When did you have your hair "epiphany"?

[Aireen]

My epiphany occurred when I was around 15, it was one of those summers that long hair was "in" and everyone had their hair out covering their chest or beyond and I had hair around my chin in a tight ponytail/bun.

My hair was never TERRIBLE (it was okay actually) but it would stay at one length with a broken up hairline. Some ends would be sort of thin since I was a tomboy back then and always had my hair in tight ponytails/buns. My hair was also suffering due to not deep conditioning (just putting in the conditioner and rinsing out or not using any conditioner at all), sleeping with my hair out or in a very messy updo on a rough cotton pillowcase, my stylist cutting off too much, all combined with a few other things along the way.

So during that summer I went to wash my hair which I hated doing since I hated my hair and hated caring for it, and realized I was out of conditioner. It was too late to run out and buy any so instead I decided to search hair care practices and reviews on conditioners to help my relaxed hair. I was hooked. I decided to go on YouTube as well and do some snooping with my mum and we discovered Aphogee, ORS Hair Mayonnaise, and Tresemme. Those products saved my hair and did a dramatic turn around in terms of the overall health and quality. I don't use them anymore because I'm a PJ and I'm always on a search for superior products but they helped a great deal. My only problem left was retaining length, I fixed that by getting a new stylist after a bad scissor happy visit (my new hairdresser is GOD sent ) and wrapping my hair at night. I also did frequent searches for tips and found out about protein-moisture balancing from LHCF and other sites.

After all that, I can really say my hair is the happiest it's ever been. It's always sleek, straight, and soft with lots of bounce and shine. I absolutely love it and I get compliments regularly. I try to keep it really simple and that's a must for me. All I need now is tons of growth to achieve my goal length and to not be lazy in terms of upkeep and I'm all set.

 

[diva24]

Im one of those lucky people that despite the abuse I heap upon my hair it has always had length and thickness. I transitioned with ease on a whim, abused my natural hair and decided it was too much work. I relaxed. After my last relaxer I realized how much I took my natural hair for granted. Nothing was wrong with my relaxed hair but for me, the comparison was at best.

 

[DivaMommy]

A very dear friend purchased two copies of Cathy House's book, one for me and one for her. She told me as she gave me my copy, let's grow our hair long. I always thought that my hair "couldn't grow long", no one ever told me it could. When she said that to me, it was my light bulb moment. Why can't I have long hair? I read the book and then started researching online and found LHCF. I've been mostly a lurker for the past few years, but have received tons of fabulous information. After a major set back, I'm almost APL and shooting for full BSL by December 2010.

 

[Dee_33]

I used to do 6 month stretches, so one time I only relaxed the front of my hair and not the back, cause I wanted to see my true texture. Well I fell in love with the thickness and so now I'm transitioning to 100 % natural. The front and crown of my hair is 7 months post and the back of my hair is about 1.5yrs post

 

[MsLizziA]

A very dear friend purchased two copies of Cathy House's book, one for me and one for her. She told me as she gave me my copy, let's grow our hair long. I always thought that my hair "couldn't grow long", no one ever told me it could. When she said that to me, it was my light bulb moment. Why can't I have long hair? I read the book and then started researching online and found LHCF. I've been mostly a lurker for the past few years, but have received tons of fabulous information. After a major set back, I'm almost APL and shooting for full BSL by December 2010.

What is the book about?

 

[aquajoyice]

I've had two epiphanies since i've had my HHJ. The first being when I read Cathy Howe's book and she made me realize that our hair could grow then I found this site and it gave me proof that our hair can grow and be beautiful. Then when I had my recent set-back after a 6 month stretch. I thought my hair was thin not realizing that it was the chemicals making my strands thin. I was around the corner from full MBL and I did a 6 month stretch to gain some length and due to so much new growth and no experience in taming it. I ended up with a patch in the back that makes my hair look super thin. I cut off a total of 4 inches, but in the process saw how thick my stretched texlaxed portion was. And after finding that my hair loves natural products and Wen it's been a breeze managing it. So now that I know for a fact that my hair can be thick and long i've tweeked my goal to Thick Moisturized MBL

 

[Lynnerie]

I used to live in braids and weaves- and not because I was protective styling. It was because my hair was jacked up. Not long, not short just there.

Here's my story- I was in the asian BSS stocking up on some hair and the owner was very rude and I refused to give my money to that business. That day I realized I needed to work with what I had instead of covering it up with fake hair. I researched the web on how to grow black hair. I found this site and growafrohairlong.com after a couple years I finally nursed my relaxed hair back to health and gained some length. I decided to go natural out of curiosity about my texture, not liking the way my relaxed hair looked when wet, wanting to wear my hair curly, and looking at all the naturals on this site, fotki, and youtube. I finally feel like I'm on the right road with my healthy hair journey.

 

[LatterGlory]

Got tired of ends that would not hold a curl and looked lifeless and limp so I started to texlax before I knew what it was called and stopped using direct heat long before LHCF.

I always stretched 3-6 months because that is what I was taught to do.

I have 3c an as time goes on 3b hair which I figured out how to deal with; I can go natural without breaking a sweat ( or a bc ) if I choose.

It was my DDs 4a I needed help with and I'm from the school of If You Can't Take Care of and Love Your Natural Hair Forget About Pressing or Relaxers.

I would have to teach her how to love and take care of her natural hair and what worked for mine did not work for hers, so here I am.

She must know that she has options of her own choosing be it hair or life in general.

 

[tricie]

My epiphany came when I realized that I had always told people I was "growing out my hair". Well, heellllllo...I had been saying that for like 10 years and never got close to SL, except once. I don't even remember what I was doing to my hair then, but the only product I remember using was Sebastian's molding mud..hmmm, may have to get some more of that (I AM a pj, after all)

Anyway, my hair had broken off something terrible; I was using some technique from that Shamboosie book (booooooo). I was just sick of trying to do something with it, so I went on Google one day and googled "growing healthy black hair", (my second epiphany; go to the Internet, there's gotta be something), and a thread from this site popped up. I read the thread, clicked on home and joined right away. That was in Dec 06, and I officially started my hair journey in Feb 07.

Since then I've had a set back, but I really think it was because my hair was just sick of stylists and relaxing, and I actually had a good stylist. I'm now transitioning (something I never, ever thought I would do), and now I am a year post, and my hair is the longest it's ever been in my life (with the relaxed ends)...yes, I'm still holding on to 'em since I may straighten after I take my braids out.

HTH and HHG to everyone!

 

[DivaMommy]

What is the book about?

I think the title is Ultra Black Hair Growth. It's about her hair journey and it opens your eyes on the steps to retaining your growth. It's a good starting point for someone who does not have healthy hair practices (which I did not). I learned about deep conditioning, hair needing protein, and the average growth rate (6 inches per year). Basics for someone new to the healthy hair journey.

 

[MsLizziA]

loving the stories.. im addicted to this thread

 

[EbonyCPrincess]

I have always been into caring for my hair. Thing is, the info wasn't always available or widespread. In college my hair grew to a beautiful, thick SL and I figured no reason it couldn't continue. Somehow, I came across Cathy Howse's site and ordered her book. In a year I grew to a full thick APL. Hadn't learned about the "boards & forums" yet though, but just moisturizing daily and staying away from direct heat alone worked wonders. I enjoyed my APL hair until...several setbacks that left me at CL....I said "Wait a minute, I know I can re-grow my hair!" Last year, I found the boards and forums along with YT hair divas and I've been plugging along with great success ever since!!!

People are amazed at my hair today considering in June I had a horrible horrible relaxer that left burns and a "TRIM" that left me at CL (yet again) and now I am APL. I've tried to spread the knowledge but its just like trying to get ppl to lose weight who aren't ready...ppl say they want to grow their hair but aren't really committed. However I am eternally grateful for sites like these!

 

[MsLizziA]

Does. Somebody wanna let me borrow their book? Lol

 

[IrisDaVirus]

April 2003 - I saw my regular doctor and she gave what turned out to be an excellent tip on dealing with my allergies. The tip - rinse my hair everyday to keep pollen buildup from getting out of hand. That made great sense because all the pollens and allergens floating through the air gotta land somewhere. Now I've had a habit of jumping in the shower when I came home from work for years. However I wasn't much of a fan of wetting my hair all the time. But talking with her that day made me have a change of mindset. Plus a lot of the stuff I read about dealing with allergies mentioned rinsing/shampooing your hair everyday as well as bathing/showering.

I started doing what she recommended and after two weeks I noticed a huge difference in how I felt. It was at that point I said texturizers and all other chemicals. If I was gonna wet my hair all the time then there was no need to have any hairstyle dependent on heat or chemicals. Wash and go's officially became my style of choice. The day before Mother's Day back in 2003 was my last texturizer. I haven't looked back. In hindsight I'm glad I stopped getting texturizers because I grew to love my natural hair much better. I knew sooner or later something would click to make me go natural again. It took a doctor's visit to treat allergy problems to set me back on natural hair road.

 

[MsLizziA]

Keep them coming!

 

[danysedai]

Had internet access at work for the first time back home lol and did a search on black hair care, I found BH forum and LHCF. I didn't have access to any of these products back at home but when I arrived in Canada I started buying some of the products I had read in here.Sistaslick,Macherieamour and other heads of relaxed hair made me realize that I could have that too.My mother is very into hair care and I was always a tomboy(180 degree change now,I'm a very very girly girl). In Montreal I found Alter Ego and Alfaparf and dominican products with my dominican hair dresser. Right now, I'm almost APL,stretching for 4 months now. I have found my staples now and what works for me, my hair products,stretching relaxers and rollersetting.

 

[Janet']

My epiphany came regarding retention and not so much hair health...I realized that I wanted to pass the SL stage that I had been in for years!!!! It took about 8 weeks for me to from 2 inches past SL to APL...Hopefully, when I do my length check 4 weeks, I will be full APL.

 

[GreenEyedJen]

I'd just moved into my own apartment, and I asked my mom to send me some pictures of my brother and me when we were younger, so I'd have some decoration. One of the pictures was of me blowing out the candles on my 8th birthday cake (the year before I started relaxing). My stretched hair in a ponytail was classic length, and thick as all get out. I was amazed. Seriously, it had been soo long since my hair had been that length, I had forgotten how thick, long, and pretty it could be. I was already stretching my texlax intervals, but that was mainly because of money issues. My hair was in a bob, and when I went to my stylist to get it trimmed, I told her to cut it really short in the back. When she did, I was left with texlaxed hair in the front and completely natural hair in the back. When I did my hair at home after that, I realized that my natural hair was responding (to everything, in general) better than the relaxed portion. DING DING DING! I decided to research hair products for natural hair and grow out the rest of my relaxer. The search led me to BHM and here, and the rest is history.

I BC'ed in March, and love it. I can get it just as straight as when it was relaxed, I have baby hair(s) again, and recently, when I went to the one Asian owned BSS I frequent, the owner says "Oh! Your hair so thick, just like my grandmother!"

 

[MsLizziA]

I'd just moved into my own apartment, and I asked my mom to send me some pictures of my brother and me when we were younger, so I'd have some decoration. One of the pictures was of me blowing out the candles on my 8th birthday cake (the year before I started relaxing). My stretched hair in a ponytail was classic length, and thick as all get out. I was amazed. Seriously, it had been soo long since my hair had been that length, I had forgotten how thick, long, and pretty it could be. I was already stretching my texlax intervals, but that was mainly because of money issues. My hair was in a bob, and when I went to my stylist to get it trimmed, I told her to cut it really short in the back. When she did, I was left with texlaxed hair in the front and completely natural hair in the back. When I did my hair at home after that, I realized that my natural hair was responding (to everything, in general) better than the relaxed portion. DING DING DING! I decided to research hair products for natural hair and grow out the rest of my relaxer. The search led me to BHM and here, and the rest is history.

I BC'ed in March, and love it. I can get it just as straight as when it was relaxed, I have baby hair(s) again, and recently, when I went to the one Asian owned BSS I frequent, the owner says "Oh! Your hair so thick, just like my grandmother!"

I think my childhood pictures did it for me as well..