Read her interview below:
1) Why did you decide to go natural and what was the transitioning process like for you?
When I was 15, I put a relaxer in for the first time and so for about half my life I’ve been with a relaxer and my hair was constantly breaking. The first five years was fine but then when I went to college with all the stress and I didn’t really know how to take care of my hair and my mom wasn’t close enough to help me take care of it, it just started breaking and shedding. I started putting in weaves to compensate and that was even worse. It was just too much strain on my hair. I had been thinking about going natural for over 2 years. The last time I had a relaxer, my mom was like, “You have patches of hair that are basically gone. No more relaxers!” So in July, I put my last relaxer in.
The transitioning process was very difficult. For the first ten months, while I transitioned, I had the two textures and it was hard to find styles to do with both textures and the line of demarcation was breaking. Everybody had advice but it was just not great advice.
2) What do you love most about being natural?
There are two things. The first is to be able to rediscover my new hair. It’s like an adventure. The second part is the attention that I’m getting.
3) What is your regimen and how do you often style your hair?
I just did the Big Chop 2 weeks ago. Now every other week I cowash with As I Am conditioner and every other week I wash with Shea Moisture shampoo. When I cowash I just use a leave-in and that’s it. Every two weeks when I use a shampoo, I do a deep conditioner with a treatment ... usually a protein treatment and recently a Henna Placenta treatment. I do the finger detangling a little bit and I also use a wide tooth comb. I braid it while in the shower. And then every night I two strand twist my hair. It takes me like 20-30 minutes. I also use a treatment my mom brought me from Haiti.
4) What advice do you have for other naturals or those considering going natural?
Be gentle with your hair. The biggest advice is when it comes to rediscovering your hair it’s something you have to do on your own because everybody’s hair is different. The biggest problem for black women in America about being natural is thinking you won’t be as attractive and that it won’t be accepted in the workplace and it's not professional. Every time someone says it's not professional, I think "Why is my hair in it's natural state not professional when a white person's hair in its natural state is?" That‘s just another form or racism because this is how God gave me my hair. I didn’t realize how going natural could change my whole life.
5) What are three words that describe your hair now?
Free and happy and… I don’t know… just ME
5) How did your significant other react?
He met me with straight hair. He doesn’t understand what natural is because his only experience of natural was his sister with doo-doo braids. So when he thinks of natural he thinks of that and he’s like “Oh no.” At first he didn’t want to have anything to do with it but I just started doing it and he didn’t even realize it. He was like “I don’t want you to cut your hair off.” He was very upset about it. He doesn’t like short hair. I just started showing him pictures and sneaking it up on him. He got so interested in it and he realized it was bigger than me… he realized the bigger picture. He said “Whatever makes you happy, do it.” When my mom cut my hair, he didn’t even realize. I wore a half wig for the first few days until I went to a Haitian event and half the black women there were natural and he was all excited. And then I said, “I’m gonna just let it go.” I just did it and I went to work the next day and they were so happy for me and so excited about it and I just kept it like that. He’s adapted. Now he likes the attention.
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