"My" Decision to Go Natural--My Journey Thus Far

I have been sporting a Natural for three years now. I have tried to wear a natural before, but at the time I lived in a highly humid climate, and since I did not want to do TBC, I was forced to style two completely different types of hair--the old relaxed part, which looks a mess when it needs to be retouched, and the natural, which was just curlier than I knew possible. So needless to say, after maybe six months without a retouch, I went back to my beautician (I'm old school, and she works at the "beauty shop," not the "hair salon") and had her get the bucket of creamy crack that brought so much order to my life. I was me again. Me, with silky, bone straight hair that had to be controlled, managed, tamed. A few years later, however, I was applying my relaxer at home. But this time, it did not take. At all. I washed out the product, and the result was closer to slightly less curly curls than it was to straight hair. I was devestated. I was newly married and my husband and I had just moved to a new state, so I didn't know anyone, and certain didn't know where to go to have my hair professionally relaxed. After doing a little research, I realized how good I had it in that humid climate. I could get a relaxer, deep conditioner and trim for $55. Little did I know that relaxers are at a premium in other parts of the country, including my new one, where the prices of the service START at $75. And I don't care how long your hair actually is, when you go to a beautician, she is going to tell you, "oh your hair is long. Yours will be more than $75." Great.