MsZoe's Hair Saga, Part 1

Hey Everybody! I’m super excited to be here. I am Ms. Zoe and I’m a next addition to this lovely blog. I am a hair loving lady that can be long winded at times (I’m working on that, *wink*). I want to learn from you readers as much as I want to talk about all things hair. Leave me a comment, I’d love to hear from you. <3

Here’s my story…

I don’t remember much about my hair care regimen when I was really young, I just know that prior to my first relaxer my

hair was about shoulder length and my mom would blow it out, braid it, and set me free. Sounds nice except in order to do this my mom had to wash my hair, detangle and blow dry immediately. If my hair were left to air dry, it would shrink unbelievably and become a matted mess. So that led to her holding me in place with her legs as I squirmed and cried and tried to run away. My stepdad would lie on the floor to try to distract me and make me laugh, but it mostly just made me angry. I hated it.

I got my first relaxer around 2nd grade. This was so much better. It was easier to manage and so much less traumatizing to me. Well, with the exception of the mornings mom did not make it home in time to help with my hair and the stepdad had to try his hand at it. *side-eye*

I did not have many issues with my hair once it was relaxed. It never seemed to grow longer than between SL and APL,though. From about 5^th grade on, I had a hair stylist I trusted that got me in every two weeks for a roller set and for a relaxer around every 8 weeks. In between, I wrapped my hair…that’s it. Those were the good times.

Enter college…For years before I left for school I never did anything to my hair. I did not wash it myself, I did not style it

myself, and everything that was done to it was done by a pro. I had no idea what I was doing. I tried to stay on top of washing it myself, but it was clear that my way was not working for my hair and having to do it frustrated the living daylights out of me. I decided that I would find a stylist. My search consisted of figuring out what salon was within walking distance and who would fit me in on short notice. A totally scientific approach, right? It was terrible, awful, horrendous and any other negative adjective you can think of. My hair never seemed to act right. I felt like I went in and came out looking the same way. I was not retaining length. My hair was dry. Oh, the horror.

Then the relaxers…I had some of the most horrific relaxers and styling mishaps at the hands of whomever could work me in. I remember one time I had been scratching my scalp (my bad, but she also failed to base me well after I said “Please base me well, I have been scratching and I have a sensitive scalp.”) AND I went to the gym the morning before the relaxer (I was unaware of the idea that open pores and relaxers don’t make such a great combo). I cried…right in the chair…that relaxer was in for no more that 10 min and we were at the bowl washing it out. I can’t blame the stylist because she was technically proficient (with the exception of ignoring my extra basing request), but my preparation leading me there was severely lacking. Needless to say, I made sure that never happened again.

What are your hair horror stories? What criteria do you use to select a stylist? Did you ever have adverse reactions from something you were unaware you were not supposed to do?