of my back. Being in the military, I would always have to pull my hair back. My
hair started to break off through out. I wanted to go natural but I was trying
to allow the relaxer to grow out. So one day I went to my kids barber and told
him to cut it all off.
I feel pretty good about my hair right now. Its at 4.5 inches now. I had cut
it all off back in January. This time I am going to let it grow.
I still shampoo/conditioner shopping. I use Shea moisture shampoo for thick and curly hair with the Curls conditioner. I've also used Pantene moisture balance shampoo and conditioner. I'm now trying out L'oréal's Ever Curl shampoo and conditioner. I am really liking how it is bringing the curls out in my hair. I also use Fantasia ic styling gel products.
My hair care routine consist of washing/conditioning my hair every 2-3 days and I get a trim every 3 months. I color my hair so I deep condition it once a month. The hardest part of the journey is right now, I feel like it's in that in between growing stage. My proudest moment is when I cut it all off.
I am in the Air Force as a member of the Virginia Air National Guard. When I have weekend duty every month I make sure that my hair is in regulation, so therefore I may use more gel to lay it down. Here is a brief summary of the Military hair compliance:
"Females hair will be styled to present a professional appearance. Plain and conservative pins, combs, headbands, elastic bands, and barrettes similar to the individual’s hair color permitted to keep hair in place. Hair will not be worn in an extreme or fad style or violate safety requirements. Will not exceed 3 inches in bulk or prevent proper wear of headgear. Will not include hair ornaments such as ribbons or jeweled pins."
My suggestion for other naturals is to definitely try different products to see what works best for their hair. I have to mix and match. Be sure to trim your ends. Also your diet plays an important part, watch what you eat.