to your exact need at a good price too
Ez
7 years agoHey Valerie :). Thank you!
Yeah, the TWA isn’t really working for me at the moment. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll check them out xx
Senami
7 years agoWelcome to #teamNatural! And welcome back!! I rocked my TWA alright..under my wigs and braids ?. How are you with pure coconut oil? It smells amazing and it’s nice and light. My go to sealant after moisturising. I use the Natural Nigerian brand and I either order it off their website or get some from Ebeano (the chevron one). Good luck! And can’t wait to see your progress! Xoxo
Ez
7 years agoHey Senami! Thank you, thank you! I’ve only used coconut oil mixed in with my deep conditioners, will try it out just on its own and see how I get on. I have seen the brand Natural Nigerian at Ebeano a couple times, I actually was going to purchase a product once, think it was leave-in conditioner, but never got to the till lol. Will check them out again, thank you!
Dabs
7 years agoOh gosh!! EZ your list cracked me up!! What’s wrong with concocting!!! Kitchen beautician here!! Lol!! Thanks for always trusting me with your ‘full of potential if you just let it’ hair xxx
Ez
7 years agoHahaha!! Let’s see how much potential it REALLY has, now that we are no longer texlaxing… for now lol. I tried all that kitchen concocting, it just isn’t for me. I’ll leave all that to you, and continue coming in for my bi-monhtly deep conditioning at Savvy & Chic 😉
Barbara
7 years agoTaa, I’m not the most product savvy naturalista (no thank you, no kitchen concocting nothing for me. Never have and probably never will too) but I do loooove to rock my natural hair *grin*
Don’t worry, just like Yewande, ul get with the program soon *tongue out*
Lynda
7 years agoCutting my hair this weekend! Can’t wait cos I’m so tired of it, like it doesn’t grow anymore, basically not healthy at all. I’m with you on all of them especially #1 & 2, literally just made 2 go-to wigs to wear cos I’m not about that life honestly.
Missyoti
7 years agoI am definitely #TeamUnnaturalNatural. I big chopped in April 2016 and my hair when stretched is approaching bra strap length. My advice- leave your hair alone! Wash, deep condition, Moisturize, braid it down, throw on a wig and go. I my experience hair grows better and faster when its left alone (exhibit A natural dreads). Just make sure it moisturized.
About your curls… they will pop and suprise you. Wait for it! 😀
Ez
7 years agoHey!! Everything you mentioned is literally what I do right now, although I need to do better with moisturising it. Ok, I’ll be waiting to be ‘surprised’ lol
Ronks
7 years agoAwww! So cute!
UnmaskedNatural
7 years agoLool @ the list. This was me in the beginning but now, I’m somebody else. Good luck trying to stick to those rules. I use @Kijaniorganics_ black soap shampoo and coconut oil, kuicare conditioner. Amazing products.
Ez
7 years agoHaha, I’ll try! Thanks for the recommendations
Naya
7 years agoTry and get your hands on Giovanni Direct Leave-in conditioner. It is awesome.
Naya
http://www.maneattractionglobal.blogspot.com
Ez
7 years agoOk, will check it out! Thank you
Elizabeth
7 years agoFunny list you’ve got, glad you said ‘not never’. I’d recomment Jamaican black castor oil & extra virgin olive oil. The former is really great for hair growth sincerely, worked for my back hair & edges, its also a moisture sealant like the latter.
Ez
7 years agoMy scalp is allergic to JBCO. Last time I used it, I broke out all along my hair line. But thanks a lot for your recommendations 🙂
Chioma
7 years agoThis was so hilarious and honest. Keep your regimen simple (check out thechicnatural on youtube, I think you’ll relate well with her regimen). The best thing for your hair growth is low manipulation – this is where wigs are very useful. Goodluck!!
Ez
7 years agoThanks a lot! And i agree with you, low manipulation. Will checkout the youtube page you recommended
Shandi
7 years agoI literally opened my mouth reading this, I was away for a while and didn’t know you chopped your hair?! ?
I’m natural too, people hardly know anyway. Not the “crazy” Naturalista; so to say. I’m originally from Cameroon, I was raised in Miami and moved to Lagos last year for work (transfer). I had to cut my hair (long story). Just like you, I didn’t know what to do, my hair was relaxed before I even knew what natural hair was. I spent money buying “renowned” and overhyped products on Instagram that just did absolutely nothing for my hair; had to give them out. My hair stylist then said to use Estella’s Pride and Namaste; they’re both Nigeria brands and they have oils, shampoos, essential oils, butters and the likes. Besides these two brands, I sometimes use Palmers, which is a British brand. These three brands, particularly the Nigerian braids worked like nothing else did and I still use them till now. When my hair was your length, I did cornrows, my stylish will make them with a “brush” in front, medium sized cornrows, and I’ll have them for 2 weeks. That’ll really help you by the way. Then I used a growth stimulating oil to massage my edges and roots regularly before I use my Wigs. And of course I had this oil mixture in my spray bottle with sparking water, glycerin, carrier and essential oils for daily use. So basically when my hair was your length, my stylish will wash my hair twice a month, cause I made cornrows every two weeks. I did that for 5 months until my hair grew to my desired length. I’m not a fan of Shea Butter for my hair, or should I say it only works for my skin, Mango Butter is the substitute for me, less greasy by the way. Essential oils are a must have for me, particularly peppermint and tea tree. They’re amaze balls! Like I said, I’m not the usual team natural, I just pree poo, wash, and deep condition. Long processes are a no for me, I don’t have cause of work, my stylist pretty much does 70% of it. And I do scalp massages by myself; it helps with the growth.
Sorry for the epistle, just thought this will be helpful, as I never thought you’ll ever be natural. Lol.
PS: Avoid Ghanaian braids and tight hairstyles as much as you can. Here’s to very healthy and long hair! ?
Ez
7 years agoYour comment literally just put a smile on my face!! So please, make no apologies… Thank you so much for the tips, I am pretty much doing the exact same thing you did when yours was my length, I deep condition every two weeks, and have my hair in cornrows after every deep condition (literally sat at the salon this minute, my second salon visit for the month, just got done deep conditioning and now getting cornrows done). I will definitely pick up products from the two brands you mentioned, as I haven’t really bought anything for my hair. My hair also hates sheabutter, so I’ll look into mango butter. I literally, do nothing to my hair while it’s in cornrows, so I need to get a mixture going, I’ve got pretty-much everything you listed that goes into your spray bottle. So i’ll mix something up this evening. I can’t wait for 5 months to go by, and then see how long my hair will be. Thanks again for sharing your regimen, you have NO idea how much you’ve just helped me. AND thanks for reading my blog 🙂