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Ruth

Crystal

Rose
I have been natural since May 2009. I did the big chop in August 2009.

Ms Pam
I did my big chop in Feb 2009. The photo with the gold background is my most recent natural photo, taken June 2010.

Brittany

Kim
Hello, my name is Kim and I will be natural 3 years on August. 7 this year. I only transitioned for 3 months and did the big chop.

Olivia

Shopforyoutoo
Hello and thanks so much for this blog. It has opened me up to so many more options. The first picture is of me with a perm no weave, I have always loved my hair and was taught to take good care of it always. The second picture was of me at my baby shower in April I usually wear my hair in the twist outs. I love my hair!!!

Denise
I’ve been natural for a year this month. I transition for only 3 months. I’m so happy with my hair now.

Lexi
I transitioned for 7 months and BC’d May 7, 2010. I was the last of my girls to do the BC so we threw a BC party, had some wine, pizza, and all around fun!

Faith

Kim

Andrea
I’ve been natural almost six years! I bc’d twice since being natural! Going natural to me is a way of praising and thanking God for blessing me with the most unique feature on earth! When you look at all the now and then photos on the site you can see that each lady transform from just a regular chick in the crowd to the most unique and sassy chick on the page! I love the way my curls loop and twist as if my hair is dancing!!!!! I wish I had always been a natural girl!

Socialite
I’ve been natural for a year and a half now and the hair is growing like a weed! I love it! If I were to straighten, it’d definitely be back to where it was pre-chop in my relaxer days where my hair just WOULD NOT GROW past my shoulders. So glad I’m no longer living a “lye” http://socialitedreams.wordpress.com/

Britney

Ashleigh
Monday was my one month nappiversary! I bc’d May 28, 2010!

Kymbaly
I have been natural for about a month now!

Kaee

Lynnieluve
Pictures of me from April 2009 and June 2010

Gaye

Fabiola
I’ve been natural for 4 months now and I am loving it.

Courtney

Janique

Sedrica
The first photo was back in 07. My hair was still relaxed but I made a curly afro ponytail from track hair…lol. The second photo is how I look now! Drop dead gorgeous!

Cherlnell
I have had natural hair since 1997. I was 13 years old. When I graduated from high school I got locs and kept them for 8 years. What’s funny is I did my first big chop a year and 4 months ago. I plan on getting my locs back when my hair turns gray. I love my natural hair and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Aundrea Parsons
I love your blog….
It has taught me soooooo much about products and good hair care.

I decided to go natural because I wanted the option to wear my hair any way I wanted. Being a dancer, I love all styles, weaves, straight, curly…whatever. I did my big chop in March of 2009. 16 months later, my hair is longer than now when I straighten it then it was when I started! I love it!!!! It gives me so much freedom!

Bernadette
Me in 2005 and 2010
http://bejaikeepsitreal.blogspot.com/

Vanessa

Amma
I just celebrated my one year nappiversary on June 13th. I transitioned for three months and then went for it.
Pic #1 Spring 2007
Pic #2 July 2010

Shannon
I absolutely love the blog. It helps and inspires me so much.

Alise

Faith

Raniesa
I am about 6 months post big chop. Not very much growth yet, but that is only because I was so excited after my first BC, I did it again 3 more times before I decided to let it grow!! LOL!!! The first pic is of me June last year, before the thought of going natural even entered my mind. It’s so funny how things can change so quickly. And the last one is me last night, taking pics of my growth to help keep me encouraged.

Nzingha

Jennifer

Dheena

Dominique

Liz
The first pic is from September 2009, and the second pic was taken 10 minutes after I did my big chop, on January 25, 2010!

Sheena

Ashley

Alexandra
I am so in love with my curls and I take much pride in having them on my head.
www.healthyghb.blogspot.com

La’Tesa
20 months natural now

D. Alexander
I’ve always been a lover of wigs and weaves and NATURAL hair…crazy right but I just like variety…lol but I have been known to color my hair like crazy, relax it, just to have to cut it off due to damage. I’ve been doing this cycle of color, relax, cut, natural since 2002 but I’m tired of it and decided to stay natural. Recently, I got tired of the wigs, weaves and relaxers and decided to big chop…AGAIN…but for good, there was no transitioning, no long thought out process, I walked in the barber shop with a head full of relaxed hair and I walked out with a FADE, I felt liberated and FIERCE and that, sistah, is a beautiful combination.

Karmen
January 2009 and June 2010

Nadia

Jonai

Trina

Nick
I just recently transitioned from relaxed to natural and I love it!!! Thank you for creating your site!!!

Amina
Going natural taught me that I will not and cannot have a bad hair day embracing what the Lord blessed me with!

Christy

J’Destinee
I transitioned for about 4 1/2 months and big chopped on December 18, 2009!

Jerrica
I have been natural for almost a year now. I transitioned starting in March 2008 and cut off the rest of the perm in July 2009.

Natasia

Wise

Cathie
I absolutely love, adore and cherish your site. Been natural for only 2 months now and by far I must say this feeling is like no other. Your site truly inspires me. Keep doing your thing Sista <3

Kanisha
I did my big chop on June 6!

Shay-la

Mallory

Shante
I absolutely love your site, I keep up with things on FaceBook and it’s such an inspiration to see others who are going through the natural journey as well. I have been natural going on 11 months and I’m loving every bit of my fro! There definitely won’t be any relaxers in my future. I encourage others to go ahead and jump aboard the natural express because it is a wonderful ride.

Aquila
Natural for 3 years and I love it!

Tiereney

Tamikha

Tiffanie
I was a long term transitioner, 20 months, and have now been completely natural for almost 1 full year!

Antonia

Brittany

Angel

Lakita
I’ve been natural for 1 year. Well, 2 years no perm and 1 year 100% natural! Here are pictures!

Danielle

Petina
Just did my big chop yesterday [Editor's note: this photo was submitted on April 3] and here are my photos for before and after! Before (actually my engagement picture)– my hair was relaxed, long and flat-ironed super-straight. After- the big chop yesterday! I thought I’d be nervous but I was totally ready after 8 months of transition (mostly in buns).

I am MrsPetals on fotki: http://members.fotki.com/MrsPetals/about/

Charice
Here are my then and now pictures for the site! I absolutely love it and constantly share with friends, keep up the good work!

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JULY’S GIVEAWAY PRIZE, COMPLIMENTS OF RACHEL STEWART JEWELRY

Rachel Stewart Jewelry Shop
Rachel Stewart Jewelry Blog
Rachel Stewart Jewelry Twitter
Rachel Stewart Jewelry Facebook

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To be sure, ALL of the Now and Then transformations were amazing, but in the end you all found Stacy-Ann’s most dramatic. Congrats Stacy-Ann! You will be winning gorgeous naKIMuli bracelets. Thanks naKIMuli for sponsoring this giveaway! It’s been awesome!

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So y’all really want these bracelets, huh?

By day’s end Monday I had received more than 75 Now and Then entries! That’s more than double what I normally get, so I figured this giveaway was extra-special to you guys. Given that, I feel that you should be the ones to tell me who should get the bracelets. I won’t be selecting a winner at random.

So what do you think? Which relaxed to natural transformation was your favorite?

*Now and Then giveaway photos that were too small or poorly formatted were not posted.
**If you are interested in sponsoring BGLH’s next Now and Then giveaway, email blackgirllonghair@gmail.com

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This should be extra incentive for you to submit your photos of before and after you went natural to blackgirllonghair@gmail.com. A winner will be selected at random

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naKIMuli on Twitter
naKIMuli on Facebook

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Jade

Sarah

Nya

Marisa

Jessica

Eniola

Stephanie

Voyhia

Kierra
I have been natural since 2005 and I LOVE my hair!

Lashon

Bernadette

Brittney
Going natural was definitely one of the best decisions I ever made!

Trina

Samya

Ashanti

Amelia

Tina

Faren

Sandy

Andrea
I love your site! It really inspires me, especially when I am having bad hair days. I wanted to participate in the “Now and Then” photos. The first picture is me in 2005 when my hair was still relaxed, the second picture is me in early 2010. I’ve been natural since 2007. Sometimes I get frustrated, but I’ve never looked back. It’s sites like yours that give me a community to learn from and to be inspired by.

Michelle
I love love love your website and check daily. I found bglh in November when I had finally decided to mentally prepare myself to go natural. I am SO happy I did and did the big chop on Dec 31, 2009.

Brandy

Antoinette

Charlene

Saki

Lara

Uche

Melissa
Last relaxer July 3, 2009. Transitioned until December 7, big chop @ 1am. Natural and lovin it for 5 months.

Jackie

Britney
I’ve been natural for nearly three years now. I love natural hair and I love your site.

Stacy-Ann

Chantal
All Natural, and NO those are not spiral curls from a curling iron or a straw set (I get asked that all the time). They are my natural curls and they grow out of my head that way Never knew I had them until now. Wet in the shower, NEXXUS Humectress leave-in, a quick run through with my denmen brush, air dry and whah lah!

Akia

Sydney

Jennika
I went natural last year, shortly before relocating to Hawaii. Figured I was loosing my hair stylist anyways, might as well learn my hair myself!

Shayla

Alexandra
I recently came to your blog…about 2 months ago…I go to it religiously everyday (when I can) I love all the different types of hair people have…although we’re all black our hair is all so different and so special in different ways. I love your before and after photographs…I was suprised by myself that I actually like the afters better…noones before did I like better. People look so much more free and happy and different when their hair is how it’s meant to be…how it is when we came into this world. I love your site and it’s actually allowed me to be comfortable going natural. My new growth is coming in and I love it! i haven’t seen that hair in so long and I’m so excited to see where my journey is taking me…keep doing your blog, your helping so many of us!

Kemi
This is a great site and i frequent it often. I would not have been able to have the courage to go natural and be so proud of who I am if it weren’t for sites like this. Thank you!

Ashly

Sherida
These are my before and after pictures – I BCed on Valentines Day 2010! I’d been relaxed since about 3 or 4 years of age. Btw lovely blog!

Rachel

Shamara

Mijiza

Yolanda
This is my 2nd time going natural and I plan to stay that way. Your website has really been instrumental in helping me with the process this 2nd time around.

Carolyn

Kelly

Malorie

Jennifer

Andrea

Lybra

Cess

Priscilla

Fatty Bamboo

Mallory

Jenya
I have finally let my real hair out to the world.

Tanya

Casarae

Jacqui

Jarquisha

Oyinda

Stacey

Demetra

Amber

Maame

Wande

Keisha

Shandaw

Brittany

Dea

Shae
I had a relaxer and my hair was really damaged. It broke off on the sides so I had to get it cut and got it colored to make it kind of look like something bad idea. This rest are me currently. My hair on the sides has grown back and my hair is so healthy!!!

Latoya
hello bglh… fellow curly kinky beauties. I absolutely love this blog!! I did the big chop after 4 months on Dec. 23 2009 and I am loving every minute of it. This pic is shortly after (2 weeks) and just me enjoying the new me.

Joy

Tanikia

Taylor

Ashleigh

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Andrea

Candice

Arleisha

Dea

Asia

Sara

Mowear

Rocquelle

Andréa

Maurnica

Nicole

Genoa

Jessica

Janay

Tracy

Dionna

Jatea

CFYH

Adriene

Arnice

Antrenette

Naa-Adjeley

Alkin

Rachel

Nikita

Jessica

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There is no more judging of “Now and Then” entries. All the women are beautiful and inspirational

Tracy

Brandi

Chardonnay

Keliesha

Alicia

Deandra

Naomi

Raquel

Angie

Sherylyn

Paris

Miracle

Tiffany

Sarah

Katrina

Tiffany

Ivy

Chasity

La’Tesa

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SHENNA NOW

SHENNA THEN

Where do you live?
S: I live in Westchester County, NY but I will forever represent Morgan City, LA. I’m a freelance writer and aspiring grad school student working a 9-5 to save for grad school and pay bills.

What is your hair story?
S: When I was a child, I had long hair but as I entered my teenage years, I begin to experiment with and damage my hair. In college, I decided it was time to let go of relaxers, weaves, and poisons and return to hair healthiness. The relaxer aka “crack cream” and my hair never really got along. We were more like frenemies. We were great when freshly applied, yet damaging under microscope.

My mom has long beautiful locs, so she actually prefers my natural hair over the weave that would end up in between her toes in the bathroom. But some of my friends and family fall under the “Hollywood beauty” stereotype and still to this day encourage the “crack cream” and weaves.

The natural road isn’t one of the easiest choices to make, but when you do it’s kind of a rebirth. When I cut off the chemicals, I let go of fear. I no longer hide behind things that were once my masks of security. I receive more compliments now than ever before.

When and how did you transition into natural hair?
S: This is actually my second round in natural world. I did a big chop in 2006, but I did not appreciate my hair as much as I do now. I fried, dyed, and did everything wrong. I went to a salon and was tricked into a texturizer. She told me it was a deep conditioner. I refused to continue to put texturizers in my hair, so I weaved it until it grew back and did another big chop last year (2009) after transitioning 1 year. Everything I did wrong in round one, I omitted this time. My hair growth is amazing!!!

You were voted a winner because of the drastic change in your look from relaxed to natural. What do you like about your new look?
S: I can do so much with my hair now. I don’t have to settle with the one straight look of a relaxer/weave. I love how my hair feels when I wash it. I love my face now. I feel like I hid a lot behind the relaxer and when I see natural women, I think they’re more beautiful. The now and then photos of women caused my jaw to drop. I was disgusted with everyone’s before, including myself. Why weren’t we always natural? Why did we hide our real beauty and features? These women in the now and then are absolutely stunning now!!

What is the best thing you do for your hair?
S: LOVE!!!! WATER!!! I drink plenty water. This winter NY weather is brutal to my hair so I keep it moisturized. I use extra virgin pure coconut oil and I allow it to sit in my hair 1-2 days before washing. I don’t bother my hair much and going to the gym actually helps. I wash, braid, and/or twist my hair Sunday and leave the style in for 2 weeks. I only use the comb to detangle during washes. MY HANDS also work best. I’ve learned my hands are the “growing hands” needed for my hair.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
S: Fotki.com/afemmestearz | twitter.com/shennananette | www.shennananette.com

Anything else you’d like to add?
S: I’d like to thank and hug everyone who voted for me. This means so much!!! Recently someone told me natural hair is becoming more common and ‘acceptable.’ ACCEPTABLE? This bothers me because I often wonder why something inherent should have to ‘fit in’ when unnatural (chemically enhanced and weaved) hair is really the change.

I encourage everyone to join natural hair forums, create albums, and document journeys. This helps women in transitional phases. YOUTUBE will be your best friend, if you want to learn new styles and take care of your own hair. You’ll be amazed at how much YOU can do to help maintain healthy natural hair. You’ll even be amazed at what you can do. I self taught myself how to braid my own hair and it has really helped save money and learn more about my hair.

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Keyra

Tasha

Hafia

Milan

Jorrie

Dee

Shenna

Michelle

God’s Natural Hair

Stephanie S.

Sistagirl1267

Crystal

Aubree

Brittany

Tikisha

Stephanie T.

Lisa

Asante

boycrazychic93

Crissy

Shayla

Alisha

Diane

Fallon

Danielle

Kiera

Jarquisha

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KHAMBRIA NOW

KHAMBRIA THEN

Where are you from?
K: I’m from Ft. Lauderdale, FL and I’m currently a senior at the University of Florida (Go Gators!

What is your hair story?
K: I got my first relaxer at the tender age of 5. My hair broke off like crazy and I didn’t get another relaxer until I was 12. Even though I wore natural hair for those 7 years I never really knew what my natural texture was like because it was always straightened. Before deciding to go natural I was weave queen – I wore just about every style imaginable in every possible color combination. In fact I can’t find one picture of my hair without weave before I cut it into a pixie cut in October 2008 (and even then I glued tracks in the front to get the “Rihanna” look). I got caught in a bad cycle because despite the fact that I was hurting my hair, I loved the compliments that I got on my weaves and I felt I couldn’t wear my damaged hair out even if I wanted to.

It’s funny because when I told my mom I wanted to wear my natural hair again she told me the transition wouldn’t last long because my hair was just “too tough” to make it past a month without a relaxer. She was only half right, because my transition did only last a month before I got scissor happy. I made the decision to transition to natural in July of this past year and I cut most of it off in August, completing the big chop in October.

Damage was definitely a factor in my decision to go back to natural, but after seeing so many beautiful natural women of all textures and tones I asked myself “Why shouldn’t I be able to wear my own hair?” and “it’s too nappy” was no longer a valid excuse. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback since doing my BC, though I always wonder if certain people just say they like it because they’re to afraid to say how they really feel. People say things to me like “It looks good on you, I guess. I would never want to go natural/cut my hair off though” or ” why don’t you get a texturizer so it can be curly and pretty?” I see how warped people’s mentalities are and how warped mine was just a few short months ago. I was the girl who laughed (yes, laughed) at newly natural women rockin their TWAs, the girl who relaxed every 4 weeks because I was terrified of new growth, the girl who prayed that my hair would stop growing so fast so I could squeeze a couple more weeks out of each relaxer. Now I can’t get enough of natural hair! Everywhere I go I’m urging women to explore and accept their natural textures and a few of my friends have even decided to go natural with me.

You were voted a winner because of the drastic change in your look from relaxed to natural. What do you like about your new look?
K: Most of all I love that it’s all me: I’m no longer hiding behind 14-inch weaves and artificial curls. I love looking in the mirror and seeing the reflection of a black woman who is unashamedly embracing EVERYTHING about how God made her.

The most important change that has happened since going natural is I’ve finally started to love myself. This journey that I’m on is not just about hair – it has been a journey to confidence. I used to have major self-esteem issues not that long ago, to the point where I would cry everyday because I felt like I wasn’t beautiful and couldn’t be because I didn’t fit into society’s definition of beauty. Embracing the hair that God gave me was only the first step: now I can honestly say that I love every flaw, every coil, everything that makes me uniquely me.

To anyone out there who is thinking about going natural, I hope you’ve found some sort of inspiration in my story. And to all the women out there who are natural and fabulous, thank you for inspiring me!

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CHRISTINA NOW

CHRISTINA THEN

Where are you from?
C: I’m from Columbus, Ohio and I’m in my 4th year of college at Central State Univ. in Wilberforce, OH; I’m a Vocal Music Performance Major.

What is your hair story?
C: I began getting relaxers around the age of seven, before then I was told I had thick, extremely curly hair that was past shoulder length but, I was one of those little girls who was influenced by the Just For Me commercials (kiddie perms) and I literally begged my mom into giving me one, and when I did get one, the perms eventually began to break off my hair.

To get my hair back healthy, my Mom put me in braids and opted for presses rather than relaxers. It wasn’t until I became a teenager I started getting relaxers again and experimenting with color. I’ve always had dry scalp and dandruff problems, but it became excessive when I put chemicals back in my hair, and was prescribed as having Psoriasis.

People always perceived that I had healthy relaxed hair, which I tried to appear as if I did, but the split ends and Psoriasis was taking a toll on my hair. It wasn’t until I got to college I was inspired by my friend, Krystina, to go natural, I began to get curious of my own natural texture. She always rocked beautiful twists & twistouts fearlessly, and I always admired natural heads amongst the majority of perms and weaves, because, to me, its authentically beautiful.

I contemplated for a couple years, but finally decided to go natural after my last relaxer on August 1, 2008. I transitioned for 4 months, deciding to Big Chop on December 23, 2008 with the help of my Mom chopping it off. I instantly fell in love with being completely natural, not trying to be cliche, but there was a freedom I never felt before when cutting the rest of the perm out of my hair.

Both of my grandmothers’ aren’t too fond of my natural hair (or of natural hair, period) but over time, I’ve proven to them through different hairstyles that natural hair can be just as beautiful and attractive as straight hair.

You were voted a winner because of the drastic change in your look from relaxed to natural. What do you like about your new look?
C: I love that I’m able to explore different options with my natural hair than with relaxed hair. When I had relaxed hair, I was very low maintenance, I literally only wore wraps and I didn’t like weaves. But going natural has brought out my creative side, trying different hairstyles, proving that you can be creative and attractive rocking more than just an afro.

I inspired my Mom to eventually go natural, after years of relaxers and texturizers, and now she’s inspiring others to go natural as well.

I would’ve never imagined that this natural hair journey would’ve taught me so much about my hair, history and myself. I went natural out of curiosity, and along the way began to read and educate myself on techniques and products on how to properly take care of natural healthy hair. I had no idea there were different hair types, now I know I’m a 4a/3c. I had no idea that black women, in the early 20th century, were arrested in the South if they didn’t wear do-rags in public, because black hair was seen as unkempt. I had no idea that something as simple as reversing my hair back to its God given state, would be a great life changing experience for me.

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Jaime

Nicole

Keandra

Anne

Naterra

Khambria

Brittney

Shanel Nicole

Shatia

Aja

Dana

Shanell

Christina

Sable

Chinasa

Sasha

VMichelle

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