Hey Curlies!
I know that I do not address a lot of things related to locs simply because I don't have them, but this is someone who knows her stuff. 15 years in the game!
Name: Yasu
Social Media names: The Kitchen Salon
Hair Type: 4B
How long have you been natural? I have been natural for 15 years, 9 yrs. Afro and 5.5 yrs. locked
Why did you go natural?
I went natural for 3 reasons:
1.There were natural women all around me in the South. Beautiful brown people with cottony hair, wavy hair, short hair and long hair, equally proud and natural.
2. A friend of mine was thinking of going natural and had begun doing research. I joined in the search with her, and we, along with other ladies from a Mom's group, transitioned together.
3. It wasn't cost effective for me to get relaxers anymore. I was going long periods of time between them as it was, and my hair was NEVER the kind that would get bone straight. I'd do a wash and blow dry and have this fluffy, full-bodied hair and began to fall in love with my volume. So I ditched the relaxer kits and products used to stay curly, etc and went natural.
When did you Big chop? I did the Big Chop in 1997, shortly after my second child was born.
A short regimen you can share?I wash my hair once a week with Cantu Shea Shampoo followed by applying Daily Doctor Leave-In conditioner and sealed with coconut oil or olive oil. I just added massaging castor oil to my thin-by-nature edges to my regimen, to see if I can grow a little more hair to incorporate into my front locs. I have traditional locs and I maintain them once every 2 months with a latch hook, on damp hair. I follow up by oiling my scalp with a blend of Raw, unrefined Shea Butter, Castor Oil & Peppermint Oil (not whipped).
Do you have any Favorite Products? Yes 100% Coconut Oil, Raw Shea Butter, Olive Oil and Daily Doctor Leave-In conditioner ( the leave-in, I have been using since I went natural!)
Do you have any advice on Going Natural?
Yes, I have 10 basic rules of thumb I like to share because going natural is as much a mental process for many as it is a physical process, and I want to encourage others to make an educated decision and to be patent throughout the process.
- Think about it first
- Do some research
- [Then]make a decision
- Don't rush your transition
- Do the Big Chop only when you are ready( And when you do, you may decide you aren't sure about it :)
- Do more research by hands on experience, trial and error
- Exercise patience when caring for and styling your hair
- Develop an initial regimen
- Keep it simple
- Enjoy your hair
Photo credits: Megan Yasu Davis & Imani Lateef
