Straight vs Natural Hair Part #2
Continuing the Natural vs Straight hair discussion...
I wear natural styles most of the time and straighten my hair every 8 -10 weeks or so when it's trim time.
Which equates to roughly 6 x a year. I have been doing this routine for the last 3 years with occasional exceptions.
I have found it to be just the right amount of heat for my hair, but until recently not the easiest to maintain.
I will get back to that...
Another reason I have chosen this approach is because I have 2 curly head daughters myself, one considerably more curly haired than the other.
It was important to me that I counter the overwhelming images they see everyday in magazines and on TV of what their hair among other things should look like.
I wanted what they see in the mirror every day to be "their standard" of beauty, but not to impede them from experiencing the versatility that their curly hair affords them.
I realized that I was the best example they could have, a constant subconscious imprint that whether they know it or not will affect them for the rest of their lives.
I will cover pros & cons of straightening children's hair chemically, artificially or by flat iron, in the next post.
I have found that my every 8 -10 week regimen, allows me to experience the get up, shake "n" go, easy to run your hands through, shiny full length hair I have, while staying on track with my personal hair goals.
I mentioned earlier that up until recently maintaining my natural hair was not the easiest. I will be the first to raise my hand and say it was down right aggravating.
I have very thick hair which is a challenge in and of itself. On top of that, I would try wash"n"go's from the YouTube videos where the person's hair always came out looking amazing after making everything look so easy.
But in real life, I get to work, and a few hours later I had a curly Afro that didn't even make it down to my shoulders lol. Not knocking that look at all, but wasn't what I was going for.
The alternative had been a 2-3x a week routine of moisturizing then braiding my dry hair myself into 10 -16 small plaits or bribing my oldest daughter to do it.
If I was too tired or didn't feel like coughing up money to bribe my own child, my hair ended up in a ponytail in a variation of few different positions or a bun. (side note, it used to be when I was a child/pre-teen, if your mom asked you to do something for her...you just did it without needing to being bribed!)
(Shown above: my mentor and friend on the right/my own DIY braid-out attempt a week old when this photo was taken on the left)
But then a miracle happened that has changed my life! My friend/mentor above told me about this service provided by a company called Colour.
Colour is geared towards servicing women of color and they are piloting a Unlimited Beta Program (Metro Atlanta and surrounding areas confined at the moment).
Essentially you pay $100 per month and you can get your hair done unlimited times per month, in the comfort of your own home, available 7 days a week and flexible hours.
I was intrigued, so I started the Beta trial last month and could not be happier! I love the fact that there are several foundation styles to choose from in the program. My personal favorite is the "GLOSS".
I can get straight or natural styles, I have chosen the "Gloss" which affords me beautifully done flat twists with products of my choosing on my wet natural hair.
I have elected to schedule my appointments for early Sunday morning and by the time I "twist out" Monday morning before work I have flawless, perfectly defined curly hair.
The best part is with my hair maintenance routine it lasts me an entire week! (shown below: my week old "Gloss" style from Colour)
For me the no "Salon hassle" is a game changer in itself, but now what used to be a pain to deal with, is now just as easy for me as wearing my hair straight.
Please, I hope this post, provides some perspective that can help other beautiful women make the best choices for their hair health and lifestyle. Until next time...
Questions welcome.
