Here's another Curly profile!
On CN: PartyOverHair
Name: Elle
Social Media names: @PartyOverHair (Twitter)
Hair Type: 3c / 4a
How long have you been natural or transitioning?
I've been natural since April of 2011 when I went through an accidental BC.
When did you BC?
I Big Chopped on April 2, 2011. It wasn't something I had planned on doing at all. If anything, I was totally against going natural. I had a weave in my hair for about three months & decided I needed it out immediately. Got the weave out, took out my braids & washed my hair. Little did I know was during the taking out of my braids, I had left one right in the center of my head. One of my friends sat with me for about 2 hours trying to detangle the ball of permed hair that sat in the center of my head. I ended up telling her to just cut off the big knot in my head, so she did. I remember taking a look in the mirror & seeing all my natural hair looking so lively, while the pieces of permed hair she had managed to detangle laid flat on my face looking dead ass ever. I would say I had about 1.5 inches of natural new growth at the time. I told my friend to cut off all the permed hair & I haven't looked back since.
A short regiment you can share.
One thing I realized that works for me -- The simpler the better. For the first four months of being Natural, I survived off of Wash & Goes. I'd co-wash w. Aussie Moist, apply my Giovanni Direct Leave-In, Seal moisture in w. my purified water + EVOO + Argan Oil mix & use Eco Styler for styling purposes.
As my hair is now getting longer, I live off Two Strand Twist. I pretty much still use all the same products used for my wash & goes. Just lately I've been experimenting with more products and oils. I've also stopped using EcoStyler on my hair & just use it for my edges only. Kinky Curly Curling Custard now replaces the EcoStyler for me.
Do you have a favorite product?
One of my favorite products for this Summer would definitely be Avalon Organics Clarifying Lemon Shampoo & Conditioner. I use both on wash days & it leaves my hair feeling extra clean as well as has a nice shine to it. I also love using the Conditioner alone on my co-wash days, as it gives my hair great shine, moisture & plus the smell rocks.
Do you have any advice on going natural?
There are a lot of Natural hair articles, recipes, forums, blogs, videos & what not out there. The best advice I can give is to listen to your hair & find out what works for you. A lot of times something that may work for someone else's hair, may not work for yours. You just have to keep that in mind. Also, being natural requires a lot of patience. It's going to take some time for you to really learn about your hair. There will be some ups and downs, but don't be discouraged. Growth will come eventually!
