The Evolution of Lola || Natural Hair Update

I don't think I have given an official update on my hair journey... ever. Funny because I am constantly posting pictures on my Instagram, but in regards to updates on my regimen or goals or even challenges, I haven't done. I have been natural almost 2.5 years (it'll be official on the 27th of this month!) and started my journey almost 3.5 years ago.
Throughout this time I have experienced so much and I figured that it was time to start sharing this fantastic journey with you all.

With my decision to commit to a new routine of taking hair, skin, & nails vitamins, what better time to start?

Periodically throughout 2013 I was taking different brands of vitamins because I really wanted to see if I could see a difference in my hair growth or hair health.

This past summer I did pretty good with being consistent with one brand and as a result I did see an increase in my growth rate. The funny thing is that I usually always see more growth in the summer so I'm not sure if it was the pills or just my usual growth pattern. As such I figured that I should try it now and see if I can see a difference. 

Just to note: I already have a belief that ultimately hair vitamins are vitamins & minerals that are proven to be beneficial to our bodies. Vitamins are made to improve the daily healthy functioning, especially if your regular diet doesn't include your daily needs. With that being said it only makes sense that increasing the intake of certain vitamins and minerals would increase hair growth and/or health. SO I'm taking into consideration that my body, overall will improve by taking these vitamins which adds as an incentive for me.

I'm on a strict budget so Hairfinity and other multivitamins over $15 a month were not considered. Since I still have a few days left of my old bottles (maybe 5,6 more days), I'm going to finish those out then start my new bottle of a different brand.

I'm posting my starting photos as of 2/2/14 (front, side, & back) and each month I will do an update. My hair's uneven so I wanted to be sure I got both sides. I know that it's SO possible for me to forget to take them, especially since I technically still had a few weeks worth of pills from my summer bottle (smh) so I won't leave-out my inconsistency if it happens. 

Below are the vitamins I used last summer as well as the ones I will start using next week.

I'm excited to post my future progress!

I typically grow about 3-4 inches a year (1/2 inch a month) and I will be doing monthly updates so be on the look out.

Wish me luck 

-Benita (:

The Evolution of Lola || That Moment You Realize You're NOT "Tender-headed"

*tug tug, POP*
"Ooouucchh-a!"
"You better hold still! I don't know how you ended up so tender-headed, but you're gonna have to grow out of it..."

I laugh as flashbacks of my BP (before perm) days play in my mind... I can remember being 8 or 9 and having exhausted ALL of my resources (aka my cousins) for getting my hair done. Everyone tried because they loved my hair, but like dominoes they each dropped & gave up, pledging to NEVER do my hair again.

You see... I was the tender-headed one between me and my sister (ok... in my family). Technically, we'd both cringe whenever a comb was raked through our kinks, but by this time my sister had a relaxer and I... was officially "the cryer".
My mom would always compliment my hair and tell me she never wanted me to get a relaxer because she didn't want my texture to change. But as I got older (and she as well) and baretts on 6 random braids was no longer considered an age-appropriate hairstyle, we started to run out of options for my hair. So, in 1999 at the ripe age of 11, I finally convinced my mom into letting me relax my hair. We decided to stick with children's relaxers (PCJ then Just For Me) because "they wouldn't mess up my texture". We're going to save that discussion for another day though.

Life was grand after that. My hair kept growing for the most part and, thanks to some middle school classmates, I learned how to wrap my hair on my own.

Fast-Forward to 2010 and I decided that my September relaxer was going to be my last one. I had to have my hair fresh for my birthday (in October) and I had already started waiting 6 months in between relaxers so... it was time.

It took me almost 7 months into my transition to learn about "transitioning" and all the other information online regarding natural hair and the journey to it. Like everyone else I became a little obsessed with researching and styling and hair maintenance.
And, like most of us, one of the first things I learned was the appropriate way to detangle and/or comb through my hair...
This is when I discovered the truth.
The truth being... I'M NOT TENDER-HEADED!!

I'm not sure how many of you had this discovery, but I promise I feel bamboozled and gyped from my childhood.
And then after I finally cut off my relaxer... and REALLY started styling my own hair and discovered my curl pattern. .. Yea I felt like I had been played my whole life. I mean really, for the first time in my life I saw that it was EVERYone else who was crazy and not me.

That moment you realize that your hair, in all of it's kinky, coily, glory, was never made to be raked through like leaves. That an afro comb is not really your friend. And that Blue Magic is not "Everything". That moment you realize that your mom truly just had no idea what she was doing to your hair...

Yea... THAT moment.
It's almost liberating. It's as if the weight of shame you felt because you just couldn't help but cringe in sheer pain each time that afro comb attempted to make its way from root to end and back again through your dry, but blue magic coated coils.... has veen lifted!

Yea... that moment.

I love that moment because I know that I will be able to pass on the knowledge to not just my peers, but also my Mom (who has been rocking her natural for a few years now) and anyone else.
And... I did...
The following summer I helped facilitate a discussion about hair care with the teen girls at my church. And it was Awesome.

So... I just wanted to let you naturals-formally-known-as-tender-headed that you have won.
And if you actually have a sensitive scalp...??
Well...
then...
this wasn't for you. Lol

Later people (:

♡♥
-Benita

Will The Real Benita Please Stand Up?!

I have not given an update on my "Becoming Me Journey" in several months. I apologize for that. I've been pretty busy... Becoming me.
For anyone who ever saw my video from when I began this journey you know that my journey is 3 parts.

1) My Natural Hair Journey
2) My Fitness Journey
And... Most importantly
3) My Journey closer to God

Over the past few months I have made mention of my Natural Hair progress, even creating an album on Facebook. I have also posted more than a few posts relating to Christianity (mostly Bible verses). But... I have not made ONE mention of my progress towards my Fitness Journey.
Why?, you may ask... Well that is because I had made absolutely no real progress towards that goal. I think back & realize that even posting my lack of motivation or progress could have been helpful, but... That would have also been admitting that I just wasn't trying. Yes, I was in denial. Denial that I really couldn't identify what I needed to get healthy.
But I was also in denial of something else. I was in denial that I was afraid to lose weight. Yup, I said it. I was afraid to lose weight.

*woosah*

I've now admitted it. Out loud.

You see, like it or not, once you've carried around some LB's for most of your life you find yourself making them a part of you. Not just physically, but they become a part of your identity. Being overweight has become a significant part of who I have created myself to be. My weight & a few other things (I'll address those in a Closer to God update). And yes, I said "created myself to be"... Because I am NOT an overweight person. I am a person... I am Benita, and I am overweight. Putting it like that causes some convictions to enter my heart & I won't dismiss it this time... Or ever again.
You see... My personality, who I am, has NOTHING to do with my weight. Absolutely nothing. It may be a symptom, but it's not a part of my identity. I think I'll break down the "symptom" in a future post.
Back to what I was saying... I am overweight & being overweight has become so much of who I am that subconsciously I was afraid to lose that part of myself.
I still confront the denial. I tell myself that I'm only going to allow myself to reach a certain weight and see how I like it before I lose more.
That's my mind fighting against what my spirit tells me. 50lbs lighter is scary to me.
What will I look like? Will I still be me?
The answers are, Thinner... And OF COURSE.
But my mind can't yet comprehend that. And if I said something like 80lbs lighter... Oh no, my mind is not ready. My spirit leaps at the idea, but my body... Nervous immediately.
So I rebuke my body; Remind it that a big part of this journey is recognizing that I'm not at all who I thought I was; who I tried to be. I'm Not who I WAS.
Have to continue to stay motivated & Become who God created me to be and no, overweight is not it. Time to embrace who I am!

A Natural Girl's Vent

I’m beginning to really… dislike when people say things like, “Going natural isn’t for everyone”. When really they just mean “everyone can’t pull off short hair or an afro”… as if that’s the only style choice we’re going for once we BC.

Like a temporary TWA is the goal during the transition (not knocking those who rock the short cuts).
Some of these women are out here rocking ragged relaxed hair that never makes it past the nap of their necks. But those of us who choose to go natural have to hear people comment on our short (& hopefully healthy) curly hair, simply because it’s curly AND short… For now.
I think that a lot of women who BC’d or transitioned can say that they weren’t necessarily happy with the length of their hair. The one thing you realize, however, is that the journey is only temporary & that means the length will grow out (if you take care of your hair). You learn to accept that the current situation may not be preferable, especially of you DO want longer hair, but the end makes it worth it. I guess people just don’t get that part yet?? I mean the reality is… If you don’t want to lose length… Transition. I just got annoyed with transitioning. Speaking of which… I was gonna BC this month (to retain my length), but clearly that didn’t work out.
Anywho… Comments like that just perturb me a little…


 [just a little something previously posted on my Tumblr]