On the Couch with Allison of College Hill South Beach

As promised…..we got ALLISON! I recently caught up with the curly College Hill star and she dished all. Check it out!

CN: Tell us your hair story!
Allison: Oh damn, haha. It took me 19 years to figure out my hair. In elementary school my music teacher would tease me and say I had a bird’s nest on my head. My mom never really knew how to style my hair (she’s white– I’m mixed) and it pretty much sat on the top of my head as a huge frizzball. Middle school I kept it hella gelled and pulled back; I just didn’t know how to style it!

CN: Your hair is HUGE and friggin awesome! I tuned in to every episode of this season’s CH just to see how you were wearing those curls. What is your current routine?
Allison: Haha. Thanks! Well, basically I wash my hair once a week, but condition it every day. While in the shower, I put the conditioner in my hair and then comb it through with a wide toothed comb, let it sit for five minutes, then rinse with cool water. After that, I comb my curls apart with my fingers to separate the curls, then towel dry by patting the excess moisture out. And then I put in a leave in conditioner.

CN: Two products you can’t live without?
Allison: Have you watched the show and noticed the random Dr. Miracle’s product placement shots that appear in every episode? Yeah, I use that stuff, but not because they were sponsors! I was skeptical at first, but after using the deep conditioning treatment, I was hooked! It actually does help control the frizz induced by Miami’s constant 100% humidity. Also, I always apply the Anti-Breakage Strengthening Cream after I get out of the shower to help fight away the frizzies. You can actually sort of tell the point through the episodes of when I didn’t use the products and when I did (unruly frizz vs defined curls).

CN: Do you feel that your natural hair has ever helped or hindered your chances of achieving a goal- be it in the entertainment industry or academic?
Allison: I love my hair! It sets me apart from the rest of the people in the industry– especially in the music realm as a classically-trained flutist. Everyone knows me by my hair. Once, I went to campus with flat ironed hair, and every time I said hi to people, they looked quizically until they realized that was me! People recognize the hair before my face.

CN: What advice would you give to a natural newbie?
Allison: Have some patience and go with the flow! It will take some time to try to find a routine that yields the best results– trust me. But when you do figure it out, I promise you’ll get nothing but compliments! Here’s one quick fix that I use: if you’re having a bad hair day, secure your hair up in a high ponytail, and poof out the top a bit. It actually makes a cute hairstyle.

CN: Now that College Hill is over and done, what’s next?
Allison: Do you like classical music? Probably not. Haha. TV really isn’t my thing; it was more of something I kind of stumbled into. Instead of trying to forge a career in a sector that celebrates the Milans and the Brandons and Kyles, I plan on putting my life back into the classical music scene.

CN: Anything else you’d like to add?
Allison: This was fun! Thanks for asking me to be on this interview and I hope it helps!