Over the last two weeks, I've undergone a transformation, 22 years in the making.  Sounds odd, right? 

Well, 12 years have elapsed since my first relaxer in grade school and since then I've been denying a truth that couldn't be more plain.  I love my hair in its natural state and while I  am pleased occasionally with blowing- in-the-wind hair that a well-done relaxer, roller set and blow dry can yield, nothing comes close to the fulfillment of having a head full of hair that is as dense and lush as a tightly composed bale of cotton (this comparison is the best I could imagine, but I'd like to hear what analogies others have for their hair).  Moreover, it is mind-boggling that I've willingly divested my precious resources - time and money (and self-esteem?) - and handed them over to hair stylists, so that they could make my hair look good, but not care for it.  And what about that last bit? Let me examine that further.

 They are hair stylists, so their job is not necessarily to care for the hair (although some do), but to make it look "beautiful".  The funny thing is that beauty is all too often in the eye of the stylist and not the client.  I've had a wide array of stylists. Most have been well-meaning and they range from those who serve the divas of Flatbush Ave. to those who cater to the divas of the entertainment world and corporate boardrooms.  Despite this uniformity of intent and diversity of clientele, I've found that sometimes they  execute a style you request poorly or they give you a style that's great for their portfolio, but doesn't suit you.

More importantly, the hair care aspect of black hair salons is often lacking.  I understand that there is a financial incentive not to teach clients how to style their own hair to the extent of replicating the salon-look, but would it hurt anyone to do a quick assessment of the client's hair and give them an understanding of how to better manage the health of their own hair, beyond wrapping it at night?  We all know how much talking goes on during a 2 hr appointment between stylist and client, stylist and other stylists, and stylist and Bluetooth, so time must not be the issue.  Sadly, I think the issue is that many stylists themselves are without a thorough understanding of black hair - what it needs, likes, doesn't like; what certain conditions (i.e., brittleness) are symptomatic of and how these can be remedied, etc.

For all those stylists who pay attention to the health of their clients' hair, I thank you.  However, in a capitalist, consumer-driven society the resolution ultimately takes shape in consumer education, much like anything else.  I would not be surprised if all the natural hair-destined neophytes learn more about their hair in a month of research and trial-and-error than many hair stylists put to use over a lifetime.

I vividly rember telling my boss, who is white, that I was completely dependent on a hair stylist to do my hair and even so, I often felt like the results were a crap shoot.  That was about a year or so ago since then I've learned to do my own [decent] wash-and-sets. 

What I've realized over time, especially during my two weeks of research, trials, and much contemplation about transitioning, is that 'I can do bad all by myself'.  Or better yet, I can do quite well on my own (and save money and time, while I'm at it).

 Thoughts?

- Constance