MEET Anise!
How long have you been natural/transitioning? And if you haven't been natural your whole life, what prompted you to make the change?
I transitioned for 6 months and then proceeded to BC this month(december 13th) and I have been natural for a little longer than 2 weeks. I was natural until I had my first relaxer at age 11, then i did not know your hair doesn't stay relaxed because i did not know anything and i was young so my hair grew out when i was 13 and i cut all my relaxed hair off and had another fro and that same year i relaxed again and have been until i bc-d this year (2009). So thats about 3 years of relaxed hair. I really did not care for relaxed hair, even though my hair still had a little wave and curl in it as a relaxed girl, I wanted to have a change and started to yearn for my natural hair. When i was a child i yearned to be like Beyonce Knowles and i wanted long flowing straight hair! But that passion is gone... and i love having short hair now! It's so fun and different!
Did you have any stereotypes about natural hair or those with natural hair beforehand? If so, what were some of them and has your viewpoint changed?
I did not really have stereotypes but some of my close black friends do stereotype natural black hair and claimed that it was "nappy" and "dry" and that I would look like a "dirty tennis ball." But I proved them wrong!
Do you feel that anything changed in your life (i.e. Boost in confidence) when you became all natural/started transitioning?
I stopped regretting what i was doing to my hair and didn't let anyone's views stop me from achieving happiness.
If you went through/going through a transition process, how did you care for your hair during that process (styles...products you used, etc.) ?
Throughout my transition I basically just wore my hair in a bun everyday, a high messy bun because i am not high maintenance. My best friend who lives across town has my flat iron haha I left it at her house when i was doing her hair and never cared to pick it up so I am really simple when it comes down to the styles...and I usually wear my hair in buns when I have ballet class so thats that. I always have known that my hair loves conditioner and it wasn't until this year that i began to seal my hair with natural oils and i never had previously...and i rarely shampoo my hair. so pretty much yea..oh and i would make my own deep treatments mainly out of either eggs or avocado and i used to put honey in my hair all the time. i love honey!
What do you love most about being natural?
I love that I am happy with myself and now i am closer to myself than i have ever been in my short lived life : )
What words would you leave with someone who is thinking about going natural?
I would encourage them to respect their hair and god because it's there for a reason and for them to look for the beauty within their natural texture and hair pattern. Curls are beautiful! And to take a risk!
Any sites where we can keep up with your journey: YouTube, fotki album, any other picture sharing site...etc.
I just began adding videos to my youtube channel...aniseforpeace
(When Anise was ~ 7)
(Transitioning)
(After her Big Chop!)
