According to Merriam Webster’s definition, a mane is long and heavy hair on a person’s head. Me personally, I don’t think it has to be long and heavy. If you have hair growing from your head, then I consider this to be your mane. Chic (pronounced sheek) is defined as smart elegance and sophistication. With that being said, I would like to introduce you to my first Mane Chic personality.
Meet Michelle!
How long have you been natural? I have been natural for a little over 2 years...My last relaxer was on Oct. 30, 2007 and my big chop was on July 8, 2008.
What is your goal for your natural hair? My goal is to have healthy long natural hair...In the near future, I hope to have bra strap length hair by this time next year.
How does your natural hair make you feel about yourself? Originally, when I became natural, I had a hard time accepting my natural tresses and so I kept getting my hair braided because I didn’t know how to style my short locks. It didn’t help that almost everyone that I knew thought that I didn’t look good as a natural. After joining some natural hair websites, I started trying new hairstyles and accessorizing and I began to love the texture of my hair. My natural hair makes me feel beautiful and sultry. My hair has so much versatility that I can style it any sort of way and STILL look sexy!
If you could go back and change anything about your natural hair journey, what would it be and why? I would have done more research on coloring natural hair. I didn’t take the time to read up on how to moisturize natural hair after using harsh chemicals such as hair dye and because of that, I lost a large amount of hair. Now I know that you need to moisturize your hair a lot more when it is color-treated and you have to clip your ends regularly. I do plan on coloring my hair again, so I’m grateful for the experience because now I know what my hair needs to be healthy.
If you were to go on a hair product diet for 6 months (summer through fall) by not using more than 5 products on your hair, what products would be in your stash? This is kind of a hard question, because I am not really a product junkie... If I had to choose, I would take my Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner (for my wash-n-gos), Whole Foods Brand Castile Soap, Eco-styler hair gel, Coconut oil, Cantu Shea Butter and last but not least, some go ole’ EVOO for moisture! :)
What is your staple style? Give a quick tutorial on your staple style. If you have a picture your staple style include it as well. During the warmer months, my go-to hair style is the wash-n-go. I love it because it is easy to create and takes little time to do and virtually no maintenance. To achieve a wash-n-go, co-wash and detangle your hair. Afterwards, moisturize your hair with shea butter and EVOO.
During the colder months, I tend to wear chunky twist outs... To achieve this style, I separate my damp hair into 8 big twists and coat each twist with shea butter and coconut oil. Afterwards, I put on a satin bonnet and let them dry overnight. In the morning, I take down the twists, fluff my hair, comb out the roots and go!
What is one product that you have found to have more than one use and you used it on your hair? For example, you look at the ingredients of your favorite body lotion and decide that it can be used as a great moisturizer for your hair. EVOO is actually one of those products. Besides being used for cooking, it has great properties that allows it to be absorbed by the hair shaft to promote healthy growth. The smell of pure EVOO annoys me so I add a little bit of Rosemary to give it a better scent :)
What tips/advice do you have to share about natural hair?
One thing I would stress is to find a good network of curlies so that you have the support that you will need to start/continue your natural hair journey. If you are surrounded by mostly relaxed people, you may feel pressured to straighten your hair to fit in with the crowd. Joining online natural hair blogs/websites, can help give you the support and positive reinforcement that you may need to continue/start your hair journey.
Make sure that you drink plenty of water and that you get the necessary vitamins for continual healthy growth.
Don’t be afraid to stand out! Try to step outside of your comfort zone and try new hairstyles. Go on sites like YouTube and check out some tutorials and try out some new styles...you never know, you might find a new staple style ;)
Do not fall into the hype that straight hair is beautiful and kinky hair is ugly! Everyone is beautiful because God created them, not because of what is growing out of your head... Never let anyone make you feel like you are ugly because you choose to wear your hair natural, if anything, something is wrong with that person’s mindset...not you!
Last but not least, if you are having trouble getting used to your new ‘do after you BC, try accessorizing. Put on some big earrings and maybe add a flower and rock out that hairstyle! :)
One thing I would stress is to find a good network of curlies so that you have the support that you will need to start/continue your natural hair journey. If you are surrounded by mostly relaxed people, you may feel pressured to straighten your hair to fit in with the crowd. Joining online natural hair blogs/websites, can help give you the support and positive reinforcement that you may need to continue/start your hair journey.
Make sure that you drink plenty of water and that you get the necessary vitamins for continual healthy growth.
Don’t be afraid to stand out! Try to step outside of your comfort zone and try new hairstyles. Go on sites like YouTube and check out some tutorials and try out some new styles...you never know, you might find a new staple style ;)
Do not fall into the hype that straight hair is beautiful and kinky hair is ugly! Everyone is beautiful because God created them, not because of what is growing out of your head... Never let anyone make you feel like you are ugly because you choose to wear your hair natural, if anything, something is wrong with that person’s mindset...not you!
Last but not least, if you are having trouble getting used to your new ‘do after you BC, try accessorizing. Put on some big earrings and maybe add a flower and rock out that hairstyle! :)
If you had to choose one word to describe your mane, what would it be and why? I would describe my mane as ECLECTIC. Since natural hair has so much versatility, you can adapt a hairstyle from ANY era and still make it look hip and modern. Not many people on this Earth have the option of wearing their hair kinky, curly & straight whenever they please. For that reason, I embrace my mane and rock out to all types of hairstyles knowing that I look sexy whether I walk out with a chic updo or a simple wash-n-go :)
Thanks Michelle for showing us your Mane Chicness. Check her out at http://naturalNaijabeauty.blogspot.com
Each week I will be featuring Mane Chic personalities here. If you are interested please email me at indulgenceiskey@naturesindulgence.net and I will forward you the information.
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