Transitioning: Reason #2

Reason #2: Discovering My Natural Texture

I got my first relaxer when I was 13 or 14.  Since then, I have regularly gotten a touch-up.  This means it's been over 20 years of consistent relaxers for me.  I have no idea what my natural texture is!  I remember my hair being kinky (I rocked the afro puffs pretty hard), but I also remember my mother not knowing how to do my hair, so I'm sure it wasn't being conditioned and cared for properly.

My father and his siblings have a 3c texture.  But I think my father's texture has changed over time. He had a kinky afro when I was little, but I think it started changing to curly in the back of his head when he was about 40.  Now, it's all changed to that texture and curl pattern.  I'm not 40, but my texture in the back where his started is changing already. My son's hair is similar to the texture of my father's hair now.  My mother and her side of the family are in the 4's in terms of texture, although my mother's and sister's hair is fine. I actually remember my mother and my aunts on both sides telling me that at a certain point, their hair couldn't take relaxers.  Since most of them have passed away, I can't ask them, but I take that to mean that the relaxers were damaging their hair and scalp more as they got older.  When my mother went natural years ago, I couldn't believe how thick and pretty her hair was.  She mostly wore braids and weaves, but when she wore it out, it looked great, and it was the longest it had ever been.

No matter what my texture is, I'm going to do my best to embrace it and work with what I have.

I found some inspiration from this post at Black Girl with Long Hair.  Erin says that it's all about taking ownership of the ugly you were born with and realizing just how beautiful it actually is. That's exactly what I'm going to do!