FAQ

How long have you been natural?

I began transitioning in late 2006. I don't remember exactly how long it took me to grow my hair to a length where I wasn't freaking out from a drastic hair cut, but I do remember it taking a little over a year. I would say that by 2008 I was completely natural.

How long have you been wearing your hair in its natural, kinky-curly state?

Even though I was natural as early as 2008, in my mind I really "went natural" in April 2011 when I decided to stop using heat to straighten my hair and began to embrace my natural hair for what it really is: beautiful and curly!

What products do you use?

Please see my Product Preferences page.

What is your favorite style?

I go through styling "seasons." Sometimes I'm into braid-outs. Other times I'm into twist-outs. And still other times I don't want to deal with my hair at all so I'll wear it in a messy bun as long as I can!

About My Hair

What is your hair type?

I don't subscribe to a hair typing system for a couple reasons. When I first started wearing my hair in its natural, curly-kinky state, I used to try and figure out where all my kinks and coils fell in the popular letter-and-number hair typing system...but I couldn't find mine. I didn't - and don't - feel like my curls can be placed into any of the categories, not because I have some extraordinary head of hair, but because I don't believe I was made to fit into a neat category - none of us were. I don't like the idea of letting anyone or anything else define me because I am unique. I also don't like hair typing systems because I used to find myself feeling bad because my hair didn't fit into the "nicer" curl categories, and I'd long for that kind of hair instead of embracing mine for its unique beauty. But as I grew in my journey, I realized I was learning how to manage my multi-textured curls without needing to figure out their curl category. At that point hair typing systems became truly irrelevant for me.

What is your density like? (Read: how closely packed together are your strands?)

My density is incredible, that's what it is!! LOL! Seriously though, my hair is sooo dense, particularly at the crown.

What do you use to detangle your hair? 

I finger detangle and use a wide-toothed comb. I only whip out my Denman brush when I have a lot of shed hair to remove.

How often do you straighten your hair? 

I used to blow it out and flat iron it every 6 months. But after my straightening in November 2013 I decided to press it out more often - about every 3 months - so I can stay on top of trimming since I prefer to trim it when it's straight.

What do you use to seal your hair? 

My hair responds best to pH sealing as opposed to just sealing with a butter or oil. My favorite sealant is the Kimmaytube leave-in conditioner recipe (which I modify). I like to use this after washing and conditioning my hair. The hair-and-scalp-friendly pH level makes my hair soft and smooth, all while sealing and detangling any lingering knots. This product has proven to work so well for me that I rarely need to re-seal prior to my next wash day. But if my ends are feeling a bit dry, I'll spray them with a product that moisturizes and seals at the same time. When I've spritzed with water and sealed with a butter or oil, my hair feels weighed down, clumpy and greasy.

What is in your spray bottle?

Purified or distilled water.


Random Questions

What are you? I mean, you've gotta have somethin', girl...!!

To this day this question still makes me laugh! The only thing I find funnier than the question itself is the reaction I usually get when I answer it: I'm black. Yes, that's it. Seriously. 

If you could only carry one hair accessory in your purse, what would it be? 

Definitely one of my black nylon hair ties. I love those things! I made them a long time ago in various sizes out of old nylons and they do an amazing job of holding my hair in a ponytail without breaking my hair.

What is your current hair goal? After I hit my goal of waist length in November 2012, my goal has been to fill in my ends a bit more so I can reach waist length again with thicker, healthier ends (I had to trim my ends). I'd surpassed waist length as of my November 2013 straightening, but had to trim it back to waist length. But my layers have grown in considerably since my straightening in November 2012. Other than length, I've just been focused on keeping my hair healthy.