1. What's your name and where are you from? 

Hi beautiful curlies! My name is Tiffona Fontee' and I'm from Brooklyn, New York.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is a cocktail of 3a with a splash of 3b!

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I did the big chop on October 31, 2010 after transitioning for a year and a half.  I was tired of my damaged hair.  Years of relaxing and excess styling turned my healthy coils into thin strands. I wanted my sexy back!

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

The challenges arose from criticism from friends and family about cutting my hair etc.  I just ignored them and kept it moving.  Now they love my natural hair!

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I'm currently wearing a protective style. I cleanse once a week by rinsing with Apple Cider Vinegar. Then add leave in conditioner and cocunut oil.

When my hair is loose, I co-wash weekly with Wen, deep condition/hot oil treatment every two weeks and try to keep my ends protected twice a week with an easy style like a bun.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In the morning, with a protective style, I'm up and out. Very little maintance needed there.  With loose hair, in warmer months, I wash and go.  In colder months, I usually take down my braids or twist for a twist/braid out add some oil , leave in conditioner and fluff.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night, I'm a bonnet/ silk scarf girl.  I'm still working on a sexy night time regimen.  The Celie braids and bonnet aren't exactly the sexiest.  What's a girl to do when she has late night company? wink wink

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

Yes I use heat but I make sure to use a heat protectant. I also try keep the heat low or cool.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

BkAphrodite from Brooklyn, New York

2. What is your hair type?

3B-4A

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I transitioned for 11 months in 2011 and then did my Big Chop on March 16th, 2012. I decided to transition because I had never had short hair and was scared it wouldn't look good. Though I got the courage to cut of my permed ends but instead I ended up with a big chop. I embraced it none the less.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

Getting to know my hair again, it is still bit of a challenge today trying to learn my hair. It has a mind of it's own, so listening to what it wants can be challenging.  

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I usually shampoo and condition my hair, detangle, add a leave-in, oil, followed by a style(mostly a puff). 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

If I have a puff, which most times I do (sadly), I'll just hop in the shower let some of the steam get in my hair and fluff it out. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I pretty much just put a satin bonnet or scarf on and dream on. 

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

I try not to add heat but getting my hair done with some braided styles have led me to apply heat occasionally.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

A weird or funny fact is I actually have two names. I guess my parents couldn’t choose which name they like best so I got stuck with two. Which is kinda cool in a way because at times I feel like I have two identities lol

I have what I call my “home” name (this is what I’m known as by my friends and family back home in Tanzania (it’s actually my middle name) and my first name which is my professional name (the name that I use on paper and I’m known by abroad).

My middle name is Doreen, my friends and family call me Dee. But Professionally I’m known as Caroline.

I’m originally from Tanzania, Southern California is my home away from home and I’m currently based in Stockholm, Sweden.

2. What is your hair type?

I consider my hair to be within the type 4 spectrum, mostly 4c with some 4b.

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I didn’t really plan to go natural I just kind of transitioned into it because I was tired of doing relaxers. So I just stopped doing them and wore weaves a lot. The weaves were becoming an expensive habit, so I decided to learn how to deal with my own hair. That’s when I stumbled upon the natural hair community on YouTube this was some time towards the end of 2008. So I would say about 5 years now.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I struggled with learning how to effectively care for my own hair since I had relied on other people for hair care my whole life. It also took me a while to be confident in styling and wearing my hair out in public because I had this false image or standard in my head of what “beautiful” hair is.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I’m currently in the midst of experimenting with a new regimen but in the past I would deep condition and detangle my hair once a week.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I’m currently experimenting with co-washing and detangling my hair in the shower every morning.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I’m currently doing the GHE (Green House Effect) Method nightly where I would wet my hair, apply castor oil generously on my hair strands, put a bag over my hair and a satin scarf and leave it on over night. But as I mentioned earlier, I’m in the midst of experimenting with a few new things at the moment in addition to this.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

I’m currently 9 months post big chop and haven’t used heat on this new growth and I’m not planning to anytime soon. Before I big chopped I used to blow dry or flat iron my hair twice a year at most.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

My name is Jackie aka J. Marie Natural and I’m repping the Southside of Chicago.

2. What is your hair type?

4a, 4b and 4c

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I did my big chop in January of 2009. I wanted to just be myself and stop wearing weaves. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I went natural before the revolution that is going on now so I had almost no support from family and friends, but I persevered and I’m better for it. Plus, almost all those people that didn’t initially support me went natural after they saw my progress!

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I make my own hair products under the J. Marie Natural line. I co wash once a week with a J. Marie Natural conditioner (coming soon). Then I use argan, or rice bran oil to twist my hair and seal with my Curl Boost Butter.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I spritz my hair with water and use one the J. Marie Natural styling products.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I make about 4-8 twists and sleep in a satin bonnet.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

Once a year (usually in December) I get my hair professionally flat ironed. I also get a good trim at this time.

1. What's your name and where are you from?

Hi, my name is Nia B and I'm from Chicago, IL

2. What is your hair type?

I'd say my hair is a mixture of several hair types (some 3c, 4a and 4b) and my hair strands are very fine.

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I went natural in 2000.  I decided to do so because my hair was starting to thin in the crown. I was at work one day, and one of my co-workers said I was going bald in the top of my head! Needless to say…that was it for me! I was done relaxing my hair from that day forward and over time proved the constant relaxing and blow drying for me, was the source of my hair thinning.  I transitioned for about 5 months and decided I didn’t want the process to be a long and drawn out one, so on a whim I got my shears and off went all my relaxed hair. 

Back in 2000 when I BCed I had no clue what to do with my hair, so a big tub of “blue gel” was my best friend and I wore a TWA for about 4 months and then decided to loc my hair.  After a little over 8 years of wearing locs, I felt I understood my hair enough that I could take care of it whether it was in locs or loose, so I talked it over with my hubby, said a prayer, and decided to cut my locs. I have enjoyed every part of my hair journey since.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

Back in 2000, there was very little knowledge on how to properly care for natural hair.  There were also very few products to choose from to determine what my hair needed, so I was left to use the same products I used while my hair was relaxed and those did my natural hair absolutely no justice.  

Fast forward to 2008, there was much more information and a multitude of products to choose from -  which left me spending loads of money on finding “the right one”, but it also taught me to listen to my hair and discover what was working and what wasn’t working.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Prior to me having my third child, I used to shampoo and condition my hair weekly.  Once my daughter was born, I didn’t have that type of time.  That’s when I learned my hair actually responded better to bi-weekly shampooing and conditioning.  I start off by saturating my hair with Organic Ghee (clarified butter) and letting it sit underneath a plastic cap or two overnight (this stuff slightly reeks as it sits on your hair).  

By morning, my hair is soft and has a nice amount of slip to make detangling easier.  I then proceed to finger detangle my hair and place in either loose braids or twists.  Next , I shampoo my hair in sections and deep condition (putting my hair back in loose twists).  Once I'm done, I add a nice amount of oil to my hair, retwist  and allow my hair to air dry in preparation for styling.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I like to keep things really simple.  If my hair was twisted the night before, I simply take the twists down and style my hair.  If I'm wearing a protective style, I'll gently restyle my hair if need be (e.g. place my hair back into a bun etc).

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Each night I take sections of hair, mist with water, add a leave in conditioner, seal in the moisture with oil, a butter or both (depending on what my hair needs).  Next, I retwist/braid my hair or put it in a protective style. 

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

I rarely if ever use heat.  Since 2000, I've used heat on my hair 5 times.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

My name is Shawnte, I blog under the name The Posh Urbanite and I'm from Los Angeles, CA

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is primarily 3C but I also have tighter curls at my crown which are 4A. 

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I went natural in October of 2010. My cousin was natural and she inspired me. I fell in love with her hair and wanted my hair to be healthy and long like hers. 

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

The hardest thing was having patience to let my hair grow out and finding ways to style it that were protective and cute. I eventually just decided to wear braids for months because it was easier than dealing with two textures (I transitioned not BC). 

5. What is your weekly regimen?

I wash my hair once a week. To moisturize I start with damp hair add a cream conditioner like Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and seal in the moisture with a mix of Shea butter and argon or jojoba oil. Then I braid or twist my hair and allow it to air dry overnight so my hair is moisturized, stretched and ready to style however I want during the week. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I mist my hair with a refreshing spray (my current fav if by Obia Naturals). This makes it easy to style.  My hairstyles change often during the week but I usually use Eco styler gel and U R Curly still control for edges on my twistouts, puffs, or other styles. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

If I have time I'll set my hair in twists or braids. If not I usually mist with a little water and pull it into a bun and cover with a satin scarf. 

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

The last time I used heat if my hair was May 2013 and I damaged my hair. It's just now recovered and I have no plans to use hear on my hair again. For some they can go back and forth between straight and curly my hair is not like that, heat alters or destroys my curl pattern completely.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

Hello! My name is Ashlei and I currently live in Chicago, IL.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair falls in the 4C category. It's a little kinky, a little coily, and a whole lot of curly.

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I went natural back in February of 2011, so compared to some I'm still fairly new. My relaxed hair was always really damaged and made me extremely insecure about myself. I didn't want to start wearing weaves as it just wasn't my style, so I started researching wearing my hair in its natural form and after a very short transitioning process I did the big chop and haven't looked back since!

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I think the most challenging thing was re-learning how to take proper care of my hair, it's not something that you accomplish over night. I'm still learning new things about my hair.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I co-wash/shampoo once a week - depending on my schedule. On weeks that I co-wash I usually do a light finger detangling, and then on weeks that I do a full shampoo wash (with an ACV wash and deep conditioning) I go for a thorough detangling session.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In the morning I typically massage/fluff out my fro (if I didn't put it in twists the night before) while in the shower and then spritz it with my moisturizing spray. Depending on what I'm planning to do with it I may also add in raw shea butter and/or Shea Moisture's Curl Smoothie.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I keep it pretty simple at night. I'll spray it again with my moisturizing spray and tie it up in a silk scarf before hitting the bed.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

Nope! I've had heat damage before, so I tend to stay away.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

Hi, My name is Monique, and I am from New Orleans, Louisiana.

2. What is your hair type?

I am a combination of 3c/4a.

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it? 

One day I woke up and decided to cut the remainder of my relaxed ends off. I was already rocking a short haircut, so the decision was really easy. That was over six year ago. It was one of the best decisions I ever made about my hair.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural? 

Finding the right products and styles that worked best on and for my hair. Also, learning that my journey is my journey, and that I shouldn't compare my hair journey with others.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I co-wash, and deep condition weekly. I usually set my hair in 8-10 braids, and let my hair air dry.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In the morning, I apply a little oil to my hands, and remove the 4-5 braids. Fluff and go!

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I rebraid my hair into 4-5 braids. If my hair feels dry, I spritz with water, and apply an oil/conditioner mix.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all? 

My hair has been professionally straightened once. I will lightly blow my hair out at least once a year to trim

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

My name is Markeeta, but I am mostly known online as KeetaRay (my first and middle names shortened and combined). I am from a suburb of Philadelphia, currently residing in Maryland.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is Type 4 (mostly 4a and some 4b).

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I went natural by doing my Big Chop (BC) in November 2008. I transitioned prior to that for 8 months. I was tired of getting relaxers, and although my hair was long it seemed to be thinning. I also didn't want to continue to identify myself with my hair, and I wanted to accept myself - all of me - as I was created. That included my natural hair.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I feel the transition was more difficult than actually being fully natural. While I was transitioning, I read and researched A LOT about natural hair textures, how to style, care for hair, etc. I got a relaxer for the first time at age 13, so I had never dealt with my hair in its natural state before (my mom had always maintained and styled my hair prior to that). This was a completely new learning experience, as it is for many, but I loved it. The hardest part AFTER my BC was probably finding products that my hair responded to best. But I had so many to try that it was a fun process for me.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

When my hair is not in a protective style (like twists), I wash and condition my hair weekly. I try to use non-sulfate shampoos as they don't dry my hair out, but I'm not opposed to shampoos that contain sulfates - I just make sure not to use often. After I wash and condition, I twist my hair with a leave-in, an oil like extra-virgin olive oil, and a styler (like As I Am Twisting Cream - I think that's what it is called). I then let it air dry overnight and untwist in the morning for a twist out. I deep condition every other week. I detangle weekly while conditioning my hair.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I don't do much in the morning except take my twists out to style and go. I may put oil on my fingertips to help eliminate frizzies but that's it.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night - if my hair is not in a protective style - I retwist by spritzing with water and applying a light oil. I only use the oil if my hair feels dry - otherwise, I just lightly dampen with water.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

I do occasionally use heat. If I'm in a rush and need to untwist my hair for a twist out I will sit under a hooded dryer using indirect heat to speed up the drying of my hair. And when I get trims (which I get every 3-4 months by a licensed professional), I do get my hair lightly blow-dried beforehand.

1. What's your name and where are you from? 

My name is Ruth Mafupa and I am a Malawian living in Johannesburg South Africa

2. What is your hair type?

I have predominantly 4b with some sprinkles of 4a and 4c

3. When did you go natural and what made you do it?

I started my transition to natural hair in 2011 (January). I did a long transition of 2 years and became fully natural in January of 2013. I did not like how my hair looked when relaxed. It was so thin, limp, dry and was breaking chronically. I knew that if I wanted fuller healthier hair, I had to grow it natural. Natural hair bloggers and vloggers also inspired me to think of natural hair as a healthier alternative that could give me the fuller and healthier hair that I wanted. I signed up for an account at Natural Sunshine and the weekly emails urged me to take that leap and stop relaxing my hair. When I relaxed my hair for the last time on the 8th of January 2011, I knew even then that it was for the last time. I have never looked back.

4. What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I transitioned for 2 years so managing the two textures of my hair was very challenging.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I wash my hair once a week by doing a pre-poo, shampoo, deep condition and then moisturize. I then twist my hair to let air dry. I normally wear my hair in an updo in a twist out or mini twists. I spritz my hair with a water and oils mixture at least once a day and will do a proper moisture session in between wash days where I apply a water based leave-in conditioner or my spritzer to make my hair close to damp then apply some oil and then Shea butter. Basically the LOC method.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I spritz my hair with a water and oils mixture and style my loose hair or protective style mostly in an updo. Sometimes I have a protective style that I keep for a few days like a tucked updo then I just remove my satin bonnet or scarf, tidy the edges and hit the road.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

This depends on whether I have my hair loose in a twist-out, mini twists or hair extensions. When I have my hair loose in a twist-out, I will spritz it with my water based spritzer very lightly and then band it with ouch-less hair bands in 3 or 4 sections, place a satin scarf over it and hit the pillow. This I find gives my hair maximum stretch and keeps tangles away. If I am wearing my hair in an updo the next morning, I may also style it up before going to bed so that styling my hair does not delay me in the morning. This limits the styles I can do on my hair if I am styling the night before but that is okay. When my hair is in mini twists, which I do very often, I also spritz my hair with my water based spritzer and then seal lightly before styling for the next day or two and then tie a satin scarf on and I am good for bed. This applies for when my hair is in Havana twists or Senegalese twists as well.

8. Do you use heat on your hair at all?

Yes I do use heat on my hair about once or twice a year.