On June 1st, it’ll be my one-year transitioning anniversary! I’ve been growing out my natural hair the way I grew out my acrylic nails. I faked it till I made it. The nail tech would buff and polish my nails until the acrylic was just…gone. Similarly, I’ve continued my bi-weekly blowouts, hoping to rock a sleek look till the relaxer’s just…gone. It hasn’t been as easy as the mani situation, or as cute. My roots are so thick, they’re impossible to get through — and my blowouts look crazy. So when Aveda called, offering to give me a blowout using their new Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight Styling Cream, I was fascinated. The cream loosens your curls each time you blow dry your hair (0rganic Cassava Root fights humidity and plant fibers hold hair straight). It was designed to make straight-styling curls a zillion times easier and faster. The bonus? Aveda’s obvs an all-natural brand, which is perfect for delicate transitioning tresses.
Chris, my Aveda stylist, was born with stick-straight hair and admitted he was addicted to natural black girl texture! When I told him I was seconds from relaxing this mess again, he spent the next two hours talking me off the ledge — and then selling me on Bantu knots, two strand twists and SJP ringlets. I need to hire this dude for weekly therapy sessions. Anyway, he shampooed my hair using a pull-down detangling method I’ve never tried before — but I had way less knots when combing out. After applying heat protectant, he separated my hair into six sections. Then, using a dime sized dollop of the Naturally Straight Styling Cream, he layered it on each section from root to tip, the way you would a relaxer. And then blew me out the same way I do at home, nothing fancy.
One thing you can’t see? My hair was so amazingly soft I literally kept petting it all the way home. It looked windswept and sexy and felt like it had no product in it at all. I’m in love.
xo,
LaToya