Spotlight Monday: Moné

Hi all!  I'm so sorry for the delay with the posts.  I've been suuuper busy trying to balance 2 jobs :(.  I know it's no excuse, but a shorty is pooped after work!  Anywho, let's meet this week's Spotlight Monday feature, Moné... 

Tell us about yourself.

> My name is Moné (yes it’s French but I am not lol) and I am a senior studying Information Management and Technology at Syracuse University.  I was born and raised in New York City and have already been to over 12 different countries!

How long have you been natural?  What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!  

> I have been natural for a year and 8 months. I don’t like to focus on hair types such as 3a and 4c.  My hair has a couple of different curl patterns but the majority of it is a tight curl pattern.  My curls get dry rather quickly so I have to moisturize often.  This can be frustrating and time consuming especially for a college student.  But when I do properly moisturize, I can tell my curls are happy because they are soft and bouncy.

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?

> I decided to transition and clipped my ends periodically until there weren’t any more relaxed ends.  I wasn’t too sure about going back to my natural state and didn’t want to rush things.  I wanted to see if I could even take care of my hair since I didn’t remember what it was like to have coarse hair.  With protective styling and finding a detangler that worked for me, transitioning was not as hard as I have read about.  I also haven’t used any type of heat since my final clip in May of 2013.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?

> Once I finished transitioning, my hair was extremely thick and I hadn’t seen it like that for a very long time.  I was unsure about it and a little self-conscious.  I decided to hide it for a month with a protective style (Senegalese twists) until I became a little more knowledgeable on styling.  Once I began trying new styles and seeing how different products made my hair look, I got more and more comfortable wearing my hair out and trying protective styles without added hair.  The compliments from friends, family, and strangers helped as well.

What are some of your fav products? (top 3)

> My top 3 favorite products are my cantu shea butter leave-in conditioning repair cream, grapeseed oil, and Shea Moisture raw shea butter.  I have been styling and moisturizing my hair using the LOC method (Leave-in, Oil, Cream) before I even knew what the LOC method was.  These products have never failed me and I have tried others that just don’t get my hair moisturized and defined the way these do combined.

What are your go-to hairstyles?

> My go-to hairstyle would definitely have to be my “reverse bun” as I call it.  I simply put my hair in a pineapple and then pin the ends towards the center of my bun instead of the outside. I also like to bantu knot my hair but that takes a little longer since my hair has grown.

How do you feel about your hair today?

> I am in LOVE with my natural hair!  I do miss my straight hair at times but I'm too afraid of heat damage to try straightening it.  I want to have extremely healthy hair before I flat iron again.  I love the versatility of my curls and none of my styles ever look the same, even when I try to make them lol.  I think I have hand in hair syndrome and it's simply because my hair is always so soft.  Going back to my natural state has been a challenging, yet great decision and I do not plan on ever relaxing my hair again.

That's all now, folks!  

Until next time, 

Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Moné about her natural hair?  Comment below!