On the Couch with Ayanna of GA

Hi there,

First, let me say that I love your site! Your hair is so healthy and pretty. I also enjoy your pictorials (especially the Henna). My name is Ayanna and I live in Atlanta. I have been natural for 3 years – but I’ve just started wearing my natural hair on a regular basis this year (I gave up wigs/weaves for Lent this year).

Going natural was a flip decision that has changed my life. In college, I was a hair model and traveled monthly to hair shows. One day, one of my roommates suggested that I stop relaxing my hair to hide it under a weave all day. She asked me, “Do you ever plan to wear your hair?” and I said “Sure, when it looks just like the weave!” I realized then that my hair would probably never look like the 3c weave I’d been wearing and made the small step to stop relaxing the front and nape of my hair.

After I stopped relaxing my hair, the natural hair thing kinda snowballed for me. I cut off all of the relaxed hair and asked the stylist to install a closure with my next weave. I graduated and downgraded to wigs for awhile. On a whim, one day I put my hair in some Mickey Mouse puffs and headed out the door. It was so weird! I received so many unexpected compliments. People even said I looked younger.

So, now I’m trying to figure out my texture and regimen. I’m in to trying new things. Right now, I’m into Henna and MegaTek and I hope for pleasant results.