KITCHEN BEAUTICIAN CHRONICLES

Yes, yet another entry that's a day late and dolla short... This is from earlier this September when I big chopped part 2...

When it was time for me to get my hair done, I knew I wanted braids- I even knew the style but I also knew I was ready to cut my natural hair again.  I had been going back and forth for months trying to either build up the nerve or talk myself out of it and finally I woke up that morning like "this will be the day that I rock a baldy". Or something like that....

I had cut my hair once before, about 7 years ago when I did what is now called "The Big Chop" only then the act didn't have a name; it was just called "Girl I cut out all the chemicals out my head and now I need to buy some big earrings". 

See I went natural back in like 2003, when it was not a "trendy" thing to do.  I had gotten bored with my basic wrap and around my college campus (Central State University...Go Marauders!) I kept seeing these beautiful black ladies (African American, Caribbean, and African) all embracing their natural texture and I fell in love and just did it.

My first big chop and the styles that I rocked as my fro grew more "bossy".

That was fine on my campus, I was "known" and already considered a slightly outrageous dresser so no one really payed it any mind- "Oh that's just Silk and her crazy style" was the worst thing I heard.  Then I came home. Cleveland was not ready for the natural look back then lol.  I got stared at, frowns, looks of embarrassment and received threats about throwing boxes of relaxers and hot combs at my hair and things like that- some family members included smdh. (Grandma definitely gave me a history lesson on Madame CJ Walker, her hot comb invention and how it helped with the "struggle"lol).

Words and attitudes hurt, but unfortunately growing up as a dark skinned big girl who dressed "different" I was used to it.  I didn't know about the millions of online communities and support groups or even the proper products to use for my hair.  I learned everything on  my own and became an expert at my own hair.  Hell I had no choice! I went to the salon once and almost beat the brakes off the one stylist who tried to roughly comb my tresses. Needless to say I haven't been in a beauty shop since then for anything else other than a basic trim and wash.

Anyway when I cut my hair that time, it was more of a spiritual thing.  I was growing into myself, I was reaching self actualization and proud of the person I was becoming and I was fearless as hell.  (I thought I was gonna be in the music industry as a hip hop journalist or an A&R for a record label- R.I.P to both of those career goals that died right along with hip hop IMHO).

The only problem was, other then wearing it in a teeny weeny afro (TWA) I didn't know what to do with it! Enter my best friend Roz and the wonderful world of weave.  I had sworn weave off at the age of sixteen when I wore a short quickweave and thought I was fly as hell until my son's father asked why I had "that party hat on my head".

Welp, that was the beginning and end for me until I was in college.  My roommate and bestie decided to give me a sew in weave which I loved! Then she taught me how to make my own wigs- OH BOY! She created a monster!  Once I learned how to make my own pieces it was over lol.  I started switching my hair up every single day of the week.  I flew to Atlanta, Ga. to the How Can I Be Down Music Conference and had a separate bag just for my wigs smdh. 

Early styles, blowouts, weaves and wigs- including my first purple piece!

Then they started selling purple weave at my local hairstore and that was all she wrote.  I have been rocking it every since.  My natural hair grew all the way to my shoulders, the same length it was pre big chop.  I had even bleached and dyed it purple for a minute until I started swimming everyday and let the color grow out, then it was back to the weaves!

I had every shade of purple in my hair but the upkeep was crazy!

Which brings me back to the present.  I decided to get my braids back but before I let my homegirl Mooka (Roz's little sister) put the braids in, I decided to get my ends clipped.  I had been going to Michelle, a very old school "hairdresser" for years to get my ends clipped and a good wash and blow dry and I wanted her to do it for me but it was back to school time and she was booked.

So off to my Mooka's house I went with enough snacks, magazines and my phone charger to keep me occupied for the seven hours plus that it was about to take to do my hair.  I sat down and had an epiphany. "Cut it off. Cut it all off, I wanna fade and some waves," I told her.

She of course screamed no (it was a very distorted/new wave Waiting to Exhale moment) and I was seconds away from grabbing the scissors to DIY but she went on and did it, grumbling the whole time lol.  After she was done and my hair was shorn (and nope, no fade btw) she added the braids and I really had no time to think about it.

Fast forward to three and half weeks later and it's a Sunday and I'm taking all the braids down and reach up and (re?)realize I have no hair lol.  I was devastated that I could not even put it in the fab 18 inch purple ponytail and didn't know what to do! It was uneven as hell, short and just there...

I panicked thinking I could quickly make a wig, but dammit it was just too hot for all that, so I decided to wait until Tues. and go back to see Michelle first thing in the morning.  I had to get used to having no hair again and man, I have to admit for those first two days I was very self conscious and couldn't decide if it was because I had no hair or if it was because the hair that I did have was not purple lol?

I went on like that for two weeks before I just couldn't take it no more and marched right up to Sally's Beauty Supply, got me a bleach kit and some purple Manic Panic hair dye, plopped myself down in front of like 13 YouTube videos and went for it.  I documented the process on Instagram and Facebook (Oh I love social media lol) and voila! I liked the end results but was rushing to go to some event and didn't let it sit as long as I wanted so the color is not as dark as I would like but it is pretty.  The hard part is the styling.  See at this moment it is at an awkward length.  I can't bun it or ponytail it and can barely pull the sides up into a Mohawk.  And I haven't had the time to really sit down and play with it but I will make a point of it this weekend.

So far I have just been doing the typical wash and go and since I had loaded up on hair accessories I've been utilizing lots of clips and headbands lol.  Unfortunately before I dyed it I had bought all sorts of purple hair accessories that now clash with the shade that is currently in my head so I have to go buy more black gold and silver pieces and small earrings! I no longer feel obligated to wear the big huge sitting on my shoulders types of earrings (I mean of course I still wear them, I just don't feel obligated to).

I can't wait to experiment and trying my best to be patient with growth.  I'm gonna do everything right this time around and Curlynikki.com is certainly an inspiration as well as the YouTube natural hair community.  Armed with the knowledge that I have now, I'm ready to see how long and healthy my hair can grow....

Some of my fave styles were were sculpted ponytails made from $1 braiding hair!

The big chop and process all over again...

I'm sticking to wigs for the winter since my hair needs constant moisture.  I made this purple and black protective style wig, thought it looked boring, and then added a few blonde tracks in the front for interest.