BARBARA~ BEFORE AND AFTER

Meet Barbara,a fierce natural,who decided to change her style ,and think outside the norm!!




How long were you thinking of going natural? Whats the story ?

Back in 2008, I decided that I wanted to change my style. I've always had long hair, and wanted a short style, similar to the singer Fantasia Barrino. I went ahead and got the cut March 08. By the end of the year, I came to realize that maintaining the cut and styling it were more work and more expensive than I had thought. It was then that I considered going natural.

Was your transition a long or short one?

I didn't really have a transition time. I literally walked into my touch-up appointment with my stylist one day and told him to cut it off, lol. He stood in shock for a few minutes, and then said, "ok".

We all know how important it is to moisturize our hair
while in transition,what products did you use to keep
your hair moisturized?

Since I didn't do a real transition period, I didn't worry too much about prepping my hair for going natural. The products that I was using on my hair were products that my stylist used in his salon.

What was your staple hairstyle while in transition?

I was still wearing the short Fantasia inspired cut, but when I could not replicate the styling at home, I hid under my scarf.

When you decided to Big Chop,how did you feel about your cut? And how did people react to it?

When my stylist cut my permed hair off and I saw my TWA I had the BIGGEST smile on my face! It was such a liberating feeling that I almost cried. I just couldn't stop saying how happy I was with it. I was elated, my stylist was uncomfortable and unsure, lol, so he recommended that I go bald instead of rocking the TWA and I did. LOVED my bald head.

I got some mixed reactions to it. My stylist came around after he gave me a bald head and a taper, my college friends LOVED it and thought I was even more beautiful than before, my boyfriend LOVED it too. He said it was very daring, very Grace Jones, BUT, my best friend said I was crazy and couldn't understand why I would ever want to cut all of my hair off. She has also made comments to me saying that I look like a boy, which I usually just roll my eyes at these days. My grandmother came around, but each time I would get a hair cut she'd say, "No, I thought you were gonna let it grow. You need to let it grow".

Did you have any regrets?

I have absolutely NO regrets!! I love my natural curls, and I have a 6 year old daughter that I am now a positive hair role model for. She has nearly waist length natural hair and I would tell her all the time that she didn't need her hair to be straightened, that it was beautiful and cool. Now I am example to her of just how true that really is!

What are your long term goals for your hair journey?

I have been going back and forth between a TWA and bald, but this year, I think I am finally ready for some growth. I want the big afro. I want to rock the twists and twist outs. I want to rock the finger coils and the pretty hair accessories! That's where I am headed on my natural hair journey.