MY NATURAL HAIR JOURNEY
©Candace M. Read, LLC
Date5.18.23
time9:00 PM
PlaceChurch Office
The journey from relaxed to straight.
Hey, my gals! This May marks a big hair anniversary for me, so my hair journey has been top of mind quite a bit lately. With that in mind, I thought now would be the perfect time to tell you about my natural hair journey! And girl, it has been a literal journey.
It was in May of 2013 I did my “big chop.” For those of you who don't know, the big chop is a major haircut to remove all relaxers from the hair. I made the decision to do this a little less than a month before my wedding. I felt confident doing this, as I made the decision knowing that I would to wear extensions while I transitioned away from creamy crack (aka a perm). And I should add, that nickname is no joke. Once you start using a relaxer, it can be really hard to stop. But I was determined to start fresh and see where my natural hair journey would take me.
Of course, this decision came with some challenges. The timing of my big chop was a bit of a gamble, since we were also moving to a new city around the same time. I wasn't sure if I would be able to find someone to help me through my natural hair journey. But I decided to take the leap anyway, and thankfully it worked out!
The early days of my natural hair journey were tough. I relied on extensions to help me through the transition period, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stick with it. There were times when I was really tempted to go back to relaxers. But then something amazing happened: I started to fall in love with my natural hair as I saw it grow beyond my shoulders, which is something I had never experienced before.
Now, almost 10 years later, I'm still rocking my natural hair with confidence. I've learned so much on this journey, and I'm grateful for all the lessons it has taught me. I've learned to be more patient, to embrace my natural beauty, and to celebrate my uniqueness.
If you're thinking about embarking on a natural hair journey of your own, just remember that it's possible. It might not be easy, but it's worth it. And who knows? You might just fall in love with your hair all over again.
Let’s take a look back through the years so you can see the phases of the process:
The big chop.
Circa May 2013. I have no clue why I am making this face. Just roll with it.
November 2013
We were still living in Parkersburg, WV at the time. But I found someone in Columbus to do my hair and that was big step! You can see the texture change at the root..but lifeless hair on the ends.
February 2014
I was so pleased with the growth, but the ends were paper thin. It was a round this time that I got a bit more serious about what products I was utilizing on my hair. Starting using an oil blend that was super helpful.
October 2014
And another big chop! But that time was to get rid of the paper thin ends. I was scared to get rid of the length, but you can see how much fuller my hair looks. Truly life changing.
January 2015
Hello growing hair! This is around the time that I was beginning to feel really hopeful about my hair growth. I decided I wanted to one do one more sew in to see if my hair would grow any further.
June 2015
And it did! I was literally undone. At this moment, I became a little addicted to growing long hair, I also was very unsure how to care of natural hair out, as I wore sew ins regular to help achieve this growth.
June 2016
It got a smidge longer over the course of the year, but this is the point where I kinda felt that this was my stopping point for growth.
December 2016
Got another sew in because I kinda became attached this look and the image. It was a whole thing.
February 2018
Decided it was high time to lean into wearing my real hair. It was fun and a learning curve for me!
April 2018
In just a few short months, I learned that my hair did not look good long. It had a stringy like texture that made my hair look unhealthy and lifeless. So I chopped some of it and really loved this length!
October 2018
This was after my first appointment with Brittany Bradley, the gal who I now see regularly. Prior to this appointment, I had gone back to extensions because I was struggling to manage my hair. Just didn’t really know how to style it. On this day, Brittany gave me the trim of my life and educated me on products I needed!
February 2019
This was the point where I decided that everything Britany said was bible. haha. I transitioned to professional grade hair products and tossed everything else. I also committed to regular appointments for professional maintenance.
October 2019
Got braids for a protective styled and absolutely LOVED IT.
June 2020
Fresh off the stay at home order. My hair really grew in this season from not utilizing heat or manipulating it regularly. A break I didn’t know I needed honestly!
October 2020
Got my hair colored for the first time since I was 18 years old! We also did a little chop too. And yes, still rolling with Brittany Bradley!
July 2021
Cut my hair even shorter! Who am I? This around the time that this length became my signature look if you will.
February 2022
Still rocking the short hair cut!
March 2023
And now. A little longer, but still short and dose of blonde for some fun. My hair has never been more healthy!
EN VERITE,
Candace
Candace M. Read
Stylist and Storyteller encouraging you to live a well-fashioned life – body, mind and soul.
BROWSE THE VOLUMES
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@candacemread
