Today’s feature is with one of the fabulous CFYH reader’s…Zee! 

 

 

 

 

Have you been natural all your life, if not why did you choose to ‘go natural’?

 

I had my first relaxer when I was about 2 years old. So natural hair is still pretty new to me. Years of relaxers, heat damage from straighteners and just the general lack of knowledge for how to ‘Care For My Hair’ lol, resulted in its vast deterioration.

 

 

 

I decided the only way to reverse this was to start again. This was my main reason for going natural. I had tried in the past but gave up about 6 months in and got a perm because I couldn’t handle two different textures on my head. Transitioning, even though mine wasn’t extremely long, was very difficult for me. I got my last relaxer in January of 2012 and did my Big Chop in September 2012, but decided to cut beyond just the permed ends because I wanted to see what short hair would look like.

 

 

How did you feel after cutting your hair off?

 

I felt … weird, I still feel a little weird, I have never had hair this short before and I was terrified it wouldn’t suit me. Listening to the opinions of those around didn’t really help as most of my friends cannot imagine life without a relaxer lol. For a while I didn’t leave my house but then I asked myself ‘what are you afraid of?’ and suddenly all the answers I had for that question became insignificant. I love it now!!! So glad I did it!!!

 

 

 

 

How did family & friends react to your decision to go natural?

 

My dad’s first reaction was ‘what did you do to your hair??? you look like a man’ shortly followed by my brother staring at me and shaking his head in disappointment lol. It was slightly disheartening at first but as I became more accustomed to how my hair worked and products to use it looked a lot better.

 

 

 

Now all my friends and family tell me how much it suits me. I was an avid ‘weave wearer’ in the past, and no doubt I will probably still wear them in the future but I have never gotten more compliments from a hairstyle in my life. Strangers come up to me saying how much they love my hair!

 

 

Has being natural changed you at all?

 

Only in the sense that I don’t feel so obsessed with hair. Don’t get me wrong I have never shown my hair more attention and TLC in my life as I do now, but it’s like the pressure of getting the longest weave that touches my backside, or just the general idea of me trying to look like everyone else has vanished.

 

Being natural is all about hair health rather than length since shrinkage is a problem we all learn to live with. I’m free of all those burdens that troubled me before. Not so fixated on having ‘perfect’ hair, or being jealous of the mixed raced girl in my class that had long flowing curly hair that rested on her shoulders.

 

I relied so heavily on weaves in the past and felt like rubbish when I was stripped of it. Those days are long gone! I can truly say I love my hair!

 

Are you planning on growing your hair out or are you enjoying the short look?

 

I would love to see where my hair journey takes me! At the moment I am loving this short hair so much that growing it isn’t something I’m too bothered about. Will I re-cut it? who knows. Just going to go with the flow I guess.

 

 

 

Do you have a hair regimen, if so what is it?

 

My routine is simple. I do a wash and go everyday then apply a thick leave in conditioner. I co-wash weekly and shampoo every other week. Pretty straight forward stuff. Haven’t really experimented with techniques just yet.

 

3 of your favourite hair products?

 

Coconut Oil, Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioner, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

 

What advice would you give anyone thinking of going for the chop?

 

Be patient and get to know your own hair. Chances are it’s nothing like the hair you see on everybody else’s head. Its unique!

 

 

 

Any words of encouragement?

 

JUST DO IT! Don’t let what other people have to say about it affect you because at the end of the day the hair is growing out of your head and nobody else’s! And to be honest your only regret will be not having done it earlier.