S4pphir3- Naturally Glam Hair Idol

CN: How long have you been natural?
This is my third attempt to take better care of my hair and hopefully the last! My last relaxer was in June 2004. I transitioned for about 5 months and did the BC in November. Wow I can’t believe it’s been almost 6 years!

CN: What is your current regimen?
Currently I wash my hair every 3 or 4 days with Suave or VO5 conditioners. My favorites are VO5 Kiwi Lime and Suave Almond Shea Butter or Rosemary Mint. I deep condition twice a week and do a hot oil treatment once a month. I clarify with Kinky-Curly’s Come Clean shampoo once a month or as needed.

CN: How do you maintain length? Moisture?
Lately I’ve been following the conditioner-only method made famous by Teri Laflesh. It has been a saving grace for my hair. In doing so I’ve been able to cut combing and brushing from my regimen resulting in less damage being done to my hair so the ends aren’t breaking like they once were. Every now and again also like to treat my hair to a honey & olive oil treatment, it leaves my hair incredibly shiny and soft. I keep a watchful eye on my ends so I can cut out splits and knots before they do serious damage.

CN: How do you protect your curls at night?
Unlike most Curlies, I don’t tie my hair up in a loose pineapple when I go to bed. My curls tend to stick up and out on their own so instead I add a dab of Jamaican Black Castor oil to my ends and just tie them down with my scarf.

CN: What would you tell a new natural, or transitioning diva?
When you are first starting out it may be tempting to try everything out there that claims to give you soft, shiny, beautiful hair; or because someone gave a product a really good review. But it takes time to find the products that work best for your hair type. In my experience, simple regimens worked best for me. It made it a lot easier to adjust my regimen if a product stopped working for me or my hair’s needs had changed (i.e. moisture or protein).

CN: What’s the best thing about being naturally glamorous?
There’s so much I love about being natural! I’m not afraid of the rain, wind, or humidity. I don’t have to waste my entire day in a salon. I don’t have “bad” hair days anymore now that I’ve learned how to work with my hair and not against it. I love the freedom, the versatility, the uniqueness and how it compliments my character!

CN: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Over the years I’ve stalked countless fotki’s and hair boards admiring other natural women. It’s nice to be able to share my own tips that may help someone else in their journey.

Fotki: http://members.fotki.com/s4pphir3/about/