Ya’ll remember these? This was habit EVERY.DAMN. WEEK. for 5 years. I had a relaxer from age 14-19. Before that, my hair was “pressed” for special occasions. Mainly Easter, my 8th grade prom, and other random times, not regularly. Relaxer came in at the start of high school, because my mother wanted me to be responsible for my own hair. I was a rolling FOOL! I had about 60 different roller sizes and was a wiz. I even put my freshman roommate’s hair in rollers, because she always saw me in them and wanted some curl to hair straight hair. She was Asian and never had to endure them, but she slept in those 50 inch rollers like a pro! I wasn’t about that life anymore, the upkeep was too damn expensive for a broke college student. Plus that HARD Philly water? Was NOT kind to hair or skin period. Everyone came in freshman year with long flowing hair and by sophomore year it was dry, ashy and shoulder length. And Philly salons were outrageously priced. That was really the reason for me leaving it behind, not a revelation, not a breaking free of oppression but of cold financial necessity that I could be using that relaxer money for ummm, food and shelter.