Spotlight Monday: Imena

Present Day Ida, 2013/14

Tell us about yourself.

> I am a 23 year old Howard University graduate from NY.  I would like to consider myself a cosmopolitan as I love culture and traveling. 

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

> My last perm was November 2009, but I have officially considered myself natural since October 2010!  So I would have to say roughly 3 years.  My curls are probably considered 4a/4b.  My curls are not extremely defined, but more like frizzy box springs.  They are soft and I love them!  I named my hair Ida B. Wells because she is a strong black woman! LOL  So if you see "Ida" just go with it ;)

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

> I transitioned with weaves and braids, and I wore wigs.  I took this route because my original intentions were not to wear my hair in its natural state.  I honestly wanted to grow the perm out of my hair.  When I went away to school, my permed hair was becoming damaged by the water and I could not find a good salon in the area.  I would have to come home to NY to get my hair done and go back to DC.  Getting a wash and set every two weeks was costly and ridiculous.  So i got protective styles to grow out my perm to eventually press it; it's amazing how things change in life because i barely press my hair now! LOL

Big Chop, Birth of Ida

On big chopping-- how did you feel?

> I can say I big chopped because I cut off my permed ends on October 16, 2010.  I felt overexposed but also light and liberated!  This does not mean I ran around freely with my hair just yet; I was still very shy about it!  I posted pictures on Facebook, watched the Sesame Street "I love my Hair" video, and my very good friend helped me with the Natural commitment because she is a natural hair guru!  However, I still wore wigs and weaves to grow my hair.  I started to read and teach myself about natural hair care to ensure I was taking care of my hair.

Morocco, 2012

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

> I felt overexposed, but it was not until I went overseas to study abroad that I had to really embrace my hair!  When they say there are level to this, there clearly are levels to self-love and acceptance!  I was abroad for 6 months, and I did not want to wear braids, or a weave, and have my hair all matted so I decided to do my natural hair while I was out of the country.  I was walking around Spain and Europe and people would STARE and even GRAB my hair.  It was a lot!  Some of it was sincere curiosity; I even got my eyebrows done and they said, "Wow this is my first time doing a negritas eyebrows" *major side eye*.  It was also frustrating because there were no products for my hair and TSA limited a lot of what I could bring.  So I had to be creative and make a lot of my own products.  I even traveled to Morocco and purchased pure Argan Oil!  It was amazing like a natural hair goddess' dream come true, and it was inexpensive!  I loved this experience even though it was hard at times because I learned so much about my hair and myself.  When I came back to the states, Ida was my CROWN! 

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)

> I always change my hair products with the seasons because some products work better in the summer or winter and vice versa!

• My favorite cheap detangling conditioners are Herbal Essences: Hello Hydration and YES! to Carrots.  I add Olive, Argan, and Coconut Oil and any other oil I can find just to make it even more amazing!
• I use the Chagrin Valley Ayurvedic herb Shampoo bar one to two times a month.  I also love Vitika Coconut oil as a pre-poo/hot oil treatment!
• As I am Leave-in Conditioner is AMAZING!
• For daily moisture, I use Oyin Whipped Pudding in the summer (because it has honey) and the Carol's Daughter Hair milk in the winter.  Thanks to CurlBox, I found some amazing, inexpensive moisturizers.  One of them is the Moisture Butter Whipped Curl Creme by Beautifully Textured and the second one is the Olive Oil & Mango Butter Moisturizer by Elasta QP.  I also change oils with the seasons, too.  If it is solid at room temperature I use it in the summer, and if it's liquid at room temperature I use it all year/winter. 

Summer 2013

What are your go-to hairstyles?  How do you spice up your TWA?

> I love bantu-knot outs, flat twist outs, twist outs, and puffs!  I also love perm rods and curlformers!  Hairstyles are just so much fun because you can do whatever you want-- funky to chic to sexy!

How do you feel about your hair today?

> I love my hair!  It is truly apart of me, but i am not confined or defined by it!  I can do whatever I please because it is my CROWN and a CROWN is the ultimate accessory for a Queen!  I have learned so much about it by going to the wrong salons, trimming, cutting, dying, and protective styling!  I know that my hair will grow with patience and care and that is all that matters!

I think my love for my natural hair is radiant; it also gave my mom and grandma the courage to do the BC!  So my house is filled with fierce TWAs! =)

Until next time,

Ashley, xo.

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