Big Chop Results and B-day hair style

Okay so here it is finally the long over due big chop results. Let me share with you how it started. It started with a few snips. My hair seemed confusing because on the side I found my hair go from 4b to 4a to 3c on the side. It seemed at the time that my curl get bigger as you go towards the back of my head. And its very true. And VERY weird. Also for the record its not heat damage because its the exact same way on the other side.

So because I wanted to see what my hair really looks like when cut all over I snipped some more on the side to see if the curls were truly small there. Then I snipped some in the back. And then I called it a day and just added conditioner and water to my whole head and went to town with the scissors. I ended with this result.

I loved it, but my curls weren't popping so for the next few weeks I just wore puffs. (No pics, but maybe next time). O and then after that I experimented with a flat iron and my curlformers. Both attempts in vain because my hair just turned into a puffy mess and wasn't exactly long enough to put in a ponytail without using over a hundred bobby pins in the front. For some odd reason it was a really warm april and may.

Because I was starting to get used to my natural and I started wearing it out all the time. I figured it was time to give my hair a rest. I initially wanted to do micros, but I didn't have time to do them completely especially with midterms a few days after my birthday. What was I going to do. Picture as of June 15 my hair was really growing. I guess that could be expected when you cowash your hair practically every other day.

So I decided to do a weave style with micros in the front. The hair is freetress candy curl. Very pretty hair. I thought it came out very cute.

Well thats all for now I just wanted to update and finally post my big chop results.

Wow!?! Shocking words of a stylist?

Okay, this morning I did something that I haven't done in over a year. Okay honestly its something I hadn't done since early May 2008 when I became serious about my hair transtion to natural. That thing I did this morning was buy a hair magazine. Yes not my normal braid magazine which I still occasionally buy from time to time. But, yes the lovely Sophisticate's Black Hair Styles and Care Guide. It's the June/July Issue with Keri Hilson on the cover.

At first glance though it still looked like the normal book with dozens of ads for perms and the idea that all the guys will want you once you buy this particular perm. Aside from that there was a nice article on former American Idol contestant Melinda Doolittle. Then I found what I thought would be a God send article "Frizz Free: smooth move styling for you" on pages 100-101. I don't know about you all but my hair frizzes out of control. And whatever advice I can get on it I'm opened for giving it a shot. Another plus was that the article was targeted towards both relaxed and natural women. So, for that I will commend SBH for thinking about their natural readers as well.

Now there was some excellent advice given that article, well somewhat. The first few good advices were to:

• work with your texture
• get a great cut
• use the right products
• properly care for your mane

The advice given under these subtitles were great, but the last two really bothered me a bit. Well, honestly it was more so the last one rather than the first one of these two.

The first one was about working out and how if your natural to not shampoo every week but maybe every two weeks(makes sense), but then Hill Moses goes on to say to use dry scalp cleansing products to clean your scalp and take care of odor and using a lightweight non-alcohol oil to smooth out strands. Ok this is fine, but at the same time for two long weeks all the oil in the world will not be able to fight frizz if your hair is thristy for moisture and during our work outs we will sweat and we will take a shower so that is when our hair will suck up moisture the most when it is especially dry. Therefore creating frizz.

The second and last subtitle 'use the right tools' was actually quite funny toome only because I remebered the last time I had actually done what this stylist suggested and I walked around all day looking like I came out of the 50's with the poof hair do I should have been singing back up somewhere, but I tried to make it work. Ok so here goes I have to type verbatim because I don't want anything to be miscontrued ok? So here it goes from the Sophisticate's Black Hair Styles and Care Guide magazine article "Frizz Free: smooth move styling for you" on pages 100-101 edited by the magazine with responses from Anita Hill-Moses of B.A.D. Braids and Dreds in Richmond, VA and Stylist Gerard Pope of Snazee Hair Salon in Indianapolis, IN under the 'USE THE RIGHT TOOLS'' subheading:

"Selecting the best styling instruments can aid you in your fight against frizz! "Always use either a large tooth comb or a large vent brush ," instructs Hill-Moses. "The bristles and teeth are spread out so they won't break or catch the hair." [okay, makes sense] She also recommends a flat iron on Natural Tresses. "If you want to have your hair a little 'tamed,' [mmmmm] you can get a flat iron. Put it on a low setting and work the flat iron through the hair," explains the tress expert. "Because the heat is on low temperature, it's not going to cause a lot of damage.""

WOW!!! It wont cause a lot of damage? Damage is damage. But I guess stylist consider a strand or two of permanently straightened (burnt) hair okay. But, for the record this summer I have absolutely no intention on flat ironing my hair unless I'm definitely going to be in doors for however many days with the AC on the coldest temperature. Or maybe if I actually decide to color my hair this summer and even then I still probably wont flat iron I'll more than likely do a ponytail roller set.

Now back to my horror story. Last month after starting my new job I flat ironed my hair on a light setting I had just did my big chop only two weeks prior to doing this so I didn't want to jeopardize my curl pattern. So, it would be just my luck that day that it would decide to be the first very warm and humid day. Can you guess what my hair did that day it went from being semi sleek to a giant poof even when I went inside the nice central aired building it still continued to grow. I found my self trying to smooth it down every five minutes. In my opinion this is not a very 'tamed' style. At least I know that Lesson learned here: don't flat iron my hair in the summer and try to wear it out.

If you are going to flat iron in the summer make it an up do of some sort especially if it will be humid. Because the truth of the matter is, you can't keep hair that had moisture heated/baked/ or fried out of it from trying to suck the moisture out of the air. Why you ask? Because its thirsty. Thats like telling a man stuck out in the desert for several days not to drink the rain during a storm.

I really wanted to share this information because I wanted to show how all info is not neccessarily good info. However, I found this article on CurlyNikki's blog written by The Curl Whisperer that was awesome on the subject of humidity and frizz. Just remember that:

So Unless this is the look your going for try to stay away from the flat iron as much as possible. Rollersets may be a better option if you must straighten your hair this summer.