Tag Archives: hair

New Growth

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New Growth

Mar 11-3I am a proud member of the Ponytail Nation.  Morning, noon or night you can see me rocking a ponytail.  I’ve been trying to grow out my relaxer since June of last year and it definitely has not been an easy experience.

I thought I was insane when I decided to start the process at the same time as working in the fitness industry full-time.  They seemed counterproductive.  However, it has been a blessing in disguise.  When you’re in sweats all day, people don’t expect you to be made-up and cute.  They don’t care about your hair, they care more about your physique and what you can do to help them.  Nobody skips a beat when your hair is pulled back every day!

I get my hair straightened regularly and boy does it look great when I leave the salon.  However, that look is oh so temporary.  When you teach 10 Zumba classes a week and sweat in each one – it’s pretty much a lost cause.  That’s the awesome thing about being part of the Ponytail Nation.  Brush it (or as much of it as you can), pull it back and you’re good to go.  I can always tell when I’ve had really good workouts because the back of my hair is so nappy and it balls up so tight like it’s holding on for dear life.  As much as I’d like to cut my hair to bob length, I know it wouldn’t work right now because I couldn’t pull it back in a ponytail.  And nobody wants to see a bob with rows and rows of naps that look like Easter eggs all over the White House lawn.

I’m not quite ready to do the “big chop”.  I’m getting closer, but am just not there yet.  We actually almost did it a couple of weeks ago.  However, after further conversation we realized that I wanted long hair for my wedding so the cut has been put on hold again.

Each visit to the salon is a check on the length of the new growth.  You can see by the photo at the top that I’m on my way.  I’ve had some good growth over the past nine months and can definitely see a difference in the natural texture and the relaxed texture.  The more I go through the process, the more I notice the beautiful natural hairstyles of the women in Louisville.  I received a lot of great tips.  I am excited to see how my hair will look when I make that transition.  Time shall tell when locks will drop.

YeagerNewG2

M.Y.  March 2011

Natural Zumba

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Natural Zumba?

OCt10-2As you know, I LOVE FITNESS!  I already had my personal training certification but needed to get 20 hours of continuing education over the next two years.  I saw that a Zumba Fitness certification class was coming to Louisville and that I could get 7 hours for that.  I’ve always loved doing Zumba and I needed the hours so it sounded like a win/win situation!

After attending the training I was hooked and equally excited to get more people involved.  Zumba is a  fun way to get in shape.  Tomarcus at APT Fitness in St. Matthews allowed me to use his space for the classes and I get to workout while working out others!

But here’s the thing I forgot to factor in.  Back in June, I either had an epiphany (or mental lapse) that I was going to try to grow out my relaxer.  I’d been on the fence about it for so long.  Since it was my offseason from competing, I figured this would be the best time to try it. If it didn’t work, I could always go back.

Dealing with the changes in my hair were fine, until the weeks leading up to my first Zumba class.  I’d practice at home every night and every night I would work up a sweat.  And with each night I worked up a sweat, another bead would lock up in the back of my hair. Another edge went from straight to not-so-straight to magically appear.  So I had to make a decision.  1) Do the big chop – Not for me since it’d only been 4 months.  2) Pull my hair back in a pony tail every day – Not really for me.  I love a ponytail but don’t think it looks professional at some of my meetings.  3) Get a wig or a weave – this was my last resort but really the only option I felt I currently had in order to stay active.

So I called up Chenica, went out, bought the hair and let the sewing begin.  I will admit, it took me some time to get used to having a full head of “not my hair” but I know it’s only temporary to get me through the process.   I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!

If you’re currently transitioning to a natural hairstyle or already are, I’d love to hear your advice!

M.Y. October 2010

Un Be-weave-able

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Un Be-weave-able

May10-2Naturally my hair is somewhat long – about 4-5 inches past my shoulders. But every once in awhile, on special occasions my hair calls for special attention and additional features.  Over time this has come in the form of wigs (those are fun but don’t usually look natural), half wigs (which generally blend in well with my hair) and weaves.

I know the new thing is the lace front wig, but that’s not something I would ever be able to wear.  My skin is very sensitive to any and everything.  I am allergic to latex and even the some bandages will leave marks on my skin.  So, the glue people use on the lace front wigs would leave a permanent scar across my forehead (and you may say it won’t but I’m definitely not trying to find out).

For my competition in March I decided to increase my stage presence and add some length to my hair. Since I would be tumbling, I went with a weave (I’m not trying to have a wig fly into the crowd as I tumble!)   My wonderful stylist Chenica Racine, sewed three tracks in to my hair.  I had long(er) flowing locks in no time at all. And, at first I really enjoy the tracks.  I could do a lot with my hair and it had the body and flow that I usually don’t have.

And then it started to annoy me.  See, I’m used to placing a brush on my head and being able to move straight from the top of my head down to the bottom.  With the tracks, my brush only got half way down and then I felt a bump, bump, bump.  I didn’t want my boyfriend to touch my hair because I knew he’d think I had a deformed head.

The second bothersome thing was perspiration.  I had a great workout on the gym and produced a nice sweat.  Unfortunately my head sweat as well.  And in those creases where the braids were, the sweat just ran inside those plaits and was holding on for dear life.  As much as I wanted to shove a comb up in that area and scratch, I couldn’t.

After about three weeks of the tracks, I was ready for them to be taken out.  I liked the look, but missed the natural feel of my own fingers running all the way through my own hair.  Will I do it again?  Yes (actually in four weeks for my next competition) But will I have the same issue – most likely so.

M.Y. May 2010

Relax Me Baby

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Relax Me, Baby!

Aug09-3There is no shame to my game – I have a relaxer.  I admire people that have natural hair styles, but for the amount of time I spend in the gym and training, a relaxer does great things for me.  I generally get one every 6 weeks.

It was a typical six week morning visit as I sat in Chenica’s chair.  She checked my hair and there didn’t look like there was too much new growth (my hair had been flat ironed the visit before).  I agreed and we thought we could just wait another two weeks until my next visit.  I received a roller wrap and was on my way out the door. (I didn’t think twice about the rain that was outside).

The humidity and my hair got in a fight, and the humidity won.  As I pulled up that afternoon to pick my boyfriend up from the airport he said, “Did you just wake up?”  Wow!  That’s kinda crazy.  I instantly grabbed the ponytail holder that I faithfully wear around my wrist and pulled my hair back.

That weekend was okay because I could flat iron or curl my hair.  But, as the days crept on, my hair started to revolt.  At first my hair became more difficult to brush.  I had to start at the ends and gently work my way up – slowly.  It then got to the point where it felt like my hair was shriveled up and grasping my scalp like a leach looking for blood.  I couldn’t comb it.  I couldn’t even put my fingers through it.  It was some thick stuff!  I tried to look for the positive in the situation.  I said a blessing that my hair was finally long enough to be pulled in a ponytail and I proudly sported one for an entire week.

As I sat again in Chenica’s chair I gave her the warning that it was pretty bad.  Not only was my kitchen bad, but the entire house needed to be remodeled.  She only took me half serious until she parted (well tried) my hair down the center.  Although it was really rough, Chenica worked wonders like always.  As she finished, I ran my fingers through my hair and was so glad to feel like my normal self.  Chenica is a wonderful beautician and we continue to watch my hair grow longer and more healthy.

We all have our bad hair days, some are worse than others.  I learned it’s all about doing the best you can with what ya got, until you can do better.

M.Y.  August 2009

Hair Update

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“Hair Update”

For those of you new to OnyxLouisville, I cut my hair in May of last year.  Pretty much all of my life my hair was long.  My goal was to have “bra strap” hair (hair that touched my bra strap), but once it became close to that length, I realized how difficult it can be.  Working out was hard because I hated the feel my hair on my neck.  I was constantly pulling the hair out of the back of my shirt.  Of course it had its privileges like being able to pull it back into a ponytail on a bad hair day.  There were also a lot more options when it came to styles.

April 2008

Jan09-2
But I took the hair plunge and chop, chop, chopped it off. Some said “why!”  Others said “wow!”  Some just said “hmmmm”.  But I liked it.  I cut it because 1) it’s just hair and 2) I had a hair theory.  My theory is that everyone’s hair is supposed to be a certain length.  Some people will always have short hair.  You know short to the extent that if they tried to pull it back in a ponytail it looks like a little sprout.  Others are meant to have long hair.  They are the ones that will cut their hair 8 inches on a Wednesday afternoon and by Thursday morning it’s already grown back.  I thought I was somewhere in the middle.

June 2008

Jan09-2b
So, it’s been half a year and my hair has started to grow back.  It’s about halfway (I think) from where I started.  I want to try to continue to grow it out for a full year.  When my birthday comes on May 26, I’ll decide if I prefer the long or short look.

This is what we need to realize: if you’re thinking about making change in your life – go for it!  Don’t let others talk you out of it because you know yourself better than anybody.  If you want to decorate your room a different way – do it!  If it’s time to start looking for a new job – make it work (just don’t quit your day job in advance).  If you want to get a tattoo that says “OnyxLouisville” across your back – represent…  yeah, no… don’t do that one! Challenge yourself to step out of the box.  Make new friends. But honestly, leave the hate in 08 and shine in 09.  You can’t succeed if you don’t try and you never know the outcome that could happen!

M.Y.  January 2009

Hair Theory/ Get Out and Vote

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Hair Theory/Get Out & Vote

May08-2Topic 1: I have a theory about women and hair.  I honestly believe that a woman’s hair is  pre-determined to be a certain length.  Have you ever noticed that there are some women with short hair and no matter how hard they try to grow their hair out, it never grows long enough to put in a ponytail?

Then we have some women that have ‘long flowing locks’.  They are always complimented about their hair and sometimes asked if their real hair is a weave.  Sometimes these women will cut their hair short, but it seems like only several months later their hair is back to flowing and glowing. They walk out of the salon with their new cut, and by the time they walk to their car it’s already grown out an inch!

My hair (I believe) was pre-determined to be a couple of inches past my shoulders.  I used to want it to grow to ‘bra-strap’ length.  Through the wonders of added on hair, I was able to enjoy that for a couple of weeks during Christmas, but quickly realized it was overrated.  I’m now thinking in a different direction – I WANT TO CUT MY HAIR! (chop)

The thought has stayed in my mind for several weeks and every time I see a person with short hair I admire their ‘do (chop, chop).  With figure training, my life has become so much more active and I’m ready for change.  Some of my friends and co-workers say “Don’t do it!”.  But, hey, it’s just hair!  And if my theory is right, my hair will be right back to my shoulders in a year or so. Be on the lookout for shortened locks of love before my 32nd birthday at the end of the month (chop, chop, chop)!  And – iIf my theory is wrong – um, yeah, I didn’t think that far!

Topic 2:  The presidential election could have ended months ago, weeks ago or even days ago.  But it hasn’t. I was selfish and hoped the Obama/Clinton hype would come to KY so I too could take part and my vote would count. We are at a time where we could have our first African American or woman president.  This is monumental!  This could be one of those moments that in 30 years you sit back and reflect on with your grandchildren.  Don’t just sit back and not make your voice heard.  TUESDAY, MAY 20 – if you value your freedom, your rights and your voice – you’ll vote for the person that represents your values best!!

 

M.Y.  May 2008