Tell me about yourself!
My name is Kaylyn Danielle. I’m a 25 year-old Cleveland native and owner of a start-up natural skincare line called Pure Òkwùma. I’ve been wearing my hair natural since 2011.
Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper? What was your journey like?
I started going natural in 2011 when I was a junior in college. I was a transitioner for a little over a year and gradually cut my ends until there was no more permed hair. I literally used perm rods my entire transition journey. It was only when my entire head was 100% perm free that I began to do two-strand twists. I never looked back.
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Had you always embraced your texture?
Sadly in the beginning FOR SURE! I would spend hours watching YouTube videos only to be disappointed my transitioning hair didn’t look like someone else’s. It sounds silly now but I learned very quickly that transitioning to natural was my OWN hair journey. Now? I’m 4 years in and I’ve grown my hair longer than it was relaxed, it’s healthy and I know exactly how to style and maintain my hair to my liking which makes me so PROUD of me and my hair!
How did family and friends react to your decision to go natural? What was your response to them?
My friends and family were supportive. All my friends are natural. That’s including all friends from my hometown and those I went to college with. I remember the first time I used perm rods and went into work the next day. My friends and co-workers were so excited about my tiny curls.
Describe your hair (fine or coarse, thin or thick, highly porous, low, etc.)
I have very thick hair. A mix of 4a/4b. I’ve got fine strands in the front and coarser hair towards the back.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to your hair?
I’m pretty low maintenance when it comes to my hair. I would call it more so lazy when I try to stretch my twists a few more days. That can get a little crazy and creative. I discovered my best twisted updo from being lazy in the morning.
What’s your biggest hair related regret?
Using brushes and combs all last summer. It wasn’t necessarily the use of the brushes and combs, it was how I was using them. It did a bit of damage to my ends. This past New Year’s was my challenge to start finger detangling. It’s going great! It’s a little time consuming, but I can see a difference.
What’s your current hair routine? How often do you wash, condition, and style? Favorite products! Deets!
Twice a month I pre-poo my hair with a spray bottle mixed with water and apple cider vinegar and condition with a cheap conditioner. When my hair is completely saturated I use my fingers to detangle and section my hair in twists. I wash my hair in twists using a mix of super diluted black soap, coconut oil, olive oil. Sometimes I use Shea Moisture shampoo. From there, I conditioner my hair with a cheap conditioner and give myself an oil-rinse. After 30 minutes I rinse my hair and then coat my hair with aloe vera gel and dry my hair using an old t-shirt. If I’m being super fancy, once in a while I will do a black tea rinse.
What’s your favorite hairstyle? Where do you get hairstyle inspiration?
Two strand twist updo during the week and I remove the twists sometimes for the weekend. I get my hairstyle inspirations from Instagram and my Facebook newsfeed. I follow many natural hair pages. Also Pinterest! If I’m thinking of styling my twists a different way, I definitely go searching on Pinterest.
Who is your curl crush?
CurlyNikki, MahoganyCurls, Nikki Mae, CharyJay, Fusion of Cultures, Naptural85, MsAriella89, PRETTYDIMPLES01, BeautifulBrwnBabyDol, BlackOnyx77, HeatherNicole, westNDNbeauty.
How do you maintain your hair at night?
I use a velcro band to wrap around my edges and put on a satin bonnet when I have twists. When I wear my hair out, I put my hair up in a pineapple and sleep on my satin pillowcase.
How do you maintain healthy length?
I really think it’s the finger detangling, drinking water and taking my multivitamins. I’ve seen a difference in how much hair shed hair I collect after washing and styling my hair.
What’s the best thing about being natural?
The best thing about being natural is that it’s uniquely me. Wearing my hair natural let me really embrace what it means to be comfortable, not only in my skin but in my willingness to accept who I am. I’m constantly learning that embracing my authentic self is what the human experience is all about.
Where can folks find you on the web?
www.instagram.com/kaylyndani; www.facebook.com/pureokwuma
www.pureokwuma.com
