1 Year Post-relaxer, Semi-BC, and the Newly Natural Blues

February 16, 2011...the last time this scalp of mine experienced the all-familiar singe of a "good perm" as I sat in that large, swiveling salon chair. And giiirrrrllll, the results were fab! The salon owner did an amazing job layering my hair, and the relaxer came out with the just right amount of bounce.

Boom!! Pow!! Loved that cut!

I know you're probably wondering, "Well if you loved your relaxed hair so much, then why'd you go natural, Kimora???". While I loved the look of my relaxed hair, I just couldn't deal with the breakage! So I decided to give it a break for a while by stretching my relaxer... 8 months later, I decided to just go ahead and transition to natural!

1 year post-relaxer! Woohoo! Bun poppin!

I'd cut off anywhere from 1/4", to 1/2" every other month, and planned to do so until all of the relaxer was gone... But all of a sudden the wind must've blown just right, and the planets must've aligned for the first time in several millennia, because something (probably some otherworldly force, I'm sure...) convinced me a week ago to cut off the rest of my relaxed ends.

WHAT. WAS. I. THINKING????? Aye dios mio!!

If you recall reading my previous blog, I made it clear that I did not want a TWA. Although, 6 inches of natural hair is by no means your typical TWA, that son of a *&^%$ called shrinkage took my precious length away!!! So, after the newly natural excitement wore off, and my first all-natural twist-out was a supreme disappointing flop, I was left with hair that I had noooo idea how to deal with!

*Cue the world's smallest violin*

And this is where I am... one week later.. still clueless.. missing my transitioning hair.. missing my easy bun when I had no other styling option. I'm going to keep it 100% real right now and say that, even though I LOVE the softness and the strength of my hair (no breakage, YAY!), I'm not completely loving this natural thing at the moment. It's all unicorns and floating hearts while I'm washing it, but reality sets in once I need to figure out what to do with my hair after the shower. I'm also feeling several other things: I'm feeling bamboozled by all of these Youtube vids that make it look so effortless to do these natural styles, and disappointed that me, Kimora, the do-it-yourself diva, and Jackie of all trades isn't able to pull of a style with the hair that grows outta her own head! Also, what's up with those newly-natural ladies whose hair is just poppin' straight outta the gate??!! Can somebody please tell me where they do that at???

So one week later, me and the dreaded "wash day" meet again. But this time I'm going to attempt a flexi-rod set, and say a Hail Mary or two in the process, that maybe this time, I'll get it right. Even though I'm a bit down, I'm definitely not out.

My reason for this blog--besides having a public forum to complain on--is to throw it out there into the "innerwebs" that its not always roses and butterflies when you go back to your natural texture. There surely is a learning curve. I gotta keep it real to let other newly-natural ladies know that it can be tough, but I'm sticking with it because relaxing my hair again isn't even an option.

Hair-1 Kimora-0

*What was your natural journey like? Did you ever experience the newly-natural blues??*