Since the age of five I have been damaging my hair by perming it so that it would be straighter and more manageable. I hated getting my hair combed because it was so thick and took forever to get it looking presentable. The perm helped to get this done so much faster without all of the pain. Or so I thought. As I grew older, I noticed how the perm was actually thinning out my hair and taking away my natural waves and curls. I finally decided at the age of 15 that I no longer would perm my hair and that I would wear my natural tresses. This was easier said than done.
It took me at least a year to grow the perm out of my hair. I could have just done the “big” cut at the beginning of my journey but my hair had always been a good length and I did not want to take that drastic step. This was painful as I had to be careful as my hair grew out because I had permed hair at the end and new growth at the roots. If I pulled the comb or brush to hard through my hair it would break off the permed portion of my hair, which is not what I wanted. my friends recommend to apply tape hair extensions,but After a year I finally had all natural hair with no harsh chemicals.
I learned that actually takes more time and effort to take care of natural hair than it does for permed hair. Everything starts with the shampoo and conditioner that you use to wash your hair. In the small town that I live in there are no beauty supply stores so at first I would contend with what was available at the local Walmart. The best item I found was a Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore shampoo and conditioner. The advertisement promised to prevent split ends and to reduce the likelihood of breakages. It also contained apple cider vinegar which promised to restore the natural pH balance of the hair allowing for softer and more management hair. Considering this was the only viable choice at the time, I used this for some time until I could find something better. It was very important how I choose to wash my hair and that I not wash it too often as this could cause my hair to dry out. Usually I washed with warm water and followed up with a cold rinse so my hair looked and felt shinier and healthier.
Once I started to drive I was able to visit the beauty supply stores in the larger cities adjacent to my home town to try better products. I found that it was not only important to get the right shampoo and conditioner but other products as well because my hair was most susceptible to dryness which required extra care. So I purchased products such as moisturizing serum, leave-in conditioner, hair oils such as coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil. Moisturizing my hair was key to helping prevent splitting ends. Although I did my hair more myself than when I had a perm, once I did visit a salon, I opted for a hot oil treatment to add in the moisture and shine that I needed. I also opted to trim my ends more often in order to prevent further damage to my hair length. Another interesting change to my normal habit as a direct result of my natural hair was I no longer used cotton pillowcases because these tend to draw out the moisture in your hair. I use satin or silk pillow cases instead. I also wrapped my hair at night in silk scarfs to lock in the moisture.
I learned to take care of my hair very well, but then I had to learn how to style the natural hair. No longer could I easily wrap, roll and curl my hair and go…it took a lot more time to style this hair. I did not mind the extra time, but I like to change up styles but I didn’t want to do too much and damage my hair. Some of the popular styles that I found that worked, were braids, extensions and wash and gather in a pony tail. This are all known as protective styles because one it’s done, you no longer have to mess in your hair, combing and brushing and causing breakage. The pony tail is my favorite because it takes the least amount of time. I can throw my hair in a pony tail and let the fly freely atop my head or I tie it up in a bun. The braids look great and you can opt for different styles, but it just takes so long to sit (for hours and hours) to get the final result. Usually it is worth the wait. A knock off of the braid style are twists which take a little less time and are a little less harsh on your hair. Finally the extensions can give me that long and straight look or the curly look I want without adding heat.
All in all the natural hair takes a lot more time and money to handle but I would not turn back to the permed hair for any amount of money. My hair feels so much healthier and I get so many compliments.
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