Va$htie- artist, director and designer- is On the Couch. She’s shot videos for the Justin Biebers and Solanges of the world, but today, we’ve booked her to talk hair!
On her hair story…
I’ve never had a relaxer. I’ve pretty much been natural all my life, aside from my foray with hair color. My hair is naturally curly and I’ve kind of been lucky to just be a wash and go girl.
On her products…
I use Avalon Organics brand shampoo and conditioner. I sometimes mix almond oil into my conditioner or leave-in conditioner and that helps with shine. I don’t put too much in because I’m easily weighed down, but I usually mix in an oil. I try to do as much organic as possible. Even with my beauty care I try to get things that have low carcinogens… things good from the inside out.
I use a conditioner that isn’t technically a leave-in, mixed with the almond oil, and I just leave a little in.
On hair extensions…
I generally wear my own hair. But-
I’m involved with a company called Indique and they give me hair clipins. I’ve been using them for special events when I wanna go super long and really sleek. It’s 30 inches long.
A couple of years ago I did have a weave for a movie. The story of the girl I was playing was East Indian, and you know they traditionally have super long hair. I had the weave in for a day and it was the most painful experience. Which is so weird cause I’m not tender headed. My hair was braided but the net was painful. After we shot it, I had to take it out immediately. On top of it, I’m claustrophobic and it made me feel trapped. So I realized quickly that it wasn’t for me!
On her routine…
I probably wash once or twice a week. Once I wash, it looks great for that day, but then the next day I have to refresh it. I have a spray bottle with leave-in conditioner and water just mixed up. I spritz it and scrunch it back to its curl. If I’m not wearing it down, I’ll twist it back, sometimes I braid it.
On achieving healthy hair…
I’m serous about health from the inside out. There’s only so much you can do topically. Make sure you eat right, getting your right amount of vitamins and nutrients. I love veggies, nuts and beans. I can imagine that helps. Being good to your hair not putting it through turmoil… I personally don’t like blowdrying my hair because I’m really lazy. I air dry or towel dry and for me, that’s given me a healthy head of hair. Giving it a break and giving it time to do its own thing… doing things as naturally as possible.
On her projects…
I’m directing and shooting several music videos and I’m about to relaunch my clothing line with a new collection and website.
Connect…
Twitter
Facebook
I'm from the caribbean, black and have mixed family as we all do. Vashti looks like my family. We are white, black, native and east indian and we run the gamut of shades. Linden is right for and in her level of experience. It is onviously not the same as mine or any other person's who disagrees with her. It is in her self expression that she will learn and grow. Do not be upset if her learning growth is not in line with yours because that is what makes the human race beautiful. Besides, if Vashti were hurting, surely Linden would have heart enough to comfort her, lol. Not that I'd stand by that, human nature what it is. Tic
lmao Linden is probably a baldly who longs for hair like Va$hties smh
Hmmm I randomly came across this interview, thru a google search good stuff I love vashtie! For the ignorant folk she is Trinidadian…I am Trinidadian as well we are a very mixed country indian, black, and sometimes even Chinese. So how isn't Vashtie black? Lmao wow…anyway she has beautiful hair
Corrine Bailey
Traci Ross
Curly Nikki (luv her)
Va$htie
Melanie Fiona
and many other non-celebrity types,
Beautiful hair and great feature!
She look black to me. Beautiful and black.
I <3 Vashtie Kola.
I Love Va$htie's hair she is my hair idol just like melanie fiona and Va$htie she is part trindadian just me which makes me proud because where i live there isnt any west indain role models with natual hair like me. As for the negative comments she is clearly a mix of black and east indian any person can see it. full east indain people dont look like her i should know half of my friends and family are.
I want to say that I love Va$htie. She is absolutely beautiful and so talented. A great producer. I loved the video for Us Placers and am excited to see more from her.
I did not want to "feed the troll" but seriously @Linden, Va$htie is of Indian *and* Afro-Trinidanian decent. Just like Nicki Minaj, who probably wouldn't even be on this site due to her lack of naturalness thus far. But we accept Nicki as our own. And btw, her real name is Onika Tanya Maraj which is a Hindi name.
Secondly a lot of the wonderful hair tips on this site come from India. Henna, pre-pooing (oil treatments), etc. So please appreciate the East Indians. They have contributed a lot to the curly/wavy/kinky community. I have Indian friends and I get hair tips from them all the time.
And @star, they are calling her a hater because that is what she is being today and hate and dissension is what she is spreading. I do not hate Linden, but she is causing grief. Va$htie is a positive person. She doesn't deserve this. But I will give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she is having a bad day.
anon 8:02
would you care to give some specific examples of the fawning over "good hair types" you have seen on this site??
thanks
Moving on…thanks CN for this interview and all the others that feature different cultures, race & ethnicities, hair textures, etc.
LOL Linden is a haaaterrr and she/he obviously doesn't know her history.
But anyway, VaShitie is awesome, I love her hair and I hope she comes back with more tips!
Okkkkkk! People/really over use the word "Hater" a bit too much. People have a right to their own opinion and therefore shouldn't always be quick to judge or down talk ones opinion whom just may happen to be a bit negative. I really think it was unnecessary for so many ppl to attack Linden. Do I agree with her no, but that doesn't mean I have the right to bash her, because then I'm no better than her & her comment.
LOL @ Curlynikki's comment "pokes head in"…very funny.
Great interview!! Can't please everybody…oh well.
Jas
Wow, you folks are touchy so quick to jump on someone who's not in your "Kum-ba-ya way of thinking circle"! Linden has a right to express herself. Though the girl looks black to me. I hate it when these carribbean-black folk have to make sure they let us know they're not really one of us "African-Americans" so who cares! I don't care about the ethnicity because from a racist's view, she looks black, so she's black! And I agree because most of these readers fawn over "good hair" types like CurlyNikki, etc.
i don't see anything wrong with the comment about having wash and go hair – i mean, she's just saying that there's a certain ease to it – why are people so sensitive about her comments? the more i go in my natural hair journey, the more i see that our people are infusing this with the same issues and prejudices we have elsewhere. her hair is her hair! live and let live! she said nothing about "wash and go" hair being better hair. let's stop putting words in her mouth.
I feel uncomfortable with her saying she was lucky to have wash and go type hair. Very stereotypical definition of what it means to have "good" hair.
she's not a kid linden, she's an adult also. she also has curly hair as this site is catered too. what are you so upset about anyways? take your negative vibes elsewhere.
@Linden- Wow…how ignorant can you get? Vashtie is Trinidadian…Trinidadians' hair textures and skin tone vary because of the Indian and Asian mixed in the ethnicity. I'm half Trinidadian and although my curl pattern is not as loose as hers I've seen Trini's with the same exact texture hair. You need to get out and see the world before you make generalizations on an ethnicity…sheesh if you cant afford a world tour just go to Flatbush Brooklyn..there's plenty of Trinidadians there to teach you a thing or two!
Cool interview. She seems nice :). I don't know anything about her but what is up with her comment, "My hair is naturally curly and I’ve kind of been lucky to just be a wash and go girl." So if you're hair isn't the "wash-n-go" type then you are unlucky?? What?? LOL 😉
@Anon
East Indian is and will never be black, just because East Inidand hate the 'dark ones' doesn't mean your "east indian" family can cling to Black people. I doubt they'd be calling themselves black if the whips and fields came back into play.
Would they? =)
And please spare me the "we all came from Africa anyways" crap, no one cares.
I've always wondered how Va$htie cared for her hair… thanks Nikki 🙂
Vashties been my idol for forever! THANKYOU NIKKI FOR THE INTERVIEW. NEVER thought i would see vash on here
I Meant Curly Haired People No Matter The Shade
A Good Portion Of My Family Is East Indian Linden And Guess What?!…..We Consider Ourselves Black!! Just A Different Type We Are All Brown People Originally From The Same Land, We Just Branched Off To Create Other Cultures….Vashti Is East Indian and Afro-Trinidadian Descent So Even If You Don't Agree With East Indian "Blackness" Her Afro-Trinidadian "Blackness" Is The Thing That Disqualifies Your Hate & Ignorance! Reading Is Fundamental. This Site Is For All Curly Hair No Matter The Shade.
Che
I love Vashtie! You've managed to get both of my hair idols in one month – first Corinne, now Vashtie. Thanks for another great interview, Nikki!
I love her hair!! And her style is so funky and cool.
Great interview! I was not familiar with her…the only line that made me think was when she said "My hair is naturally curly and I’ve kind of been lucky to just be a wash and go girl."
Overall anyone has "wash and go" hair but she has the type of hair that you can wash, go and a majority of society feels as though it is still pretty and acceptable. Maybe not so much for kinks and tight curls. This is changing though.
Bottom line…super pretty curly hair!
Beautiful head of hair! I remember Vashtie because she dated Pharell.
*pokes head in* @Linden, I'd interview Taylor Swift if she was interested. I've asked! I love curls and waves… period!
@Anon
I already know that, however Vashtie isn't black. She is East Indian. 100% East Indian. She has the type of hair most black women buy in the BSS lol.
So why is she on here? What because she's dark she gets a 'pass'?
Where's Taylor Swift's interview? Taylor has kinkier hair than this kid, LOL.
don't feed the trolls!
Thanks for the interview nikki, vashtie is beautiful and her hair looks great!
Linden is an obvious troll and possibly truly ignorant.
You don't have to be black to have curly hair.
Next time take your anger/hate else where because its blinding you.
She's so beautiful and I love how simple her hair regimen is…including the products she uses.
correction: I was referring to that one comment above, not the rest (which are positive)
sad to see such nasty comments on here – i find the curlynikki community to usually be so overwhelmingly positive and supportive.
AND – i have seen many profiles on here of women with looser hair textures.
i imagine that Linden is a hater/lurker. So I decided to post because I think Vashtie is awesome and I think we should all support each other.
So:
love that you featured Vashtie, so cool to hear about her hair regimen. i think she's a great inspiration as an entrepreneur and just someone who goes after their dreams.
*spread love*
UMM VASHTIE IS FROM TRINIDAD SO HER ETHNICITY WOULD BE A MIX THAT IM SURE INCLUDES "BLACK" SOMEWHERE… SMH ISSUES…
Linden are you serious? You can't possibly be that ignorant. I thought this site was for curly's no matter what ethnicity. BTW she is part black and I like that this site features a variety of different types of curls, coils and kinks. And if you don't you can always start your own site.
Court
@ Linden's comment
Isnt' this site called 'CurlyNikki' and not 'BlackNikki'?
Isn't this site for women (and men) with naturally curly hair, of any texture?
Isn't Vashtie a woman with naturally curly hair?
Even if you felt that she did not meet the demographic criteria for this site, it was unnecessary for you to criticize her as a person.
Be kind to others.
Wow Linden, that's harsh. My cousin is black but has hair just like Vashtie. No curly is the same.
I like her take on achieving healthy hair, I follow a very similar philosophy.
I love Vashtie! and i've always wondered what she used in her hair! thanx Nikki!
She isn't black, so why is she on this blog?
Neither of her parents are black, her hair isn't like 99% of Black women anywhere.
I don't really care for this child, she is seriously overrated, and tries way too hard.
I love Vashtie…she has been my hair crush for a long time!! love love her curls…