Natural Beauty of the Week

“My name is Nicole and I was born in Southern California and later moved to the suburbs of Chicago when I was 12. I’m a retail manager…aspiring to go back to school to get my degree as a Nurse Practitioner/Midwife. I’m very easy to please and it is incredibly easy to make me laugh. I just like to have a good time wherever I am, and enjoy time with friends and family to the fullest. I read, sing and dance around the house, work out, and explore the city for fun. I dread the winter and cannot wait for the summer time…so I can stay out in the sun and drink iced beverages, lol!”

Marita A: How long have you been natural?

Nicole: I have been natural for three years, on December 14th 🙂

Marita A: What inspired you to go natural?

Nicole: I always wanted the versatility; I had fond memories of my un-relaxed hair as a child. Granted I HATED getting my hair combed; I had so much hair. My older sister went natural before me, and she was pretty much that extra push I needed to start growing my relaxer out.

Marita A: Who are your YouTube or Facebook “hairspirations”? 

Nicole: I love Curly Nikki, HeyFranHey, and Mae at Natural Chica. Urban Bush Babes are also an inspiration.

Marita A: What was the most difficult part of transitioning to natural?

Nicole: PATIENCE. I was so incredibly anxious to rock a big ‘ol fro. I did not like the two different textures and would typically style my hair in twist outs with the relaxed ends or I would flatiron my hair. I wasn’t afraid to cut my hair either. I transitioned twice because I ended up getting a texturizer that basically relaxed my hair; I had to start the process over. After that, I just shaved it off and did a complete big chop…because I was impatient. Lol!

Marita A: What does your wash day entail?

Nicole: My wash day was actually a couple of days ago; it changes often depending on my mood. When I am not being lazy, I part my hair into four sections, spritz with water and oil, and then detangle each section. I wash each section with a moisturizing shampoo: Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy or Shea Moisture. I condition with Hello Hydration by Herbal Essence. I let the conditioner to saturate while I shower, then I rinse. After that, I use Shea Moisture smoothie to twist my hair for a twist-out and seal the ends with their oil spritz.

Marita A: How did your family, friends, spouse, or significant other react to your hair’s new kinky texture?

Nicole: Everybody loved it! I got more mixed reviews when I shaved my head because the guys that I liked only liked long hair (blah), but I didn’t care at all. I loved my bare head 🙂 Nowadays I get so many people who admire it. It makes me happy; especially on the days when I feel it is too much to handle and threaten to chop it off again.

 

Marita A: What’s in your makeup bag? 

Nicole: Currently I have MAC liquid foundation, a few different lip stains and lipsticks; MAC R.E.D is my FAVORITE! I also have black eyeliner and L’Oreal mascara. I’m pretty simple when it comes to makeup.

Marita A: How did you keep your skin naturally beautiful?

Nicole: I just use Neutrogena Visibly Even face wash and moisturizer. I went through a period of extremely bad skin last year that lowered my self esteem like no other. A friend of mine turned me on to the tree tea oil line at Body Shop®, which cleared my skin right up (that sounded like an infomercial). I recently returned to my Neutrogena though. I also apply shea butter sometimes before bed to help with the acne scars. I liked the oil cleansing method as well; I stopped after a while even though I may return to it in the future.

Marita A: Did you go through any kind of personal/spiritual transformation while going through the process of going natural?

Nicole: I think that I just got more comfortable with myself. It helped redefine my personal definition of beauty. I had to go through accepting myself with a fade, a teenie-weenie afro, and that awkward length phase. But I found beauty in myself and became more confident as I passed through each phase of growth. It actually wasn’t anything too deep. I do have a strong connection with my hair, but I also see it as something that I can mold, change, and cut as I mature and it will still grow back. It also helped with how I view food and what I put in my body. You are what you eat has never been so true 🙂

Marita A: What are some of your favorite hairstyles?

Nicole: I love twist-outs and different twist styles. I don’t like to do a lot because my hair dries out quickly. I can’t keep styles for long because my hair is quite fine. I’ve learned from Kimmaytube, the importance of keeping my hair detangled and not in the “afro state”.

Marita A: What encouragement can you give to someone who maybe considering going natural?

Nicole: Just be patient and keep going! Alot of people will say negative things about your hair: it’s nappy, I couldn’t do that, my hair is too nappy to do that….blah blah blah (it’s YOUR hair). Do what is good for your hair and don’t bash others for not being natural or for wearing weaves. That’s just as annoying as them calling us nappy-headed 🙂 Drink lots of water and fresh vegetable juices too! And take your vitamins!

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