My Natural Hair Journey By Aisha
Aisha O’Reilly of Aisha & Life, natural hair and mommy blogger, shares with us her personal natural hair story; of going completely relaxer-free, the big chop, and her natural haircare routine.
How did it all start?
My natural hair journey started the day after I got my last (bad) relaxer. I’d insisted on the salon to relax my hair straight after removing my braids. Despite them warning me that my hair could get damaged, I was adamant I couldn’t leave the salon with the few centimeters of new growth. My hair ended up in shambles and weak. And it made me rethink my relationship with my hair. How had it gotten so bad that I didn’t feel confident enough to go out in the world with some unrelated growth? I decided the next day to stop relaxing my hair. At that point, I didn’t know where I’d end up, I just knew I had to stop with the relaxer addiction.
What is your hair texture & when did you begin to love it?
According to the widely used hair type system, it’s 4C. Sometimes I think areas are more 4D though! I began to love it about 6 months in, when it was still a TWA but able to be styled into a couple styles. I started feeling really cute with it and was more confident handling it.
How did you begin rocking your current hairstyle & what hair trend are you currently loving?
I grew out my hair for almost 6 years, chopping a couple of times but never as short as my original TWA. I had my son last year and after experiencing amazing volume thanks to pregnancy, I felt overwhelmed with the amount of hair I had to take care of all while finding my feet as a new mom which in itself is a massive feat. About 4 months after giving birth, I noticed my hairline was thinning and my hair began falling out it clumps at 5 months post partum. I had continued taking my vitamins and eating well, as I breastfed, but my hair still fell out. That, combined with the reality that I wouldn’t be able to give my hair the TLC it needed to recover made me decide to cut it again. My hair needed to work for me, not the other way around. I had a new priority in my life and I wanted to give him my all. I big chopped in December 2016 into a tapered cut. And then I left it alone and kept it simple. It’s growing back and I’m loving it. It’s gotten me excited about my hair again and it works so much better with where I am in life.
I’m currently loving hair cuffs! I still have to get my hands on them and use them myself but every time I see a girl with braids, dreads or even a free fro with them on, I’m mesmerized!
A few hair tips & tricks you’d like to share and what do you think about going natural.
I absolutely love being natural. It’s really made me more confident in who I am and of course started my love for sharing my experience with other women online and in person. I’m so proud to be a part of the natural hair movement – that despite being told repeatedly that we shouldn’t or couldn’t wear our hair naturally, here we are doing it. And being intelligent, successful and beautiful while doing so.
Some key tips: moisturize your hair. Don’t be afraid of water, it’s the best defense against breakage. Once moisturized, keep it so by sealing the moisture with an oil and cream. I use the LOC method (liquid, oil, cream). How frequently you do this is determined by your hair so listen to it. Also, be patient with your hair growth and try not to compare yours to others. Everyone’s hair growth, texture, and experience is different. No two heads of hair are the same.
For more tips and styles, please watch Aisha’s videos! Here’s is her latest one:
Check out Aisha’s blog aishaandlife.com
Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
