E: I am from Greensboro, North Carolina but I have lived in Atlanta for the past three years. I am a behavioral clinical specialist. I work in a home-based language with autistic children between 2 and 18, teaching them communication skills and behavior management.
When did you go natural?
E: I started growing out my relaxer during the summer of 2005. It started as an experiment. I had micro-braids at the time. During that time I started paying more attention to my baby pictures and wondered if I could recapture those same curls if I grew out my relaxer, plus, after I took my braids out, I really did not want to get another relaxer. It took about two years and although there were many times I wanted to give up I am very happy I didn’t.
My hair grows faster and is more healthy and I have tons more styling options. I also feel that my natural hair exemplifies my personality more so than relaxed hair. Even now when I wear my hair straightened, I don’t really feel like myself.
What style do you love to rock?
E: My favorite style is what I like to call a curly fro. I can wear a smaller more tame version for work, but on the weekends, I try to make it as big as possible. Recently, I have been pinning back one side. Its almost like a mo-hawk but not quite.
How do you do it?
E: I wash my hair with Deva Curl No Poo shampoo then use Aussie Three Minute Miracle. I comb this through my hair and let it sit in my hair for a few minutes. Next, I rinse it out and add a little more that I will leave in. Then, I add Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue. I use very little of this product when my hair is soaking wet. I take a small amount out of the jar and apply it all over using my finger tips and kind of combing it through with my fingers. I try not to touch it too much because that can lead to frizziness.
I spray some Carol’s Daughter Khoret Amen leave in conditioner all over, then I let my hair air dry for about 10–15 minutes. Then I blow dry. While blow drying, I add Carol’s Daughter Lisa’s Hair Elixir (this is also great for hot oil/deep conditioning.) I also add Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk. Once my hair is dry I will wear it as is, or pin one side back with bobby pins or a fancy comb.
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- Photo: Laconfidentialmagazine.com
I luv you hair
She has some gorgeous hair. And I love her line of work — it’s what I’d like to do!
your hair rocks erica!
gorgeous!
This is really interesting because I’ve never tried blowdrying hair to get a fro.
LOVELY!!!
Thanks for the love everyone!
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She’s killing it in the last pic! Note to self: must take sexy fro’d-out shot by the window, LMAO.
@m Lol, that is hilarious. Thank you!
Absolutely Beautiful as usual!
I love your hair and I will be tryn it very soon
looooove the hair. Gorgeous!
and you’re stunning!
I’m loving her hair!
I”m so grateful you shared this tutorial. I do have a question. When you blow dry your hair, do you use a diffuser?
I’m from Greensboro too!!!! Lol! And her hair is gorgeous!
Erica, I love your hair. I moved to Atlanta from Greensboro too but I’m from Chapel Hill. I too work wih Autistic children. I’m a teacher though. My you can share some of your tricks! LOL.
I absolutely LOVE your hair…You have truly just inspired me to do the same. I have been a weave/braid/perm addict for years. Paying money to purchase what already exists, not saying its gonna be easy but I’ll certainly give it a try. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not leaving my weaves alone just yet but I will definately walk away from perms till I get to where I want to be. Thank you…
@ Monica, I do not use a diffuser, when I have tried a diffuser in the past, it tended to make may hair draw up and make my curls more tight than I like them. I use what I like to call a barber blow dryer, or a male blow dryer. It does not have a long nozzle. You can get them from any beauty supply store!
@ Peyton, you don’t have to leave your weaves alone, they make acutally make the transition processes easier for you!
Thanks again for the love
I love the look and have tried to obtain this style; with the use of twist and perm rods.
:: U R Rocking the Style::
Wow, Erica and her hair are just gorgeous. ATL representin’! LOL!!!
Wow! I thought that was you. Great to see you again Erica. We went to college and had a lot of the same pscyh classes together (I played VB). I’m natural too coming up 3 yrs. You look gorgeous. Go fig we’d be following the same blog. It seems that you’ve captured the group’s interest. So please submit again!
@BGLH: yeah blowing is a great way to get that extra bigness. I want my hair so big that it gets in people’s way (lol!)
Beautiful Hair, question for you would you consider your hair to be course or curly and kinky?
Erica I absolutely love your hair. I currently have have a short hair cut. I am wanting to no go relaxer free. I was thinking I would get some microbraids to grow my hair out a little and then get the perm cut out. Do you think this is a good idea? When you say it took 2 years what are you speaking of? What products did you use through the transition phase? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
@Thamar, I consider my hair a mixture of curly and kinky. @Trice, if you can avoid mircorbraids, I would. When I got the braids, I was not planning to go natural after they were taken out. That was a decision I made while I had the braids in. The braids did not damage my hair at all and they were for fun and low maintenance, but I think if you have the chance to grow out your relaxer without braids or weave, it means so much more in the end. I feel like I learned alot about myself during the transition… Read more »
@Deola Hi!!!!! How are you???? Are you on facebook???? Im going to look you up!!! It’s great hearing from you!!!!
Wow, she is so pretty! I used to use the same Aussie product, but beware! It dried me ends out, but I didn’t notice the damaged edges until I flat-ironed my hair;-(
Howver, it made detangling a DREAM
We Erica’s do it best 🙂
I’ve been natural for… 9 months !
Your hair and overall style is so dope…
How did you get your hair to grow so fast and so big?
@Meisha Thanks! I’m not really sure about what make hair grow but really I just listen to my hair. During the week, I mostly wear it back because I work with children. But I make sure that its not too tight. I also make sure it is really moiturized. As soon as I get home I take it down and let it flow everywhere. I also try not brush it or comb it. I only come it when I have conditioner in it in the shower. On the weekends, when I wear it out, I follow the tutorial that I… Read more »