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I's Natural Now - Big Chop 07/13/2012
- Thread starter Lavendar
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GeorginaSparks
Well-Known Member
your curls *drools*!!!!!
Crystalicequeen123
Well-Known Member
Congratulations Lavendar!! 
I'm so happy for you!!
Your hair looks gorgeous! Short hair is very becoming on you. 
Your long relaxed hair was pretty as well, but the natural curls you're sporting now just take you to a whole new level of beauty!
I always think that people look even more beautiful when they showcase what God naturally gave them in an attractive way.
How is your regimen so far?
Your hair is going to grow like a WEED! That's one of the main differences that I noticed when I first went natural.
I'm so happy for you!!
Your hair looks gorgeous! Short hair is very becoming on you. Your long relaxed hair was pretty as well, but the natural curls you're sporting now just take you to a whole new level of beauty! I always think that people look even more beautiful when they showcase what God naturally gave them in an attractive way.
How is your regimen so far?
Your hair is going to grow like a WEED! That's one of the main differences that I noticed when I first went natural.
AFashionSlave
Well-Known Member
You look great!
(I'd kill for your perfect skin BTW...OK maybe not kill, but I would be super mean to somebody for a day or so if I could have your skin)
(I'd kill for your perfect skin BTW...OK maybe not kill, but I would be super mean to somebody for a day or so if I could have your skin)
Your Cheeziness
New Member
Congratulations and your hair looks great!
CenteredGirl
Well-Known Member
Wow just wow Lavender. You and your hair look absolutely beautiful. You go girl!
LadyMacgyver
Well-Known Member
Beautiful.. Your TWA looks so beautiful on you..
on your decision to big chop for natural hair!
YOU CUT YOUR HAIR!! 
Lavendar
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Yep, that would be me!
Congratulations Lavendar!!
I'm so happy for you!!
I always think that people look even more beautiful when they showcase what God naturally gave them in an attractive way.
How is your regimen so far?
Your hair is going to grow like a WEED! That's one of the main differences that I noticed when I first went natural.
I'm cosigning with all the ladies!!
All that long hair will be back soon! You look gorgeous!! Can I borrow your head bands please
Your hair is going to grow back so fast! What's your reggie?
I still love Hairveda products; and now that I'm natural I'm not limited to certain ingredients that used to not play well with my relaxed hair, like glycerin for instance. I've been eyeing all the new stuff on HV; but I just bought HV stuff during my transition, as well as a bunch of other stuff that I don't know what to do with, and I'm trying to just STOP!!!! I need an intervention.
Oh and I've always loved headbands, but something about a TWA can turn you into a headband fanatic. After my chop, I went straight to Ulta for the 25% off sale on hair accessories. That's where I got this one.
I'm only one-month post, so I'm still working on the regimen.
I still follow basically the same reggie as I did while relaxed/transitioning, with a few small changes: Prepoo w/ detangle, cleanse 2/week, DC 1/week with heat, henna (now 2-step with indigo) every 4 weeks, no heat yet per my stylist (she says I still have scab hair), maybe trim every 6 months??? I also lightly M&S every morning and evening, which is something I never did when relaxed. The biggest things for me was learning I have to detangle out of the shower. The tons of conditioner under running water detangling doesn't work for me. My water bill was up $100.00 this quarter.
AND henna will not color my natural hair the way it did my relaxed hair; my hair is no longer super porous. Ya'll know this was major for me. 
I had to start using indigo, which is more work, strips my moisture so I have to build back up from scratch, and I already have jet black hair so I don't have my beautiful auburn/cherry highlights anymore. But oh well, I still get the strengthening and now extreme gray hair coverage.Products and styling is frustrating, but I'm getting there. However, I will say that going no-poo with Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner did the trick in getting my moisture levels to the point where my hair started to form a pattern and I started to get a natural sheen and retain moisture in my hair all day. I have also discovered that Jane Carter's products must have the perfect pH for my hair because they smooth the cuticle like crazy, bring out curls from outta nowhere like crazy, and have my hair blinging! But honestly, that's all still a work in progress. My wash-n-gos have been horrible lately, but I think I had a breakthrough with the Jane Carter last night. I'll keep you all posted.
My skin is always a work in progress, so I'm just overwhelmed by your responses.
I'm not faithful to one product line, but I have been using the same products for quite some time since I finally seem to have found what keeps my skin clear or will clear it up as quickly as possible when my hormones act a fool:- I cleanse every morning with Clarisonic brush with pore cleansing head. I use At last Natural sulfur soap (mostly) or Shea Moisture African Black Soap with my brush.
- I tone with Avalon Organics vitamin C toner (but they just changed the formula, so I'm going to try Aubrey Organics. I did use Paula's Choice for a few years, but I go through toner too fast and need to get it on the ground.)
- I apply Paula's Choice antioxidant serum around my eyes and the 2% BHA lotion on the rest of my face. If I have any dark marks, I use her Remarkable Skin Lightening Lotion. It's great.
- If I eat some refined carbs
, I use Nelson's Pure and Clear Acne Treatment gel to spot treat. It's loaded with sulfur and arnica montana, so it treats and heals at the same time.- If a breakout left me really spotty, I will use Avon's Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel pads to quickly diminish the dark marks, shrink the pores, and refine my skin tone.
- At night, I just quickly wash with soap. Sometimes I tone, sometimes not. If not, I make sure to use lots of water to rinse. Then I use Tamanu oil or Baobab oil, making sure to get my lashes well. (The tamanu :burning: the eyes, so be very careful. You can layer on the baobab, camellia, or argan oil and turn no lashes into false-looking lashes.
)- If I have worn makeup, which is generally once a week when I go to church and maybe some nights when I go to school, I use Blum Natural wipes and eye makeup remover to take it off, then follow the above step. I never use Clarisonic twice in one day.
EVERY makeup breaks me out except for MAC mineralize skinfinish natural, mac studio fix powder, and Iman liquid radiance, BUT I can't put these directly on my skin or I will break out
. I must have a primer (Laura Mercier, only the plain primer with no silicone), and I have to put the primer on top of the BHA, or it will break me out. 
I am dead serious. Do y'all know how long it took to figure this out??? So I just don't bother most days.I have combination-to-dry skin, depends on the season, and it is very allergy prone. So please, if anyone wants to try any of these products, please read the ingredients and use past experience to help you decide. Do not look me up and hunt me down if you turn into alligator face, which I have done on several occasions. Does anybody remember when I washed my face with amla powder????
It is not cute. Don't say I didn't give a disclaimer. 
CAVEAT: I know everyone is big on sunscreen. Well, unfortunately I am allergic to both physical and chemical sunscreen. Supposedly BHA and Peels can make you photosensitive, so use a sunscreen if you can or must. Thankfully, a lot of natural oils supposedly have natural sun protection. But who really knows? I can say I have walked 3-4 miles a day all through the summer months, sometimes twice a day during high sun, and thankfully have never burned or gotten sun damage at over age 40....at least I hope it's not hiding under the surface somewhere...I mean we all gotta get our first wrinkle at some point right.
Anyhoo, there's a lot to be said for melanin. That's all I'm gonna say about that. Okay, so all y'all old-timers know I can write a post that will turn into a novella and think nothing of it. But this took forever, cause I never gave my skincare regimen much thought and never shared it before. But y'all support and encourage a sister so much, just ask and I will tell it all. But be careful what you ask for, I can make up for not posting in two years in just one post. So, this beauty secret info is just between us.....k?
oh, and those millions and millions of lurkers.....
P.S. Did anyone really actually just read this whole post????
Stella B.
Well-Known Member
Aww, Lavendar, thanks for the tag... I was just thinking about you not too long ago. It's good to know you're still around! I enjoyed looking at the pics of your recent big chop, and all I can say is congratulations girl, because you look fantastic! Now watch that natural hair grow back twice as fast, and twice as long! I'll be checking out your future progress, I'm preparing to be amazed! 
Now watch that natural hair grow back twice as fast, and twice as long! I'll be checking out your future progress, I'm preparing to be amazed! 
Tibbar
Well-Known Member
P.S. Did anyone really actually just read this whole post????
I'm sure MANY people did tryna figure out all your secrets!!
Love the hair, love the skin!!
Congrats on the BC and good luck on figuring out your new reggie!
