Yes you read right!! I big chopped, chances that you don't already know this are slim because I put up this picture on Instagram and the Facebook page-
I'm still in a little shocked that I did this!!
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| BEFORE THE BIG CHOP |
I was hoping I'd stretch to at least 18 months post and then big chop, I was going to make up my mind by my one year post relaxer date and start a transitioning series here on the blog, take everyone along with me on the journey to natural hair and then big chop ceremoniously amidst whistles and virtual confetti, singing and dancing from everyone on the blog because I would have at least eased everyone into this announcement...alas the story was not meant to be told that way!
I came back home last week Thursday, I had just taken out this hair the day before and deep conditioned;
The difference between the new growth and the rest of my hair was doing my head in!! I could not get past how annoying my hair especially at the back was as most of the straight hair had broken off...I was giving myself a pep talk, ''you can do this Oju, just 8 more months...8 more months?!!!''
Called my sister and said, Mina I am big chopping today!! I was secretly hoping she would say, don't do it, just hold on! She said the exact opposite!!! She told me I of all people could pull it off and make short hair work...that was all I needed...I went straight from work to the supermarket, bought some products (more on that) and went home, set up the camera and BIG CHOPPED!!!
You can watch it on YouTube Here-
My heart was racing the whole time!! I couldn't even film cutting off the front of my hair which is the longest part because I was screaming the whole time!! My hubby who is not a fan of short hair was oddly quiet, he was just staring at me...I think, he might still be in shock as I type!
Anyways, I am here to explain my decision to some of you...I had mentioned my desire to go natural to a few of my relaxed/texlaxed friends and followers and the response was don't try it!! At some point, me not going natural became like I had to do so or else?!! I was not enjoying my texlaxed hair again and I wanted a change, a challenge, a new look but as a hair blogger I found myself stuck!! Someone even told me that my hair didn't only belong to me, it belonged also to my followers, a stretch but it had some truth to it. I felt all eyes were on me and making a decision freely about my hair was not possible...I had to break that cycle! I wanted to be free to be the blogger you all grew to love *wide grin* and be able to take you all along with me without feeling inhibited.
I wanted to enjoy being on a hair journey again!! I wanted to discover what my hair likes and doesn't again! I wanted to be able to excitedly blog about a hair product I discovered or a style I conjured...my texlaxed hair had outlived its tenure. After having three babies back to back, the fluctuating estrogen levels had affected my length retention. It was like my hair was yoyoing in lengths all the time and I strongly believe that it was because I had chemically treated more fragile hair.
Another reason, I had Mimi and though her hair is baby soft, taking care of it regularly made me rethink my notion that natural hair was just too much to handle! There are soooooo many great products to choose from that melt away the kinkiest of kinks...as the weeks passed by, I started to take note of how my new growth was feeling after using products, it was not as tough as I used to think it was, it was not as unmanageable as I grew to think it was, I was actually falling in love with the curls!!
I love a challenge and these few days of being natural have come with so many feelings...of regret, of panic, of determination, of excitement, of stress, of love for my curls but at the end of the day, it's too late to turn back now! I have to stay on this course and I as always will take you along!!
For those who think I have nothing to offer them again because they are relaxed and I am natural, you know that is not true!! Remember my mantra HAIR CARE IS HAIR CARE!! Don't deny your hair access to my years of research and knowledge on how to grow healthy long hair because I am natural now! I will keep discovering & uncovering healthy hair tips for everyone, so don't you go nowhere!!
I think what I am most excited about with this new phase is blogging about everything I learn, it's like I'm in 2011 and just started blogging again!! I'm so excited!!! My next post will be a hair tutorial on how I style my hair and then I have a post planned at the first week mark, called MY FIRST WEEK AS A NATURAL and I plan on doing a length check in the post.
So ladies, who is ready to go on this phase of the journey together with me?!!
Thanks for stopping by!
Xxx
Dabs