My Natural Hair Journey

 

 

Before I found out that I was expecting, I really didn't know what was wrong with me. Even though it was long over due, I just didn't want to get a relaxer. I was so disgusted and tired of my hair, these were feelings that has never overcome me before. Out of no where, one day in April 2011 I grabbed the shears, sat in my mom's chair and passed them to her. Shocked, she turned me around and asked what was she supposed to do with those? I told her I wanted my hair cut off immediately. We both were just wondering what in the world was wrong with me. Weeks later I found out that I was expecting. That's what was wrong with me, I decided that day, since I already worked in the salon around so many chemicals I would not be getting another relaxer, I was going to go natural. I stuck to my word during my pregnancy, I didn't get any more color or relaxer. By December 2011 when I gave birth to my son, I had only two inches left of relaxer on my ends because of my drastic haircut. After baby, just like the old folks said, I didn't wash my hair until I felt the immediate urge to get a relaxer somewhere around the beginning of February 2012. I regretted it right after my fresh roller wrap got old. What had I done? I was only trying to feel somewhat like myself again. I felt that I was too far deep in the water so in May 2012 right before my graduation at Alabama State University, I got another relaxer. I realized that my hair was so much less complicated without a relaxer, being so free was totally me. That was my last relaxer, the best hair decision I could have ever made was going free. I began to get relaxer at the age of 4 and it was life for me, all I really knew. I felt at times as if I couldn't breathe without my relaxer. Today, my mind and soul has transitioned along with my hair and I don't think I will ever go back. During the winter months I usually get Silk Outs, during the spring and summer months I'm usually free, I do my hair, usually a high ponytail, in the shower. Some times I will do twist outs, (pictured above). It is amazing how in the last 5 years I would say, at least 80% of our clientele has also transitioned and are now completely natural as well. It's an amazing, priceless experience, I love being a curly girl.

 

 

Lord, please lead us to the school that you have for my son!!! TIA

This is my prayer right now, the time has come to select a daycare/ school for my son. My baby has never been away from me and I know that its going to take some real adjusting for the both of us. However, he needs to be around other kids, besides him being 2 years old and literally reading, "Happy Birthday" where ever he sees it (we're constant Sprout watchers) his vocabulary has also made me need to sit down a few times. Within the past 2 weeks I have visited at least 20 daycares, all on the Western side of town. I have literally been disgusted because on our side of town our kids, at two years old are being taught their ABC's, numbers, days of the week, months of the year, a few songs and thats it. the directors of these daycares have proudly expressed this to us, I was very unsure so I decided to drive to the other side of town to see what they had available, so much but it seems impossible to get in, some waiting lists are so long my baby won't be able to get in until next year. It's crazy, but when I took the tour of those school I could understand why. Its awesome and amazing to see what those 2 year olds are learning, from Spanish to French, basic songs, games and words to get them familiar with the language (similar to a Diego Adventures) to not only learning their ABC's based off of memorization but actually feeling the sandpaper letters as they learn everything it is to know about that particular letter, the same goes for the numbers. Some ladies in the beauty shop has recommended some other daycares for me to tour, I have yet to do so. I'm so overwhelmed right now. on top of that I have a serious case of mommy brain. My baby is extreamely in need of my attention all the times it seems like, it makes it so difficult to do things productive. I just want somewhere where he will be happy all while gaining the best education possible for a 2 year old. Where ever he goes, God already knows, I'm just waiting for Him to reveal it to me. I went back to the school I attended when I was 2- kindergarten, they gave me a good tour. It was nice, they are learning there, they are on the Abeca system, but not much compared to the schools on the other side of town. If push comes to shove and I have to settle, that will be the best place for him to be. I'm just waiting for God to show me if that is where he wants my babylove to be. Im so confused, but God has this.

Finally! I'm on StyleSeat

I have been feeling as if I've neglected my blog, but now I'm back, wondering what I will be writing about soon thats like a blur but I do know that I'm back. For the first time this morning, I went to Styleseat now I know what all the hype has been about. I worked on my profile on and off for the most of today now I'm finished with the hard part, (creating a service menu with descriptions of the services, etc.). I can honestly say I've been sleeping on this site. I like it, it can be such a convience, in due time I will try to persuade my clients to book through the site. It's like a open appointment book that tracks nearly everything the stats are awesome. It even sends automatic emails to your clients to thank them for booking, it sends I miss you emails and I saw something about birthdays, not sure if it automatically sends out birthday wishes or just reminds us. Also, I downloaded the app, its awesome as well it sends just about every imaginable update to your phone. I could honestly go on and on about it however I'm stopping now, but I do highly recommed using this FREE, awesome method to all stylist and everyone who works for themselves, I even saw a tattoo artist on there. Its a convient place.  I was kind of uneasy about posting this screen capture because it has the salon address on it but I guess thats all in it, if you catch my drift.

*** A Little Glamming by GiGi: Lately ***

Natural Short Hair Before 1

Natural Short Hair Before 2

After: Natural Short Hair After Hydration Silk Press

Phyto Relaxer Curled With Flat Iron

Eyebrows Waxed

 After 1  Hydration Silk Press on Natural Hair

After 2 Hydration Silk Press on Natural Hair

After Hydration Silk Press on Natural Hair

After Hydration Silk Press on Short  Natural Hair

Before Severe Under Processed Relaxed Hair Note* I did not perform clients previous relaxer***

After: Hydration Silk Press

 

After: Hydration Silk Press

 

 

 

When the Beauty Shop is booming, filled with Clients, Glamming everywhere doing what we love. It's so easy to forget to capture before and after shots. I'm trying to make it a habit though so I am going to try my best to keep the blog and Instagram posted. Follow me: @GlammedbyGiGi

A Lamp Unto my Feet and a Light Unto my Path

Many times, a lot of stylists are faced with where do I go from here? Do I stay true to the game (of being a full time Cosmetologist) or should I go part time and get a 9 to 5? Cosmetology has been my life all of my life, when I was 5 months old my mom opened, owned and operated her own Beauty Salon about 10- 14 minutes from Birmingham's city center. I began doing $7.00 pedicures (lol at memory lane) in the salon around the age of 12 Summer of 2002, believe it or not many of the clients had major trust in me and they allowed me to do their feet. They stayed true to me, they would get their toes done every time they visited the salon which was mostly every week to two weeks, they would tip me wonderfully which increased my confidence, (but then it was almost a year later when I encountered my first set of bad, no horrible, awful feet I quit, just like that, my stomach wasn't built for bad feet, my clients were speechless, they got over it though .) It was that same summer that my mom allowed me to began shampooing only who was beauty shop family ( meaning they had been coming so long they were relieved that my mom finally unleashed me, making their wait time, of course a lot less). I guess I use the term "unleashed" because there was not a day that passed by that I didn't beg and plead with my mom to please let me shampoo, please let me help. Just being allowed to drop rollers, spray and drape clients, etc., was so boring, and we both knew I was already good at what I knew. So on the day that I was unleashed I was doing my usual pleading and begging and of course the clients up front were backing me up telling her that she should go ahead and give me a try and when she said,"Well alright I will let you shampoo Mrs..." I flew to the back, see I was born ready, I was born for Cosmetology and you know how it's the cage that usually stops a bull from attacking its prey, well that's exactly how I was with those shampoo's because I had something to prove. Something serious to prove. Long story short, before I was even tall enough to reach the shampoo bowl my mom had been teaching me how to shampoo her hair, she knew I was a beast at it, it was just my age factor, the salon, the "rules" (State Board, etc.), and then after more serious clients who I would have never voluntarily touched, began watching me, seeing my work and then requesting me to shampoo them, my confidence was built. That was all I needed. Fast forward to high school when most of my peers were going for advanced degrees (I never could figure what a Advanced High School Diploma proved? One day I 'll figure it out), I went for Cosmetology, graduated with all of my hours May 2012, went to State Board and got certified April 2009. Fast forward to today Feb. 2014, most of my clients are natural they usually visit the salon once every week, two weeks or three weeks at the most, lately many of them have been venturing out into more protective styles such as braids, twists, sew-ins, etc., (at the moment I don't do sew-ins nor braids, gots to do better, I know) or they're wearing their hair in its natural state more, which only require home do's, it's beautiful and it's free. I too, wear my hair in protective styles and its natural state during spring and summer months only though. So I totally understand, it's not just my clients, I see a lot of my peer stylist (is that what I should call them?) clients do the same thing as well. So? I have to step my hustle up.  9 to 5 I do not think is for me, that I do know, however, I pray that I do not have to go there but if that's what it takes then that's what I'm going to do. God got me, that I do know, more so than anything. So as always, I'm praying, trusting and believing. He has always been and always will be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto path.


Until next time, Bye beautiful....

Hello Beautiful....

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting and Welcome to my GlamLife, which is mostly filled with Glam. I will share with you most my all of my life happenings, things that interest me, lately I've been feeling really vintage and my mind can take me on some serious adventures, at times. God is the head of my life, my son is my world, I am Beauty Shop bread, meaning I have been born and raised inside of my mother's beauty salon. It's so funny now my son, at times, gets those same late night shampoo bowl baths like my brother and I used too. Yep, I'm a Country girl, Alabama raised from 4-wheelers to the GlamLife I live all of that. In life right now at this moment, I'm a full-time 24/7 mother to my son, my world, (not paying house notes to DayCare, nope, not me), I am a Alabama State University Alumna, I am a Freelance Journalist (writing has always been one of my passions), all around Cosmetologist (because I just can't find one just thing I like and stick to it, from nails to lashes to hair, I love it all, I crave it all, I just can't get enough), however, I am a Hair Care Fireball, I am a part time GlamParty Hostess, part time Real Estate student (because I believe you can never have enough hustles, I get that mind set from my daddy), I am a Couponer others say I'm Extreame, however I believe even extreame is never extreame enough, I have been fighting a 14 year weight battle but I know my God Got Me, I am more than a conquerer** (sp), I love helping people, random people who I know is really in need of help, not just trying to use me, I am a extreamely private person when it comes to my personal life like my relationship and shuch, and I am so much more however for now, this is all I will share. Please, don't be a stanger, leave me comments on what you would like me to wrtie about....

Until, next time, Bye, Beautiful