All the Way Natural

Like many young black woman I had a love-hate relationship with my hair. When I was young my mom used to take me to get my hair pressed and curled. And although I love my Shirley Temple curls I hated that hot comb, the long hours in the salon and the accidental scalp burns. Ouch!  So I begged my mom to allow me to put a relaxer in my hair. The worst mistake I ever made. My hair began to break off it over time and it wouldn't grow past a certain point before it broke off again.

So I switched to a famous salon perm called Mizani. Then finally my hair started to grow but I love color and started to dye my hair honey blond with highlights. I had no idea what I was doing to my hair. How I was slowing killing it. Here I was double processing my hair with an relaxers and coloring and getting made at my hair for not growing.  There are a lot of people who have great success with relaxers but my hair just couldn't hang.

Years later I found a great Dominican Salon in that recommended I stopped the relaxers and go natural. “Natural…girl please do you know what my hair looks like with a relaxer? Just look my roots to get an idea” She was confidence that she could get me hair to grow long a healthy if I stopped the perms. So Lived in their chair and found this amazing book on growing long black hair naturally called “Ultra Black Hair Growth II”. This book help me realize the damage I was doing to my hair, the products I was stripping my hair of it moisture and protein. Moisture is a relaxed woman’s nightmare, I stayed away from moisture by any means necessary. Miraculously my hair started growing and three years later my hair was finally at my shoulders.

In 2009 when I relocated to Atlanta, struggled to find a natural hairstylist. Battling my hair and the new climate was too much for me. I was walking around look busted. So bad in fact that my co-worker pulled me into her office and asked me what was going on with my hair. Don’t get me wrong I loved her and we were cool so I took her words to heart. You know how corporate America can be especially about your appearance so I broke down and got a relaxer. My hair started breaking off instantly. Here we go again…so I cut it a second time.

I was devastated and so heartbroken over my hair. I was the kind of person that lived for my hair. My only goal was to grow natural, healthy hair again. I needed a weave that was beautiful but would still protect my hair underneath so it could grow.

Enter – Rikya Taylor

While watching the Tiny & Tonya show, I became secretly obsessed with Tonya flawless hair. It was stunning and always on point. I tweeted her for her stylist info and she sent me Rikya’s info. I was so excited; I could hardly sleep the night before. I couldn't wait to get my Diva on ;0) And Rikya did not disappoint at all. The weave so flawless, it looked so natural, the curls lasted for days, and she is so detailed and always made sure that my hair was laid. I always felt like my hair was in the best care in her chair.

Hair details:

Technique:  She uses net weave which protects the hair underneath, by applying the weave to the net and not directly on your natural hair. It doesn't put strain on your natural hair allowing it to grow undisturbed.

Hair Installed:  Boyhme Platinum –

I wanted to cut off the relaxed hair but I was too scared to do a “Big Chop”. I meet with Rikya and decided what I wanted and a maintenance routine.  She put me on a transition plan.

Transition Plan:

Step 1:  Wear your hair in protective styles for no more than three months at a time. Any longer and you risk breaking and damaging your natural hair. Some protective styles should be wore for more than a month or two such as Kinky twists and braids. So be sure to pick the right protective style for your lifestyle. I choose a weave because I could leave it in for up to three months, it was versatile, I could wear it straight or add curls. It was easy to maintain at night with pin curls, a wrap or flexi-rods. . I’d been wearing weave since I was in Jr High so I was very comfortable with maintaining my hair in between visits.  I didn't need any additional stress after relocating.

Nearly five years later, both her skills and salon are better than ever. I loved must how she cares for your hair; striving to get or keep it as healthy as possible. She is always researching and sharping her skills to stay on top of her game and your head. In two years she helped my hair to grow my down to my shoulders.