By Un’ruly Contributor: L’Rai Mensah, Writer + Editor + Stylist
If you read my last post you know that I’m a little impulsive when it comes to my hair choices. I’m so in love with the idea of changing your style and appearance by simply changing your hairstyle.
After I got a bit tired of the green hair I decided to do something I never thought I would do, cut it all off. I went to the salon and promptly said, put a razor to it. The stylist looked at me with an extremely perplexed look as if to say, why? But I wanted something different, something a bit bold. This current phase of my life is all about boldness, confidence and straight forwardness. With a very low cut you can see my face clearly. It’s about more than hair, it’s about using your crown to express where you are emotionally, mentally and sometimes spiritually. I’m starting over in my career, my personal life and now my outward appearance.
That said I had to get used to this new hair and had to switch up my maintenance routine. Here are a few things I noticed and needed to adjust for…
My Curl Pattern
I cut my hair just short enough to show a slight curl pattern. However, it was much different than the ringlets I had been used to. At times my hair dawned a wave pattern rather than individual curls. Knowing that I liked the curl pattern more than the waves there were a couple of things I needed to do:
- I had to grow my hair out for about 2 weeks to make sure it was long enough for a full curl pattern.
- I had to find a new regimen and new set of products that would promote my curl pattern. I found that I needed to wet my hair much more often, which also meant that I needed to moisturize my hair well so that it wouldn’t dry out. Here is my new routine. 3 times a week…
- Wash my hair with Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo.
- Place a quarter size of tea tree oil on my hair (any brand will work).
- Moisturize with Miss Jessie’s Baby Buttercream.
- Define curls with Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream Gel (with Shea).
- Set with TRESemme Flawless curls defining gel.
Research and Find a Great Barber
Previously, I had the sides of my heads shaved. I thought my original barber was good enough to up keep my full cut. But what I found was that with this new look he cut the edges a bit too harshly and cut my hair down short similar to a cut many of the men who walked in would get. I had to find a barber who would be able to still give me a feminine look and not cut so harshly. Needless to say, I did but I had to do my research similar to when I would go to a salon. I just thought, hey I can go to any barber, not the case!
Enjoy the Freedom of NO HAIR!
So often we (by we, I mean me) become so enthralled in our hair, how we style it, not messing up our freshly pressed mane etc. I have to say I do not miss throwing on three or four plastic caps and wrapping a scarf around my head when I forgot to look at the rainy weather report prior to heading to the salon. Cutting my hair has given me such freedom and its also helped me realize how amazing we each can be when we allow ourselves to be a bit more vulnerable… whatever that means for you. For me, cutting my hair was just an outward expression of what I was experiencing inwardly. I became more comfortable with my own vulnerability.
What would cutting your hair mean for you?
