As a child growing up in rural Jamaica in the 1980‘s it was the norm to see children up to the age of 14 with natural hair. Of course there were one or two children whose parents permed their hair. And as this was the exception to the rule, those kids were looked down on, they were the outcasts. Often times than not, their parents were individuals who were not respected in the community.
So imagine my surprise when I moved to the United States (US) in 1990, where the script was flipped. Now I was the outsider, the outcast, and the exception to the rule. There I was in the 5th grade with my hair barrettes and pigtails. I was teased and riddiculed, my classmates even had a nickname for me.
However, despite the teasing and name calling, for a whole year I faithfully went to school with my barrettes and pigtails. Of course, I had no choice as my dad ruled with an iron fist and he was a firm believer that kids should dress and look like kids. At the time, unfortunately for me getting a perm was out the question. To my little mind I was being cheated out of this experience, so for that year I worked on convincing my mom to let me get a perm. She finally gave in and the following summer my older sister put in my first perm.
Then, after that it was perm, braids and weaves for the next 13 years. During this period my hair became damaged from over processing. It was also thining and breaking from the braids and weaves. And to top it off, I had to color my hair because I inherited early graying from my dad.
Finally the summer of 2003 after I graduated from college I decided to go for the big chop and cut off all my permed hair. I had about an inch of hair on my head, but I felt free. I felt like myself, beautiful and confident.
Unfortunately two years later, I succumbed to the “creamy crack” again. Looking back I realized that I did this to fit the image of a professional woman working in corporate America. This is not an excuse, but for so many of us its easier to fit that mold than to stand out as individuals.
Four years later I went back to my roots, this time I didn’t do a big chop. Instead I gradually grew out the perm and each time I went to the hairdresser I would have them trim some of the straight ends off.
Working through this transition from permed back to being all natural was a learning process. This time around I intend to make it a life commitment, even when its not fashionable. For me this is a lifestyle and not a fashion statement.
Due inpart to this commitment I have been doing extensive research to find the right products that work for my hair. There are tons of information out there, but taking the time to filter through it can be cumbersome. If you’re dedicated, then you will find the time to do what is necessary.
Researching products has been very valuable. I have found that there are ten ingredients that must be avoided, and they are: Isopropyl Alcohol, Mineral and petrolatum, PEG ( polyethylene glycol), Propylene Glycol (PG), Sodium Lauryl Sufate, Chlorine, DEA, FD&C Color Pigments, Synthetic Fragrance and Imidazolidinyl Urea. I’ve also found that there are good ingredients that I should look for when purchasing hair products, and they are: water, coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil. aloe vera and caster oil.
Recently I have been reaping the benefits from all my hard work. Within the last 6-9 months I have seen tremendous hair growth and length retention. My hair is now very thick and manageable. As explained before, none of this was overnight, most of it was because of my commitment to researching and developing a routine that works for my hair.
Even though I’m seeing results, I am still a student on this journey of self-actualization and I invite all of you to join me in order to discover what works for your particular hair type.
