> I'm a 22-year-old Syracuse University alumna working in Chicago with at-risk freshman and sophomore males through University of Chicago/Match Education. I'm addicted to fashion/beauty blogs and shoes. I love to dance, sing, cook, and anything DIY/arts & crafts. Oh, and I like long walks on the beach... (LOL!)
How long have you been natural? What is your hair type? Describe your curls!
> I've been natural 4.5 years. I'd say my hair type is a mix of 3b/3c/4a. My curls are looser at the nape of my neck, and around the front, but tighter at the crown. In some areas, my hair curls in a corkscrew pattern, but in other areas it's more of a s-shaped pattern. I have fine textured hair, but there's a lot of it!Did you transition or big chop? Why did you take that route?
> I did a little bit of both. After prom/graduation, I decided I wanted a change and got my hair cut somewhere between a pixie and a short bob. Because my hair was longer in the front, I still had some relaxed hair, but not much. After my first semester of college, I cut the remainder of the relaxed hair off. It grew out into a medium length bob and I had it cut again into a short bob.
On big chopping-- how did you feel?
> I loved it and hated it. I loved that I was brave enough to cut my hair so short. I also loved not spending hours styling my hair. I would literally wash my hair, comb a little conditioner through it, and go! When I decided to straighten it, it only took about 45 min from start to finish. On the flip side, when I wore my hair curly, I wasn't as confident about my short hair. I felt like a little boy some days and other days like a wet poodle. My hair being done and "in-place" is borderline an obsession, so I didn't know how to just let go and let my hair do what it wanted. I felt like I was having a bad hair day everyday I wore my hair curly.
What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> When I was getting relaxers, I never got my hair bone straight. So my hair was always curly through high school. I'd only get a touch-up once or twice a year. That's pretty much how I knew I could go without the creamy crack. When I'd style my hair, I actually liked the outcome of the natural sections more than the relaxed ones. And when I'd wear a wash-n-go, I'd have to spend a half an hour scrunching my ends so that they wouldn't be straighter than my roots. So when I went completely natural, I fell in love with my hair. It was healthy, versatile, and most importantly, it curled without coercion. I was so committed to having the healthiest hair that I'd schedule a hair appointment every six weeks to get my ends trimmed and a deep conditioning treatment. Now, I'm not as irrational. I can do both at home and not as frequently without feeling like I'm abusing my hair.
What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)
> - Trader Joe's Tea Tree Shampoo and Nourish Spa Conditioner. My scalp always feels great and my hair doesn't drink up the conditioner and dry out like most conditioners.
- Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner always leaves my hair silky and moisturized. I love that I don't have to use the whole bottle to feel the difference in my hair.
- Olive Oil Eco Styler Gel - I use it for EVERYTHING. Wash-n-go, bun, two strand twists, twist outs... EVERYTHING.
(I'm teetering on the product junkie line, so I mix in other products depending on the style.)
What are your go-to hairstyles?
> The first few years, I only wore wash and gos or two braided pigtails. I've experimented a lot more in the last 18 months. I love flexi rod sets! (I just hate how uncomfortable they are, so I don't do them frequently). I do a lot of variations of buns. I try to switch the position of my bun every couple of days and I only tie the elastic bands once or twice (depending on the style) so that I don't put too much stress on my hair. Sometimes I do two flat twists in the front and pull the bun down to the nape of my neck. Other times I do two strand twists on the front half of my head and pull my hair into a high bun. I also do a lot of wash and gos. I like to put two flat twists in the front of my wash and gos to take some hair off my face. If I'm going out, I usually diffuse my hair a little, slick down my edges with eco sytler, and throw on an elastic head band.
When my hair started growing out, I had a routine down to the minute almost. I'd wear my hair straight one week, the next my natural hair in two braids or a puff, straight hair, then natural hair.. and so on. Over the last year, I've been trying to limit the heat styling, so I'll go a couple weeks without straightening my hair. I went the entire summer with no heat, so I learned a lot of protective styles that I've been able to incorporate into my routine. Now, I try to straighten my hair one week out the month, the next week I'll wear my straight hair in a bun, and the next two weeks I wear my hair natural or in a protective style. (keyword: try.)
How do you feel about your hair today?
> I still have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I get so many compliments on my hair especially when I think it looks terrible. I'm learning to embrace my curls a little more. That's been the biggest struggle throughout my natural hair journey - finding the confidence in owning my hair. Even though I've been natural for 4.5 years, I'm still learning what works best for me and my hair.Until next time,
Ashley, xo.
Do you have any questions for Maya about her natural hair? Comment below!
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