I went natural on May 29, 2010 because my hair was in horrible shape. I had split ends, heat damage, and a bad hair cut. It was truly awful so I started thinking about the times when my hair had actually been healthy, and the only times I could think of was when my hair was in it’s natural state. I’ve “gone natural” five times already only to finally get there and revert back to the “creamy crack,” but this time I’m on Team Natural for good.

My hair just can’t take the harsh chemicals and bad hair practices that I’m tempted to use while relaxed. So in May I chopped all of my hair off. My last relaxer was in December 2009 so my TWA wasn’t as short as they come, but it was definitely a shock seeing my hair cut that low since I had transitioned to natural so many times before.

Name:
Kirsten

Location:
Columbia, SC

Profession:
Teacher

What was the worst part of your journey?
The hardest part of my journey was finding a hair routine that works for me and creative styling options that won’t cause damage to my fine natural hair. Because I have fine natural hair, it’s prone to breakage, and instead of retaining length like other naturals, I feel like I have setbacks more frequently than others, which is quite frustrating at times.

And the best part?
The best part is all the styling choices that I DO have. I love playing in my hair for hours and coming up with new natural updos to wear out and about.

What did your hair journey teach you?
All of my friends would say that I am impatient–well, because it’s ABSOLUTELY true! 🙂 My hair, however, has broken me down and taught me the true meaning of the word. It takes patience to create a regimen that works for you and even more patience to recover from breakage and setbacks. I also had to learn to wait on certain hairstyles simply because my hair wasn’t quite long enough.

Describe your worst hairdo and your best hairdo and please include a picture if you can.
My worst hairdo was the asymmetric hair cut I had before I cut off my hair. It just didn’t suit my face shape. My best hairdo would be the hairstyle I recreated from Essence Magazine. It was the fiercest yet simplest updo I’ve ever seen. It has three braids on both sides and the hair is pushed forward into a pompadour.

Looking back, has your perception of your hair or black hair in general changed? Please elaborate.
I used to think that straight hair was the only pretty hair. Even when I was natural before now, I would always keep my hair either braided or straightened because I didn’t think my unruly hair could be considered chic, but looking back on it natural hair was just as beautiful then as it is to me now. I only wished that I had embraced it sooner!

What is your favorite hairstyle?
My favorite hairstyle is my Almighty Afro Puff which has come to my rescue on several different occasions when my creative hairstyles seemed more like disasters than masterpieces. I can always fall back on my puff to get me through the day in a pinch, though, or I can give it a dash of flair by using a twist out to turn it into a curly puff!

How long have you been a member and how did you find going-natural.com?

I’ve been a member for about two months, and I stumbled across this site when doing a google search for a natural hair question I had.

I love my hair because:
it’s VERSATILE!

Blog/website:
(My Youtube Channel) http://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalHairStyles101?feature=mhee
(My Blog with my Best/Transitioning Friend 🙂http://www.stylednaturally.com

To support your natural journey check our selection of Natural Hair Products for Black Women