why i chopped off my 2-foot long relaxer* pt 3
*This is not an exact hair measurement
Bublnbrnsuga has been kind enough to share her amazing hair journey with us over the past several weeks — from relaxing her super long natural hair in October 2008, to not liking the relaxer, to cutting it all off in March 2009.
Some reading to get you caught up:
Part 1
Rock Solid Regimen interview
Part 2
Peep the third installment…
BGLH: why did you decide to do a big chop as opposed to a gradual transition?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: I transitioned for 16 months when I first went natural in 2002. That’s too long!!! I really believe that some of the best times being natural is when you start low and let it grow!!
BGLH: did you do the cut yourself? did you go to a salon? what were the hairdressers’ reactions?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: I did cut my hair myself- and jacked it up. After I realized I am not hair savvy yet alone I shouldn’t deal with scissors, I decided to go to the salon. The lady who shaped me up was very supportive- she had natural hair also. I do think that if my hair was still long, I would’ve had to deal with the ‘are you SURE you wanna cut if off?’ Girl, all of this long hair and you wanna cut it!’ comments from those in her shop and possibly her , too.
BGLH: was it hard to let go of all that hair?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: Honestly, nope! You only live once and when you realize that hair is just hair, it won’t have such strong hold on you. I allowed it to control me because that’s how I was identified – by my long hair.
BGLH: i had estimated that you had 24 inches… was i off? was it closer to 20? do you even know, lol?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: Nope don’t know and I am not good with estimates,lol!
BGLH: so, what are your plans now for your hair in terms of an ultimate length? do you even have a plan or are you just going to go with the flow?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: I think that I am not going to allow it to get longer than my armpit-stretched. My hair was at it’s flyest at this length when I first went natural.
BGLH: how will you style your hair now?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: Believe or not, I am able to do a curly fro now. It’s short and really cuuute!
BGLH: what products will you use now? will you switch up your products/regimen at all now that your hair is shorter?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: Products that are in current rotation for me are:
Asha’s Heavenly Hair Pudding , Smooth n Shine Curl Activator Gel (THE BOMB)!!!, Kinky Curly Knot Today, Shikakai/Amla/Arithra rinses for cleaning, jojoba oil for my scalp.
BGLH: what do you like most about your new super-short do?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: I like that all I have to do now is spritz water on my hair, dab my fingertips in the activator gel and rake my hands through my hair!
BGLH: some women look up to you as a true “it’s just hair” girl. how does that make you feel?
BUBLNBRNSUGA: I didn’t know some women looked at me in this way. I feel neutral about it to be honest.
BGLH: you’ve been natural for a really long time now, lol. and OBVIOUSLY you’ve done it all! what advice would you give to naturals…
BUBLNBRNSUGA: Wow this is such a loaded question! One thing I would say to naturals is it’s one thing to be excited about being natural, but another to impose it on others. When I first went natural, I wanted every black woman to embrace their hair. I couldn’t see myself EVER going back to the relaxer. I wondered why women even wanted to relax their hair, especially when God gave them such lush, lovely unaltered natural hair. I was pretty aggressive with the natural thing back then and really felt bruised when I saw my other natural hair idols decide that going back to the relaxer was the way for them. After all of that talk, guess what? I came to a place where I was bored with my natural hair and wanted a change, so I relaxed. All of this to say, just be careful about how you come across when you go natural. Most definitely it’s freeing, exciting, and for many of us so new and yes, you want others to feel the same way, but everyone’s not ready and that’s okay! So many women go on that ‘natural high’ in the beginning, but after about the 3rd year of being natural they get bored and start looking at that ORS jar- the same jar they abhorred 3 years prior.
For more from this enlightened chick, check out her fotki page.
i have to admit, i was one of those women who was on that “natural high” when first becoming natural- not so much preaching as ‘informing’ those with a perm that they should at least consider being nautral at least once in their life.
needless to say closing in on four years on being naptural, i’m not on that high, but i still enjoy my hair-i dont see myself going back to a relaxer in the near or distant future (i wont say never,lol) i’m just jonesing for a good press though, i wanna see what my hair looks like straight.since i dont have a flat iron (saving up for a decent one)it looks like i’ll be waiting a ‘lil longer.
Beautiful hair and series! Thank you so much for posting.
Wow…what a drastic change! Her hair is beautiful either way. I support HEALTHY hair, whether it is relaxed or natural. She has beautiful curls though…much more personality than when it was straight!
Yep, I love natural hair but I try to be careful not to be harsh on women who have chosen to wear relaxed hair or blonde weaves that go all the way down their backs They are just doing what works for them at the time
http://womanofcolour.blogspot.com
Yep I agree that bashing other people is never the way forward. I think leading by example is better.
I’ve been on a natural high for 5/6 years. I think when you have never had great hair then go natural and develop a lovely beautiful head of hair, it is easy to be on a high forever. However if you were a successful relaxed then go natural, perhaps then there is a difference.
what u did was bold. sometimes being bold is some bull but in ur case its courageous and beautiful. it shows u r more than ur hair!
lovelylovelylovely
I would love to start over with my hair. I love her attitude about chopping it off, like it’s no biggie.
Cute hair!