October 2006 Anniversary

Well, I am posting this in February 2007 as I didn't have broadband at the end of the year, but they were taken last year. I think you can see that my hair has grown.



A better photograph from November 2006.



My hair seems to be thriving on no shampoo, just conditioner, however, I have a problem with flakes, which I didn't have before.

And am I losing too much hair when I wash??



Considering I am washing twice a week?

What will this year bring? I also fancy a different style, getting bored with twists.

January/February 2006

My youngest with flat twists and a hair wrap. I just wish I could do a hair wrap on my own hair.





And a picture of my eldest hair wrap!



I found a picture of how an african friend used to do my hair at school. She used to do it in bigger sections though.

November 2005 Twists

I have also tried washing my hair without shampoo, only with conditioner. I did it with the twists in. About 1/4 came out and it took me about 10 minutes to redo them.



I have finally got around to taking a picture of my hair in twists. Had to do it myself as I couldn't find anyone else to do it for me.

2001 to October 2005

Where am I at now. Well I kept my hair short, not shaved I let it grow into a short afro. I got a digital camera in 2001. I have just been browsing my photographs. I have hundreds of the children, but very few of me.

Found a picture of me from July 2004 sporting a short afro.


The beginning of 2005 I was definitely getting bored with my hair. I was told there was nothing natural out there. So I had a curly perm only to find out I could of had it twisted. I have been growing it out ever since. I had twist extensions


Then I had a sort of weave twists, because I wanted a Whitney Houston cut. It had to be a weave because it was cut so short on the sides and back and it would of meant cutting my own hair. The hairdresser thought I was loopy, but it was cut to style and then said more women should have the guts to style their weaves or extensions as it looked really great.

I took it out in August and there was some hair loss around the front hairline which is now growing back. When I was visiting family in London I popped into a shop and brought a wig, which I wear for work. (I work two days a week). I have been sporting a baseball cap a lot. However I washed it last Thursday evening and just thought I have had enough of what is left of the curly perm. So I went upstairs and hacked it off. At some point I will have to go to the hairdressers to have it neatened up.

I twisted it wet and I was very surprised that it stayed in. It is still in on the following Monday. I shall get an up to date picture of it now. I'll do it tomorrow outside in the sunlight.

1997 - 2001, Short Locs, scarves, headwraps,etc

As my hair grew I stopped wearing the Chiny Bumps.


As it got longer I started to put scarves around it.



As my hair got longer for special occasions I would braid my locs into two fat rows or wear a head wrap.






My eldest child was getting quite big and I worried about picking up headlice from her via her friends. I had seen children with headlice. I couldn't imagine how I would get eggs out of locs.

Also although the locs weren't that long when I washed them I caught cold. I started washing my hair first thing in the morning, but I was still going to bed at night with damp hair, hence the colds. So I started going to the hairdressers to have my locs washed and dried. In the summer of 2000 I also had the tips bleached blonde.

Due to those two things I decided to have my head shaved for charity. The month before my second child was born I my head shaved.



In some ways it was a good move. However I forgot one thing I had a baby. There were very thin patches and bald areas on top of my head. I never noticed with the first as I had started locs. So to cover up the bald areas I continued to have my head shaved every three weeks. The hairdresser was very positive she said it was the baby and she could see the hair coming.

1996, Bantu Knots

In 1996 I had my first child. As I realised I would have little time for my hair, I decided to go natural. In the picture above I am about 7 months pregnant and had started the plaits for locs, but would wind them up on themselves for Chiny bumps. I have seen them called Bantu knots.

Once the photo was scanned in it is difficult to see the individual knots.

As a Teenager

Then came the relaxer. Most of the time not as painful, but I do remember getting some serious chemical burns from my mother's perms. That was accompanied by the rolling up and styling everyday. Then came the curly perm, big loose curls, but no swimming. Also sleeping with what felt like a plastic bag on my head to save the bedlinen and the pillows from the drips.

During that time I tried natural I had my hair cut like the little boy from 'Different strokes'. I went into a hairdressers who cut my hair to two inches, but refused to cut it any further. The next week I went to barber's and said I want my hair like the boy in different strokes, they had no qualms. He took the shears to it, shaved a parting and I did indeed look the part.

Hair Herstory

I was born in the UK and my natural hair is very tight curls. I have found a photograph from when I was about 8 or 9 as a bridesmaid. By that time my hair was been pressed. I do not remember that fondly, in fear I would sweat. The iron comb would touch the sweat and burn my scalp. When I went to school after running about I would sweat the pressing out.

I have started this blog, so I can load photographs as I am now a member of Nappturality.com. Hopefully it will inspire you, either by thinking I can do better than that or that is so so easy. I'm now off to see what photographs I can find.

See you later!