MissMonie!!!!!!

CN: How long have you been natural?
MM: I stopped relaxing in November 2005. I always wanted to go natural but never had the courage to actually do it. I transitioned for 17 loooooonnnnng months and gave myself a few crazy haircuts during that time to get rid of some of the relaxed ends. In April 2007, I was finally 100% natural!

CN: What is your regimen?
MM: I feel like I’m always switching it up depending on how much free time I have. Sometimes I will rock a wash and go for a few weeks and when I know I’m going to be short on time, I’ll twist my hair and rock two-strand twists for a week or two. For the most part, I shampoo with Avalon Organics Clarifying Shampoo once or twice a month and in between my shampoo days, I co-wash with Trader Joes Nourish Spa Conditioner. I style with Knot Today and Kinky-Curly Curling Custard for a wash and go which lasts 3-4 days. If I’m doing twists, I use a leave-in conditioner and a moisturizer (my favorites are Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk and Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream). Otherwise, I wear a bun or ponytail.

CN: What is the one thing you’d tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
MM: Expect the unexpected! You may love your hair one day, and hate it the next. Natural hair can be unpredictable (especially in the beginning). Just be patient and experiment with different products until you find what your hair likes. But don’t go overboard and buy tons of products just because someone else said it’s their holy grail. Have an idea of what you are trying to achieve with a particular product first and then make sure it has the type of ingredients that meets those needs. Most importantly, be confident in your decision to go natural and be patient….the length will come!

CN: How do you maintain length?
MM: For me, mixing up the styles have been key. When I was newly natural, I was wearing a wash and go daily because I was still experimenting with products. All of that manipulation led to some seriously knotted ends and I ended up getting a few inches trimmed off. Now, I alternate between wash and go’s, twists, twistouts and buns, and my ends have been thanking me. I also limit the use of heat to minimize breakage.

CN: How do you protect your style at night?
MM: I usually sleep with a silk scarf. If I’m trying to save my wash n go, I put my hair in two loose ponytails and fluff in the morning. It works out well and the style can last about 4 days.

CN: What’s the best thing about being naturally glamorous?
MM: I absolutely love the flexibility of natural hair. It’s fun to try different styles…..it keeps things interesting. I also feel like natural hair suits me so much more than straight hair. It was the best decision I ever made!