Natural Hair Spotlight Month Wrap-Up: Meet Megan, Kiki, and Adrianna! Then, Be Inspired.

Hey everyone!

I hope everybody had a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving and ate a whooole bunch of yummy food and desserts! I know I did! I ate anything and every dessert with the word "pumpkin" in it! Haha! We are on our very last post for Natural Hair Month! (And yes, I'm very much aware that it's no longer November! Please forgive me for the delay!) For me, wrapping up Spotlight Month is bittersweet because I loooove reading these interviews and I hate that it's ending :( But on the plus side, I will be able to get back to my normal product reviews and tutorials! Yaaayyy!! This week for the final spotlight, I interviewed 3 beautiful ladies who are all dear friends of mine! They all have different journeys but they are all so inspiring! I hope y'all enjoy these interviews as much as I do! Lets start with Megan!

Meet Megan!

Name: Megan

Age: 22

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.): I’ve always had thick, healthy hair. I just wanted to try the natural experience and stop wasting money on the creamy crack lol.

How long have you been natural: This time, 2 years LOL.

What made you decide to return to your curls: I originally tried my freshman year of college, then my sophomore year of college. Each time my hair just got so long that I felt like I had to perm it to see how long it had gotten. Then, I realize my hair looks permed just by straightening it so I finally decided that the third time was the charm and went all in by giving up heat and perms for a year. It was honestly just to try something new and have even more healthy hair!

Did you transition or big chop: I transitioned for almost a year and a half.

What made you choose one over the other: I don’t know what my head looks like without hair and I was afraid I would not like my head shape with super short hair! Yikes!

How long has it been since your big chop: I transitioned for a year and a half and cut my last relaxed end in October of 2013.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: They all loved and supported my decision.

How do they feel now: Everyone loves my hair!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Everyone seems so fascinated by how full and thick my hair is because it has always been apparent straight but now people can really tell when it is curly!

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: Oh gosh, twist outs and flat twists outs are my fave. I love to bun it up or put it in a puff. Recently, I’ve started to wear it straight more just because there is so much of it!

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: Neither, I will keep my hair in braids for a while when I feel like doing it or I will wash and twist it weekly just to keep it clean.

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I want a bob cut again soooooooo bad but I promised to stop cutting my hair *sad face*

What are your must-have staple products/oils: COCONUT OIL IS LIFE! I like Argan Oil too though! Just recently I started using OrganX products and I love them! My hair is so soft and moisturized!

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: Just be yourself and love yourself naturally. That’s what is most important.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I should have done it sooner LOL.

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: PATIENCE! Natural hair care is not for the impatient or the weak LOL.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: DO ITTTTTTT! Simple.

Business/blog/social media inquiry info: IG: @_meggoelizabeth Twitter: @iamKNOT_myhair

Meet Kiki!

Name: Kiyana Harris (Kiki)

Age: 22

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.): My pre-natural hair was relaxed. It's never been damaged. There may have been a time where I used too much heat but my hair has always been pretty much healthy, long, and very thick.

How long have you been natural: Technically I am not natural yet. I am still transitioning :( But I am almost there!!

What made you decide to return to your curls: I have always wished my hair could curl! I just didn't think it was possible. When I came to college I saw so many girls going natural but just didn't think it was for me because everyone was doing the “big chop” and I couldn't see myself chopping off my hair. Little did I know that you do not have to chop all your hair off to become natural. I also thought that I would not like my texture because my hair was thick even with a relaxer so imagine being natural! Going natural was always a thought but I was always too scared to go through with it. My mom decided to big chop her hair and it looked great which really inspired me that perhaps returning to my curls was the way to go!

Did you transition or big chop: currently transitioning!

What made you choose one over the other: I decided to transition by accident. I was in between relaxers and during this time of receiving new growth I noticed that the hairs in the front of my head could actually curl! So when I did buns, and pony tails I could pull out two little jewish curls in the front! Lol this was something I could never do before. Then I tried braid outs and bantu knots and loved the way my hair curled. I also noticed that my hair was growing so much faster now that I wasn't relaxing my hair. I had all the intentions of getting a relaxer but I fell in love with the way my hair was transitioning. I also knew that I did not want to big chop my hair and by keeping the two textures it allowed me to see more growth which was very motivating!

How far are you into your transitioning stage and when do you plan to big chop: My last relaxer was January 2013 and I have no idea when I will be chopping off all of relaxed ends but I can tell you that it is coming soon! I have slowly been trimming the ends and I just received blowout and a big trim on October 30^th so when I wash my hair and see how much relaxed ends I have left I can decide from there.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: My friends and family love my hair! They have been trying to get me to stop getting relaxers for the longest. Lol most people had no idea that I even had a relaxer.

How do they feel now: They love my determination to continue transitioning and reach my goal of becoming natural!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: I always get compliments for my twist outs and pineapples! Several of my friends have asked me to twist their hair for them.

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I definitely love flat twist outs! If I am having a good hair week it can last me 5-8 days and then I can do a curly bun or pineapple until I wash.

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: I am definitely the experimenter ! I have tried everything! Bantu knots, braid outs, two strand twist outs, perm rods, flexi rods, blowouts with the tension method, and more! I did decide to get twists(you will see them in the pics I sent) in my hair and leave them for a month in a half back in january 2014 but I missed my curls so much I doubt I will do that again!

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): If I could do anything I would definitely color my hair! I want to do either a burgundy or a brown ombre on my ends. But I am going to wait until I am fully natural to do that!

What are your must-have staple products/oils: Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-in, coconut oil, water, ecostyler gel (green and pink one) , Miss. Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls, Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Deep Conditioner and Cantu Coconut Curling Cream.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: When it comes to hair What I learned is that you have to find what works for you. I have watched so many Youtube videos and tried styles in hopes that it would turn out the same as it did in the video but I learned that everyone's hair is different. You really do have to try trial and error to see what specifically works for you. I never thought in a million years that flat twist outs would be my go to style. I was horrible at flat twists!! I tried this style by mistake and ended up loving it! Lol As far as life, I learned that patience is key! Being patient has been a key role in this journey and by being patient you will see that it makes the goal so much more worth reaching.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I wish I would have done it sooner!

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: Being less afraid of trying something new or unfamiliar to me. It is when you are in the most uncomfortable positions that you have the most growth as a person.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: I say do it!! You will not regret it. It allows for so many styles! Before I had straight hair that wouldn't hold a curl at all but now I can switch from straight and curly without a problem! When I was in doubt I just thought to myself that if it didn't work out I could always return to relaxers. But also, make sure to do research and prepare yourself for the journey.

Business/blog/social media inquiry info: instagram is @madeinnyc_xoxo and Twitter is @baby_koxv

Meet Adrianna!

Name:  Adrianna Nicole

Age:  25

Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.):  My pre-natural hair was something I was never truly satisfied with. I could never get it to hold body or curls.  I wore it many different lengths and styles. But it was never what I wanted it be.

How long have you been natural: My last relaxer was March of 2010.

What made you decide to return to your curls: I was really interested in my hair looking good and being healthy no matter the circumstances. I traveled to the DR and one of my classmates had natural hair and it was gorgeous, despite the water, humidity, sweating, and so on. My hair was awful and unmanageable and I was SO jealous!  I even helped her twist hers up before bed, and it was so thick and healthy. I knew I had to do something different. 

Did you transition or big chop: Big chop. For me, it was all or nothing. I big chopped after going without a relaxer for 2-3 months.

What made you choose one over the other: I wanted to fully commit. I also got frustrated VERY quickly with attempting to maintain two different textures.

How long has it been since your big chop: May-June 2010 was when my big chop took place.

How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: My family was supportive and I got lots of compliments. However, my friends of other ethnicities didn’t fully understand the decision and didn’t have a clear concept of what was happening. I think it was a shock to them!

How do they feel now: I don’t think they really care very much, honestly. I think they are happy as long as I’m happy!

How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Many people are shocked that my hair is natural. Even if they’ve known me from the beginning, they still ask questions about my hair. Those who knew me when I wore my hair kinky ask if I have a relaxer. Those who’ve only known me with straight hair can’t imagine what I look like with kinky hair. 

How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I get my hair washed, conditioned, and blown out every two weeks. I went through a season of wearing my fro, then wearing flat, two-strand twist up-do’s. Now it’s always straight.

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: Honestly, I have never been talented enough or patient enough to experiment.  I usually wear it blown out with curls, then headbands, and a ponytail if I’m REALLY desperate!

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): Hmmm. I would wear it kinky and loose, with enough to go into a cute ponytail or a nice wash and go. I would love some color—perhaps some golden brown highlights.  I also consider a short cut. I really like a neat, clean, and well-put together look.

What are your must-have staple products/oils: Haha. I’m a minimalist here. I must have bobby-pins and headbands of all colors. I also must have a light oil (Argan or Moroccan) and an edge-tamer that doesn’t flake or create build up.

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: That I can be beautiful and confident no matter what my hair looks like. I have also learned how important my hair is to me and that it has such a big factor in my day-to-day life. I’ve also learned that you get out what you put in.  My hair is at its best when I am consistently taking good care of it.

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I would have taken much better care of my hair early on, and not have to do so much damage repair. I may also have done Henna treatments to loosen my curl pattern rather than going to heat to straighten! 

What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: Learning about myself and redefining my definition of personal beauty.

Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: Do it! It’s how God created you. It can still be worn however you like and is much more versatile than a relaxer.  It’s beautiful and unique!               

Business/blog/social media inquiry info:  anharre2@ncsu.edu.  I don’t know that I’ll have much to offer, but I’m open!

:)

Ok everyone! We have officially wrapped up Natural Hair Spotlight Month!! Yaaaayyy!! It was so amazingly fun being able to interview these amazing ladies and gents and learning more about them! 

My main goal in doing these spotlights was to allow people to see more than just hair. A lot of men and women look at natural hair and either get discouraged because they don't think that their hair could ever "do that," or they think that natural hair doesn't fit the mold or meet the criteria for the beauty standard in our society. Every curl, knot, wave, coil, tress, loc and kink is beautiful! Our hair is our hair and it is a big part of us! It is so different and so unique! It holds so much beauty, power and history. We should be encouraged and proud of our roots (pun intended lol), and we should embrace all of who we are! This doesn't mean that women who have relaxers or wear weaves are trying to run from their heritage or that they are ashamed of their skin. And this also doesn't mean that there should be a divide between natural hair women and women who relax their hair. What it does mean, however, is that we should not shame those who choose to wear their natural curls and we shouldn't shame those who choose not to. We should see more than hair. We should see the things that we have in common. Rather than pointing out and focusing negative attention on the things that make us different, we should embrace what makes us different! No matter how many relaxers and weaves we may have in, our hair will ALWAYS grow out of our scalp curly, kinky and gorgeous! We should embrace it! If styling that hair isn't for you, then that's fine! But don't ever view those curls and kinks as disgusting, ugly, nasty, annoying, or gross because that isn't the case. God gave us this hair for a reason and that's it!

I'm not saying all of this to speak only to women who choose relaxers, but I'm saying this to encourage everyone! How my hair grows out of my scalp is how it will always grow out of my scalp. There's nothing I can do to change that! All that I can do is embrace it and move on. And know that when we say, "Natural hair is beautiful," we aren't just talking about the hair of the men and women who rock their natural 365 days a year. Every black person has natural hair, but only some choose to actually BE natural, and that 365 days a year definition, in my eyes, applies to "BEING natural." Someone who chooses to embrace their God-given natural hair by not chemically straightening it is someone who chooses to be natural. Natural hair, however, is the raw, irreplaceable, unique, one of a kind beauty that grows naturally out of our scalp! So when we say, "natural hair is beautiful," that is what we are referring to. That is what's beautiful and everyone should know it! Beauty isn't about what's sitting on top of your head! It's about what grows from within, manifests itself and the strong sense of pride and confidence that comes along with it. And of course, that applies to more than just hair.

Natural men and women, your natural hair is beautiful!! Women who get relaxers or wear weave, your natural hair is beautiful!!

There is no reason to ever think otherwise! There is no divide between the two because we all have that natural hair within us. It's what we choose to do with that hair once it breaks through the scalp that makes us different in a beautiful way, but the foundation is the same! I'm not saying that relaxed hair/weave isn't beautiful. I'm saying that if you relax your hair or wear weave because you don't think that you will be pretty anymore with your natural hair, or because you think your hair isn't beautiful, or you think that people will think you're making a mistake or that you don't have the "right hair" for being natural, then you don't have any reason to feel that way. Everyone is beautiful in their natural state! There's no need for plastic surgery and injections, caking on make up, drawing on 10 lbs worth of eyebrows, or trying to make your body look like your favorite celeb. Who you were created to be is beautiful and we get even more beautiful everyday!

:)

Though every one of these spotlight features made the decision to return to their curls, the events leading up to and the events following that decision varied for everyone. Just because we all chose the same, that doesn't mean we will all experience the same thing. We all have different minds, different lives, different textures, and different outlooks on life. Yet and still, beauty can be found in each and every journey. I don't want to be the only voice on this blog. My journey isn't the only journey that matters, and everyone should be given the opportunity to voice theirs if they please! These interviews go to show that EVERYONE had a different journey, and that is why I wanted to focus on them this month. When we see a natural, we should see much more than just hair. We should see a journey. We should see a story. We should see ourselves.

As always, thank you so much for checking out my blog! Y'all are awesome and I appreciate the support SO much!! Feel free to share the link and be sure to cast your vote for my monthly poll! It is located on the left under. "The Purpose." Since today is the first post of the new month, it is time to announce the winner for November's poll:

Question: What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

Top 3 choices (since voters were allowed to choose more than 1 answer): #1- The food #2- Spending time with family #3- Cooking

Thank you to everyone who voted! I hope y'all have enjoyed Natural Hair Spotlight month as much as I have, and I also hope you look forward to my product reviews and tutorials that will be returning this month! Y'all are awesome! Thanks so much for the support! See ya on the next post!

Natural Hair Spotlight: Meet Teleza, Alyssia, and Katrena!

Hey everyone!

This is the second week of Natural Hair Spotlight Month! This week, I interviewed 3 lovely naturals for y'all who are near and dear to my heart! So let's get started with my bestest friend eveeeerrr, Teleza!

Meet Teleza!

Name: Teleza Genwright
Age: 22
Describe your “pre-natural hair” days: Relaxed with dry and damaged ends
How long have you been natural: Coming up on a year on Thanksgiving Day (Thanks to Krissy)
What made you decide to return to your curls: I have a best friend, (who’s amazingly persistent by the way) that would always be in awe of my “curl pattern” whenever I was close to needing a relaxer. She kept pushing me (in a motivational way) to try it, so I finally did. I looked at old pics of me when I was little too and I thought I had awesome hair.
Did you transition or big chop: Sort of both! I cut my relaxed hair real short and then big chopped from there.
What made you choose one over the other: Relaxers where becoming an expensive non-necessity! I was seeing the ways in which my friends and my mom were benefiting from becoming a natural diva! It made me appreciate it more and want to begin to try it out for myself.

How long has it been since your big chop: Almost a year! I big chopped on November 27, 2013
How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: They were super excited! More excited than I was at the time because I equated short hair to not being beautiful and becoming on me. That was one of the many initial insecurities I had to deal with when I first became a natural!

How do they feel now: They encourage me and help me to feel comfortable and beautiful in my own skin (and hair)!
How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Great! They don’t treat me any differently or anything. What I think everyone who isn’t natural needs to realize is that it’s just hair and regardless of what texture anyone’s hair is, it’s beautiful!
How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: Wash-N-Go all day! That hairstyle has saved me ever since I’ve started and I love how quick and easy it is. Unfortunately (and fortunately), my hair is getting too long to try and pull off the finger twists anymore, so I have to begin looking and researching for new styles for my newly grown hair! I currently keep my hair in Havana/Marley twists all the time!
Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: the latter of the two options definitely! I have marley/havana twists in as we speak (haha)! I am currently in college and working on graduating in May 15 so I don’t necessarily have the time to research and try new things that may or may not work in my favor. These twists have saved my life and most importantly, I’ve learned to do them myself!

If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I’d definitely go with an ombre-ish brown/blonde color if I thought I could pull it off. Not sure yet what the future holds for me and my natural hair, but I know I want it to be very long and luscious. Patience is definitely key to this journey!

What are your must-have staple products/oils: Shea Moisture does wonders! When I first started, I used: 

• Shea Moisture Moisture Retention (for my dry and damaged hair)
• Shea MoistureRaw Shea Butter Reconstructive Finishing Elixir (for a little bit of that extra shine and moisture lock-in).
• Shea Moisture :Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• Eco Style Gel with Argon Oil

Now that I have less dry and no more damaged hair, I use:

• Shea Moisture Thickening Shampoo
• Shea Moisture Thickening Growth Milk 
• Shea Moisture :Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• Eco Style Gel with Argon Oil

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: How to be comfortable and beautiful in my own skin! Before, I used to always ALWAYS be insecure about my hair and how short it was since it got chopped. I used to wear hats and wigs constantly to mask the feeling that my hair was never long enough. After a while, I realized that it’s just hair and was surprised at how quickly it would grow with every wash. I’m definitely more comfortable with myself now in knowing I can rock hairstyles at any length. There’s a ton of history behind the everyday natural and I’m just happy to be a part of the legacy that is the amazing natural diva!
If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: Not one thing! I figured out ways to fix my hair to where I’m comfortable wearing it out!
What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: Little bit more confidence and the ability to embrace my curls no matter what.
Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: Dooo eeeeettttt! If you’re on the fence about it (like I was for so long), just try it, try out what products work for you. If you find you don’t like it in a year or 2, you could always go back to relaxers, but at least you can say you tried. Disclaimer though: Once you go Natural, you never go back!

Meet Alyssia!

Name: Alyssia Gonzalez
Age: 21
Describe your “pre-natural hair”: My “pre-natural” hair was relaxed. As much as I use to dye my hair, I'm surprised that it wasn't damaged, haha!
How long have you been natural: I've been natural for about three years now.
What made you decide to return to your curls: For as long as I could remember, I got relaxers put in my hair. My mother did my hair, and I think that she put relaxers in my hair because that's how her mother did her hair. When I was living at home she was my personal hairstylist, but when I came to college, I didn't get a chance to go home as much. Since I wasn't going home as much, I wasn't getting a relaxer put in my hair. It was like a year when I started realizing how curly my roots and such had gotten. I used to always talk about how natural wasn't for me, but when I started to actually see the difference, that's when I decided that I would transition to natural hair. It has been love ever since!
Did you transition or big chop: I transitioned. I wasn't too comfortable doing the big chop. I didn't think it was a look that suited me, but the transition period was so hard for me because I had natural hair at the roots, but the ends were just bone straight. Haha, my mother hated it so bad and wanted me to just cut off the straight hair, but I wouldn't until my natural hair grew out a little longer. As soon as it got to a length I was comfortable with (about another six months after I decided to go natural) I just cut the rest of it off.
What made you choose one over the other: I'm not a huge hair extraordinaire, and I didn't really know anything about what “being natural” was until coming to college. I ADORE curly hair on women, and I use to always wish that my hair was like that. This may sound dumb, but I didn't know that all it took to achieve that look was as easy as choosing not to have a relaxer. If I would've known that, I would've stopped getting relaxers a long time ago. When I started to see my curl pattern come in and really get defined is when I feel in love. I'm in love with every strand of my natural curly hair now :)
How long has it been since your big chop: It's been about two and half years since I transitioned. I didn't know my hair could grow as fast as it did!
How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: No one had an extreme dislike for what I decided to do, but they did ask me “Are you sure that's what you want to do?” I'm sure that uncertainty came from me always changing my hair color, styles, etc. because I would get bored with hairstyles extremely fast. I'm sure they thought of it as just as phase. As I went through the process, I got more and more interested in the process and learning my hair. I think they saw how passionate I got about it and when my natural hair started becoming more apparent they insisted that I keep it that way. They really liked the change.
How do they feel now: They love it even more now. It has grown so much and it has gotten so long. I recently straightened it for senior pictures and it reached down pass my collar bone. I was really excited because you wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at it. My husband came around two years into my journey and he's always loved my natural hair. He's been away for a while because he just joined the Air Force back in March, so we haven't seen each other much over the past few months. If he loved it before, I know he'll just die when he see's it now!
How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: All of my friends embrace natural hair. We are all naturals and we talk about it all the time.
How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: Now that my hair has gotten longer, I usually just wake up shake it out and go. It's finally at a length to where my hair falls just the way I like it too. When I get tired of my hair falling into my face, I just pull it up into a high poof. I never really like doing anything too extra with my hair. I don't feel like I can pull it off, haha.
Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: I go through phases, but if I had to choose, I'm mostly a Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day.” Since I don't feel like my hair is long enough for me to style I how I want, putting twists, braids, etc. seems so much easier to me.
If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I have wanted to color my hair for the longest time, the only thing is, I want it like a really bright blonde color, like bleach blonde with dark roots. I'm so afraid because I think its going to totally ruin my hair.
What are your must-have staple products/oils:

• Cantu: Leave-in Conditioner
• Mixed Chicks: Leave-in condition
• Coconut Oil
• Shea-Moisture Kids Detangler (It works amazing on my hair!)

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: There is no such thing as perfect hair! Instead of trying to manipulate my hair to be a certain way, I've learned to embrace my hair the way it is. When I wake up in the morning I don't have perfect curls, but when I wet my hair without adding products to it, I have a messy afro. And I've learned to love it!
If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I wish I would've started my journey way earlier.
What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: I think that it would be confidence. I know it's just hair, but I feel my hair defines me. I haven't been more happy with myself since I decided to transition to natural hair. I don't feel the need to change styles as much because I'm just happy with my natural hair :)
Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: I highly recommend it. I think it is important to learn your hair and whats good and bad for it. It is definitely something to get use too. I was frustrated at first because when it was shorter because there wasn't much to do with it. In the long run, it'll be well worth it because I look back on my journey and see how far my hair has become and I get so happy. I can't wait for it to get even longer. It makes me proud when people ask me, “Is that YOUR hair?” There's a stereotype that black women don't have “good hair,” and it makes me proud to prove people wrong, even if it's mostly subliminal.
Business/blog/social media inquiry info: Instagram: @alyssiaa20

Meet Katrena!

Name: Katrena Garrison

Age: 29
Describe your “pre-natural hair” (relaxed, damaged, dry, etc.): Relaxed and Damaged
How long have you been natural: 15 months
What made you decide to return to your curls: I kept having to cut my hair because the damaged parts would continue to break off and I had to even out the length of my hair. I figured that by going natural my hair would return to its healthier self. My sisters also went natural and were my inspiration for my big chop.
Did you transition or big chop: Both
How long did you transition before your big chop: 9 months
How did your friends/significant other/family react to your decision: Everyone was very supportive
How do they feel now: Everyone loves my natural hair; Many people have said that this is the best style for me
How is your natural hair viewed in the workplace/at school/among friends: Everyone at work loves my hair; My Supervisor at the time really encouraged me to do my big chop. The only person at work who initially had an issue was a fellow African-American co-worker of mine who asked why I wanted to go natural and if I really thought it was a good idea. After my big chop she did come around and say that it was a good choice.
How do you normally style your hair/what are your go-to styles: I’m a full-time working Mom with 4 small children. My go-to –style is the wash n go it is simple and quick.

Are you a “I want to experiment with my hair weekly” kind of natural, or a “Put it in some braids or twists for a few months at a time and call it a day” kind of natural: I don’t really experiment; I have done a Mohawk and tried twists, but I like the standard afro style
If you could do whatever you wanted to your hair, what would you do (funky cut, color, etc.): I would dye my hair blonde and grow it another 6 inches
What are your must-have staple products/oils: Cantu Shampoo and Conditioner and Mousse
What is the biggest life lesson you have learned on your natural hair journey: I have learned to appreciate my natural beauty

If you could change one thing about your journey thus far, what would you change: I would have done it sooner
What has been your biggest personal gain since the start of your journey: I don’t have to sit through relaxers anymore
Any advice for anyone considering taking the leap into returning to their curls: It won’t hurt to at least try; Your hair will always grow back :)

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Thanks so much for reading this week and I hope you gained some insight and inspiration from these ladies! Be sure to check out the blog next week when I post the interviews from my brother-in-law and my honey dip (tehehe)!! :) This post will shed some light on men who are natural and their journey! Be sure to cast your vote on my monthly poll located on the left of the screen under, "The Purpose." As always, thank you so much for the support!