*Updated: 8/20/13*
Please, come to my new blog http://vnatural.wordpress.com/ for my newest posts.
Hello and welcome to my journey. You can call me Jazzie. I am a college student in my 20’s…well I am 20 lol. I’m currently working on getting my degree in social work, I am one more semester away from graduating with a associate’s degree. I work and I live with my mama….its cheaper :)…you don’t have to pay for food, rent, gas…smartest investment people!
I have created this blog to (sort of) anonymously share my aspirations and my journey: challenges, mistakes and success during my transition from the big chop. Its not only to share but also something for me to look back on and read for myself and maybe even connect with people that know a lot about hair that can help me out if they see some problems in what I’m doing or writing about. This blog wont only be about my hair journey but other areas in my life too. My aspirations, achievements, life…everything. My hair journey is just the beginning. My hair journey has been something that I have truly dedicated myself to and I realize now, that if I can dedicate and prosper with my hair then I can do the same in other areas of my life.
I’ll be posting new photos of my hair growth with comparisons to what my hair looked like 2 weeks or a month apart. Right now my primary hairstyle is box braids. The reason why is because its easier to maintain, cheaper, easier to moisturize my roots and I can do it myself anytime.
For some who do not know what the big chop is; it is when you chop/cut off all your hair and relieve yourself of all the processing done to your hair such as relaxers, harmful chemicals, sulfates in shampoos and venture into the natural care of your hair.
My goal is to grow my hair within 2 – 3 years from 3inches to 24inches. All of my life since I was about 6 or 7 years old I have been getting relaxers in my hair. I never really knew why but all I knew was that I hated the process. I gradually tried to step away from getting relaxers but didn’t know how to go about doing it so my hair would end up looking frizzy and dry. Under the pressure of my mother running her hands through my hair calling it “nappy” I would always fall back into getting a relaxer and I hated it.
Once I found out about going natural I never turned back. I eventually ended up cutting off all of my hair when I got tired of looking at my new growth versus my long relaxed processed hair. I was going to transition and cut it all off but whats the use of tricking myself and holding on to what I no longer desire?…So I cut it all off and even though my mom hates it and complains about it, I love it! I can’t wait to show it off when it grows to my desired length.
My Progress as of August 2013
My Big Chop Journey: 3inches To 24 Inches 
Congratulation Jazzie welcome to the BC world of being kinkycurly naturally. You will have your moments like we all do but just stick it out and you will find support from the natural community when you need. Since your box braiding your hair make sure your moisturizing your scale with oils and s pk r OK fixing the braidss as well where your hair is so uh ts still being treated.
Thank you for the tip, I have been moisturizing but not with oils like I should. I actually braided them a little tight so it hurts right now to get in between the braids and moisturize my scalp.
Sorry the typo should read moisturizing scalp with oils and spritz your braids as well where your hair is so it does not dry.
Wow, you and your hair are so beautiful
Thanks!
How can a single father convince his little girl to stay natural? I’m always pointing out and complementing natural styles around her and I’ve even given her the whole, “white cultural brainwashing” lecture but I can still tell that she longs for straightened hair.
She’s only 8, but she’s a handful already. She’d go get a perm just to piss me off! haha
Help.
Hmm..I’m going to be honest with you…this is a little long but I hope it helps you. Since your daughter is at a young age, I think your main objective should be to let her know that you love and care for her through any choice she makes….and when I say ANY I mean ANY choice she makes. If something that she chooses to do in life sounds mediocre to you but sounds great to her then lend her some advice but at the same time try not to hamper her down..let her come up with her own answer so then she can really learn. I know she’s only 8 but she’s at the age where she will remember things and carry it in memory when she gets older, the smallest things can lead to resentment or rebellion.
I say this because when I was younger my mother did something similar only she would scare me or prevent me from doing certain things and one of those things were going natural. To her, it was unheard of. The same with my father, after my mom he married a few beauticians and would always comment on how my hair can be better if i got a relaxer so i did even though I never liked the process of a relaxer…it was like torture …but A LOT of black women prefer it. Honestly, its a “whatever floats your boat” type of thing. Even if she obtained a relaxer, her hair would still be able to grow long and look healthy the only difference is that she would be using chemicals.
I would say let her get one so that she can experience what a relaxer is and when she gets older, if she decides that she wants to go natural again…she can. Its never too late and its just hair she can grow it natural anytime…just let her know that you support her through her choices, I promise you she will love you even more for it. Its hard when you want to do something in life and no one is behind you saying,”I love you no matter what or i support your decision even though I disagree with it”..its even harder when you grow up and realize the truth of it all and see it for what it is..
If you don’t like that suggestion then there are ways for her to straighten her hair and be natural. One of them is flat ironing…but not too much because it could cause heat damage and break her hair.
Hope that helps!
It certainly was long! You should start a stand-alone blog just for advice to me. haha j/k
I’d say that your reply was lengthy for all the right reasons though, and it was spot on. Thank you for the thoughtful response.
You’re welcome 🙂
Hi I was wondering if I have to do the big chop to go natural if I’ve never relaxed my hair with chemicals. Throughout my life I have worn my kinky hair braided by itself or got extensions. Thank you!
Hi Ami,
No you don’t have to do the big chop in order to go natural. You can transition too which is keeping your relaxed hair and growing it out without using any type of chemicals, sulfates or relaxers on your new growth. Then when your hair gets to a certain length you cut off the remaining relaxed or processed hair.