Braids or Big Chop? That is the Question.

Ever since I made the decision to go natural I wanted to just cut out all the relaxer and go from there. I did a big chop before I made the decision but I still have a small amount of relaxer left in my hair.....and it's irritating the crap out of me! I want to cut it out so I can truly feel like I'm starting this transitioning journey from scratch.

I see and hear about all these wonderful ideas and processes that others have gone through with wonderful results and I want to try them all! I'm just that excited. Just yesterday I had my mind made up on getting braids and I commenced to searching for a new hair braider, and I even asked my FB friends for recommendations. The thing with braids is they are an investment, and with that investment I have a few requirements:

1. If I'm going to spend $200+ on braids the person doing them better be very good at what she does and fast! By good I mean her work is neat and precise. No sloppiness, no inconsistency with the braiding, and I better not have braids falling out after a one week!

2. The hair braider must be professional and the shop or home they work out of must be clean.

I don't think that's asking too much, do you? Today I changed my mind on the braids and decided that the big chop is the way to go. With some big hoop earrings and my face done up I could rock it! At least that's what I've convinced myself of. ;) I think what the big chop signifies for me is a total release of my former creamy crack addiction. I need a clean break from the chemicals, and the only way I'd get that is by cutting out the rest of the relaxer. So the plan is to go to my husband's barber this weekend and have him take care of that for me and shape me up. Only then will I be chemical free with nothing standing between me and my beautiful, natural, kinky hair.

The Decision

April 19, 2013 is a pivotal date for me. That's the day that I officially decided that I had enough of beauty salons and all the drama that comes with them, including putting creamy crack, aka harmful chemicals called relaxers in my hair. My disgust with my beautician of 8 years on that day helped me make a firm decision to go natural, a decision I had been pondering for at least 3 or 4 years. I had already damaged my hair by curling it constantly with the curling or flat irons at the crown of my head, so the only answer for that was to chop it all off and start from scratch. I've always loved having short hair so that was an easy decision to make. But the short hair also made it easier for me to begin the transitioning process, so  here I am today.

To date I have not had a relaxer since April 6, 2013. Today is Thursday May 30th. I have a small fro going on with a small amount of relaxer on the ends. I will post pictures of my progress. I'm full of excitement, questions, and I'm open to any and all suggestions from my fellow natural sistas. I've been watching YouTube videos and getting inspiration from Pinterest and pinning hair styles and healthy DIY hair products. I haven't been chemically free since I was 15, so I'm excited to see my natural hair in all it's glory again. I have no delusions that this journey will be easy, that I won't have days where I want to give up and make an appointment at the new salon I found before I decided to go natural and get the creamy crack again. I know there will be days when I look at myself in the mirror and wonder why did I do this to myself. Despite all of that there's a huge part of me that is very determined to see this through all the ups and downs, the highs and lows. Deep down I know this is the best thing I can do for the health of my hair and scalp. More than anything, I want to set the example for my two girls.

Last year I made the horrible decision to give my girls kiddie relaxers. They looked beautiful for the first few months and then the breakage started. The breakage actually started with my youngest daughter almost immediately. She was 9 and my oldest daughter was 11 when I gave them the relaxers. When I saw the extent of the breakage I stopped giving them the relaxers and began the transitioning process for them. They haven't had a relaxer in almost 6 months. I keep their hair braided and moisturized and it's been growing back just fine. My oldest daughter told me when she had her relaxer that she missed the poofiness of her hair, her natural curls. That made me feel even worse. Here this child is recognizing the beauty of her natural hair and all I was thinking about was how the girls having a relaxer would make my life easier as far as taking care of their hair. That wasn't true at all. My girl's hair was sooo much healthier and beautiful without them, and putting chemicals in their hair will always be my biggest regret when it comes to them.The good thing is we are all in this transitioning journey together as mother and daughters.