To be FREEEEE!

So....

Today was my first trip to a beauty salon since BC...and what an eye opening experience...

Friday is my install and I needed a satin bonnet and a satin pillowcase....didn't want to go to Sally's because it would be ridiculously expensive and I didn't feel like going to WalMart because I'm sure I'd end up spending more money on other things...
So I went to the beauty supply store because I KNEW that there wasn't anything else that I would need...

Typical store....hair all in the window, black girl at the register and the random Korean (i guess) walking around making sure you don't steal. (That's another blog all in itself! lawdy!)

Out of habit I go to the baby section...I'm always trying to find products to make my baby's hair all nice and wavy. (total mistake)

I picked up some conditioner and all this other stuff and then asked her, what do these products do? she told me..and the light bulb came on...

If I'm trying to get her hair to look as natural as possible, why the hell am I buying products? so i put everything back and asked where the beeswax was for twisting. She told me, then told me that maybe I should use a gel...
HUH? maybe not! I told her that gels are alcohol based and strip ur hair of natural oils...i just want her twists to hold. "you do them yourself?" "Yep", I replied...then I showed her a pic of my little girl.



"Woow! That's her hair? How old is she?" 2 years old, I replied.

She said that her 9 month old baby's hair is fine and rubber bands slip off and she puts all this stuff in it to make braids and stuff stay, but nothing helps...so I asked her why?

"Does your 9 month old really need ponytails and barrettes?

I told her that the best thing about having her was that I don't know how to braid or ponytail or anything like that, thus, I let brook's hair just grow, naturally. Had no choice...felt like I was inadequate in making her "look" good with hair styles.
I told her if her baby's hair is fine and silky, leave it alone. comb it and let her wear it free. let her hair just grow...she's only 9 months for God's sake!

And I sat in the car after that, knowing that I made the right decision. My daughter encouraged me to be natural...my research led me to finding alternatives to braids and ponytails....You won't see me, or her, in a shop, in a chair, getting straightened out.

Funny how before she was born, ppl bought me all types of hair bows and "ball" and barrettes for her hair, and she has a bucket full that she just dumps on the floor from time to time.

Yes, twisting her hair (before it became really long I used to box braid it, really small braids) takes time...but its time I'll gladly invest. We bond...I learn about her and her hair and I want to make her pretty.



Funny how more ppl have commented on my 'fro and her twists (or her hair in general) than anything else. It seems so unheard of for baby's to wear fro's or their natural hair.

Being natural made me walk different...talk different....it shouldn't be, but ppl make judgments according to how you look now...you get stared at more often, or are expected to be a certain way. I wear my fro proudly, and will wear my sisterlocks the same.

I still chuckle at a lady who said, "ur hair is nice...it fits you...u look like Jill Scott...u listen to her a lot?" Like my decision to go natural was brought on by JIll's music, like I am joining the revolution...I told her "honey, its not that deep. I did this for me."

If only Jill's music had subliminal messages that would make all ppl who heard it realize the beauty in natural hair....

All I know is, this is the first time in life I've spent less than 9 bucks at the beauty supply store on 3 products...and it felt so damn good!