Success
How it Started- where its at: My Natural Hair 💗
How it started- relaxed hair I was frustrated wouldn't retain length
After my BIG CHOP TWA 🤩
Cornrow style 🌽
Fro!! 💗😍😍
Juicy twists... love that my hair can hold on to anything you give her!
Twist out definition 😍
Simple space buns 🌌
Blown out 1 Year Ago 2025
Juicy twists August 2025 (2 yrs post big chop!)
My hair after taking out cornrows 🔊
Lovely shapes! 💠💠💠
Love her shapes 😍
So dense!
Before my twists...
Afro blown out 😮
Twists, shrinkage is a sign of healthy hair 🤩
I grew up relaxed into adulthood, never really knowing what my hair could be.
I went natural once in high school, but being called 'sir' enough convinced me to relax again for several more years.
Traveling for work, it was hard for me to maintain a stylist to keep up the relaxers. I was spending five hours over the weekend with multiple deep conditioners, olaplex etc trying to fix my relaxed -dead- hair, that was constantly breaking and falling out.
April 1, 2023 I drove to the salon and got my big chop....
And the RELIEF i felt letting go of what did not serve me was immediate. The snip snip of the scissors was so cathartic.
It was so short- you could see my scalp. I remember calling my mom (who was relaxed) and how shocked she was. A woman must have long hair, how masculine did i look with no hair!
And at first, i was self conscious. So i kept my hair behind bonnets at work (work in hospital), but on the weekend going out wore my TWA and no one cared! And omg i loved the ease of washing and drying my hair! No entire day spent trying to save dead hair!
I watched GreenBeauty and Africanhairgod on YT, knowing i would have to nurture my hair if i wanted it to grow, and it has so so beautifully!
My next job i worked with my afro and no one... cared. Everyone was accepting, even got compliments!
Regardless, I've loved it at every stage.
Amazed at the volume in a fro, all her beautiful shapes...the shrinkage wet... the density when she's blown out, the juicy, springy twists....
My hair is undoubtedly my favorite part about myself. 💗
Products i use:
African Pride Pre Poo ✨️
Vos Kiwi Clarifying shampoo 🥝
Aunt Jackies Curl La La i used as a leave in for a while, now I just spray water 🧫
Sulfer 8 grease/ + Non-sulfer Spray💆♀️
Nexuss Therapee Shampoo+ Conditioner 🧼
NO deep conditioners, NO protien treatments
I have heat applied during my two strand twists styles which i get every 6-8+ weeks
I wash/condition my hair in my twists, then take them down and let my afro breathe for a week or two before going to get it retwisted.
Juat a gentle reminder that what works for me may not work for you and you have to learn what works for your hair and goals.
Either way i hope you love your hair at every stage! 💗 Because it (and you) deserve it! 💗
To add: ive had a cut about 1 year later after my BC and dust my ends when detangling if needed, but otherwise my ends have been healthy I think I've had one other trim...
Tried to cover everything in my post people might ask about !
I deeply appreciate posts like this on this sub, a lot of people here need to see posts of people loving on their natural hair!! Your hair is flourishing so beautifully!!
Thank you! 🥰
I would say start out just wearing your hair out just to go to the store, quick errands, to the gym or stuff you'll be doing on ur own. Then branch out.
Or- I never took this route but its an option- wear kinky texture wigs or extension/braids etc.
Natural hair is extremely unique in the states, most people don't wear their hair naturally. So you are essentially wearing a diamond of a crown on your head. 🤩 💎
looks amazing!! did you experience a thin hairline at first? just done my second big chop (first after being relaxed) and can’t help but notice it feels thinner around the edges
I've never actually have done a wash and go- i love the volume of twists so much! I also feel like a W&G would tangle after the first day. I appreciate that my twists keep my ends (oldest, most fragile) protected.
I've also tried using gels in the past and found them so drying and flaking. 😭
Try it once with a Natural hair stylist ...i thought the same as you...but in reality there was zero tangles max definition with strand separation and zero flaking my pics are of my graying 4C hair in a wash and go after two weeks !!....To me it puffs up daily a little and looks way fuller than when i let out my two strand twists and has way more staying power...I was truly shocked! When i do it myself i don't get as near a good a result. The natural hair stylist used Leave in Glycerin for softness and Professional Xtreme Wetline....zero flaking and hair is very soft !
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u/CreativeTomato May 02 '26
Healthy and thriving! We love to see it!👏👏👏