Curly Nikki

I really like this website, Curly Nikki.

Something I Did That You Shouldn't Do: #2

The Bible says that wise people learn from others' mistakes. So I'm going to do a series of posts about hair mistakes I've made, and hopefully you'll learn from them and not do the same.

#2-If You Get a Headache From Your Hairstyle, Take It Down

In January of 2006, I had to do a 2nd big chop (see earlier post). I was devastated that I had to start from scratch with growing my hair back. Around August or so of the same year, I started to notice that my hair was getting longer. I did a blow out and was so pleased with what I saw.

Finally, after all this time, I had an afro puff. I even did a mini-photo shoot. To keep my hair pulled back, I started wearing these stretchy bands around my hair. Every once in a while,though, I'd get a headache. My hair felt like it was a little too tight. I'd try to loosen the band, but my head would still hurt. I just started popping in an Advil pill or two and kept it moving.

A few months later, I noticed that the hair on one side of my head was shorter than the hair around it. I looked to the same spot on the opposite side of my head and noticed the same breakage. I also noticed that my scalp was sore in those areas.

I immediately knew that my hair had broken off from wearing those bands. I guess I ignored those warning signs of pain because I was so happy to see that my hair was finally growing and plus I had an afro puff! Crazy I know. But nonetheless, lesson learned!

Nowadays if I want to pull my hair back, I'll use a scarf or a knee high stocking.

Something I Did That You Shouldn't Do: #1

The Bible says that wise people learn from others' mistakes. So I'm going to do a series of posts about hair mistakes I've made, and hopefully you'll learn from them and not do the same.

#1-Do Not Use Excessive Heat

Back in 2005 when I was preparing to get married, I had only been natural for a little less than a year. I had no idea how to style my own hair, and I didn't know of anyone who did natural hair. Most of the people I talked to would say, "I know how to straighten it," but I didn't want to wear it straight.

At any rate, I had tried several natural styles, which I didn't like. So I decided to let this lady who had tried the natural styles with me, straighten it with a hot comb. She styled it, and it looked very nice (my hair was way longer than I had thought!). I didn't have a lot of time to be picky. It was the middle of September, I didn't have a hairstyle, and I was getting married on October 1st.

I let the straightened style stay for about a week. Roughly two weeks later was my wedding and I had my hair straightened again. I liked it and was very pleased, until I got back from my honeymoon.

I washed my hair and noticed that over half of my head was still straight. I figured that it might take a few washes to get all of my hair to revert back. Here comes December and the back of my head was nappy and the front half was bone straight. I went back to the hair dresser and she was dumbfounded. She said laughingly, "I've never seen anything like this before!" First of all, I needed her to not be laughing because I was extremely mad, but I didn't carry out any of those violent thoughts I was having in my head.

Well January rolled around and my hair was still a mess. It was depressing. I already didn't know how to do natural hair, and I really didn't know how to do this half straight half natural stuff. My hair looked like it was having an external conflict, and I was the one losing.

I slowly came to the realization that I had to cut all of my hair off again! I had only had one hair cut in my entire life, and it was the big chop. Now, a year and a half later, I was going to have to do it all over again. I washed my hair, and went to the bathroom and just started cutting it off myself. I didn't trust anybody else to touch my hair. Once it was all over, I looked in the mirror and felt a lot better. There are worse things in life than having to cut off your hair. So I got over myself, but I learned a very important lesson: Ronda's hair + excessive heat= a hot mess.

Now, I'm not sure if it was the hot comb, the heat, the oil, or a combo of all of them that damaged my hair; I just know that till this day, I have never used a hot comb nor a flat iron, and I probably never will.