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

Christina Alexandria aka (Naturally4Chic), Bay Area, California

2. What is your hair type?

A complete 4 mixture (4A, 4B, 4C)

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

I originally returned natural in 2011 in college; however, I have failed on my natural hair journey twice. 

In 2011, my hair was bone rod straight and stuffed in a weave. I was the queen of heat: blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons oh my.  During this time, the natural movement was in full swing and suddenly women were rockin their natural hair. We were free. We were liberated. We were au naturale. It was then that I decided to make the bandwagon decision to become natural. 

I shed my 22-24-26 luxurious Brazilian weave to join the movement. However, I did not do much research regarding my hair and ended up putting weaves back into my hair and re-perming in 2013. That was the first time I failed. 

After re-perming, I decided that I would grow out my hair once more, transition, and flaunt my natural hair. I discovered wigs during this transition and my natural hair rarely saw the light of day. This is when I failed the 2nd time. I had not touched perm but I never wore my hair out. I was uncomfortable with  myself and it took time for me to remove wigs altogether. 

In October 2014, I was coaxed into wearing my hair out and thus my 3rd natural hair journey has begun and Naturally4Chic was born.

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

Dealing with my own insecurities about my natural beauty. I lack confidence; not just in my hair but in how I operate as a person. That was completely eye opening. I look and exude confidence. However, I lack confidence. For years, I had very few people supporting that choice. Many thought that my hair was ugly or unattractive. My father loved my natural hair, but the rest of my family could not and would not embrace it. I too would not embrace it. 

I soon realized that my issues with my natural hair had a lot to do with my issues with myself in general. I did not love me and my hair was just one of many things I disliked about myself. Conquering my low self-images problems through my hair journey have brought me a new sense of confidence throughout my entire life. I walk taller. My head is held higher. I have more confidence. By embracing my hair, I embraced myself.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I co-wash weekly. I pre-poo and shampoo twice a month. I moisturize my hair daily (especially in the winter). I am a Cantu fanatic. Having 4 type-hair, I need as much moisture as I can get and their products are phenomenal. I also DIY my own deep conditioner, hair & body oil, apple cider vinegar rinse and pre-poo.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In the morning, I spritz my aloe vera juice mix (straight aloe vera juice, 10 drops of peppermint oil, and 10 drops of lavender oil) in my hair and take a light amount of my leave-in and run it though my hair. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

That is dependent on the hair style I am wearing.

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

No no. When I went natural, I stopped using heat. I only own a hooded blow dryer and that I use on cool.

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

My name is Yasmin Mitchell and I currently live in Queens, New York.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is between a 3b and 4a

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

What motivated me to go natural was the years of damaged hair. I used to get my hair done at the Dominican Hair Salon every 2-3 weeks. Even though I stuck with roller sets and little to no blow-drying to my hair, over time my hair just started thinning and breaking. I experienced a ton of breakage on the crown on my hair due to too much heat from the hooded dryer etc. It was at that time I had enough and was fed up and decided no more hair salons for me. 

I didn’t quite know what I was going to do with my hair though. My last relaxer was 2 years ago and I chose not to do the big chop, instead I chose to do a slow transition. I trimmed my hair each month until all the relaxer was gone.  I cut off the last bit of relaxed ends this past May 2014. So I’ve been fully natural for about 12 months now and I LOVE IT!!!!

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

The most challenging aspect of going natural for me was dealing with two textures since I transitioned. At the beginning of my journey it was tough finding styles that worked with both textures. It wasn’t until I learned how to do a braid out on my transitioning hair that it began to get a bit easier.  It also helped when I adopted the curly girl method and only began washing my hair with conditioner and began ridding my hair of chemicals that it became much easier to deal with my hair.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I wash my hair every Sunday.  Since I follow the curly girl method I only wash with conditioner. When I choose to clarify my hair (every 4-6 weeks) I use the Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar to clarify. I stick to low maintenance hairstyles like wash and go’s, braid-outs and or twist-outs.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In the morning, depending on the season I just unravel my braid-out/twist-out and fluff my hair to the desired fullness; and the same with my Wash n Go’s.  Sometimes I would apply a little olive or almond oil to my hair and/or some gel and viola!

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My daily night time routine can vary depending on the style.  If it’s a braid-out or a twist-out I may re-braid/re-twist my hair.  If I want length I will also band my hair as well.

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

No, I have not used heat on my hair in over a year.  I would however, use a warm blow dryer to diffuse or dry my hair with a handheld blow dryer.

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

Amber Cunningham/ Birmingham, AL  (currently Auburn AL)

2. What is your hair type?

I would consider myself a 3b/3c mixture

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

My last relaxer was May 2012 and my big chop was April 2013. I had been natural for 17 years prior to my first relaxer but didn't know how to wear my hair curly the first time around so I wanted to give it another try.

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

Learning what my hair liked

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Co-wash, deep condition, and wash and go style

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Fluff and go lol

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Sleep on a satin pillow case. that's it!

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

Direct heat, no. I do diffuse and sit under a hooded dryer occasionally

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

I’m Zoé Zeigler, a Los Angeles native that now calls New York City home.

2. What is your hair type?

I’ve never been into ‘typing’ my hair really (I favor just calling it curly/kinky). However, based on the established hair types, I fall around the 4a range.

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

I’ve been ‘natural’ pretty much all my life, however my hair was very damaged from a lifetime of hot comb pressing and weaving. In January 2011, I went heat and weave free. I really did so after (1) I realized how much I was spending on weaves and the beauty salon in any given year and (2) I realized how much I was letting society and men dictate my standards of beauty and decided I’d had enough; I wanted to get in touch with my beauty on my own terms.

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

The most difficult part of going natural/heat-free was learning what worked for my natural curls and establishing a regimen that I could reasonably stick to.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I cut my natural curls into the short tapered curly fro style I have now 2 years ago, 2 years into my natural journey. My weekly regimen now is to co-wash once a week and pretty-much do nothing else to it the rest of the week. I just let my curls be day-to-day.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My morning regimen consists of fluffing my hair lightly with my fingers in the morning for about 20 seconds and that’s it. About every other day I apply a light oil to my hair as I fluff to add shine.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My evening regimen is simply to sleep on a satin pillowcase. I don’t wear a bonnet or scarf because they smash my curls.

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

Once a week, after washing/co-washing, I diffuse dry my hair on low heat.

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

My name is Yataye (Pronounced “Yah-Tay”) Keaton and I’m originally from St. Petersburg, Florida.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair texture is very coarse and varies from the front of my head and crown to the nape of my neck; but for hair typing purposes, it would be classified as 4C.

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

I began the process of returning back to my natural hair texture on August 18, 1999 while serving in the U.S. Navy; I’d made the decision because I got tired of having my hair relaxed, the awful smell and my scalp being irritated by the chemicals.

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

The most challenging thing about me “Going Natural” at the time was staying within military grooming standards/regulations and experimenting with different protective styles while trying to be creative.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen consist of keeping my natural hair moisturized with Shea Butter, Nature’s Blessing (Hair Pomade), or some other essential oil (I.e. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil or Jojoba Oil, Etc.) and shampooing & conditioning it (Every 7 – 14 Days). 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Since “Twist-Outs” are my signature style, I untwist my hair; rub a light moisturizing agent through it; separate my twists in the desired look for the day and lift my hair at the roots with a metal pick to add volume and remove the parts.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My daily night regimen begins with me misting my hair lightly with water, two-strand twisting it (adding an essential oil to the ends for overnight protection) and tying it down with a silk or satin scarf or just sleeping on my satin pillow case.

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

Yes, sometimes I use a hooded dryer (or hooded Hair Steamer dryer) for deep conditioning.  My natural hair stylist also uses a ceramic hair dryer (warm setting) when creating various styles that may require my coils to be a little loose.

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

My name is Kharyzma Raphael and I'm from New York City, USA.

2. What is your hair type?

I have never put a type on my hair because that entire system has always been confusing to me.  I also think that there is too much division amongst the natural hair community with all of this hair typing. I would guess that from what I’ve heard, and seen on YouTube, I’m mainly in the 4’s, however, I have a range of hair textures on my head. I can say that the back middle section has a more loose texture where my hair is also softer. Then the left and right sides of the back are looser than the front. My crown is the most course/dry area, it is also the most fragile. My front sections are cotton like and more tightly coiled than the back sections. So I would guess mainly 4a/4b with a small section of 3c in the back.

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

I started transitioning in 2007 and then by 2010 I cut off whatever remaining relaxed ends that I had. I decided to go natural because I have always loved natural hair. Even when I was relaxed, I always knew that deep in my heart that I would one day return to wearing my hair natural. A horrible home relaxer application confirmed my decision to return to my natural hair. Then when I found the YouTube community in 2009 that encouraged me even more.

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

At first it was finding hairstyles that would fit into my schedule. I had gotten so used to my relaxed hair regimen, as well as wearing fake ponytails, which were very easy to put in and take out. Then when transitioning to maintaining natural hair, I had to make the adjustment to allow more time for styling my hair. I have also had to construct a hair regimen that involved low manipulation.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen depends on the style that I’m wearing. If I am wearing my hair loose during the week, for example braid outs, or a bun, (I consider a bun loose because it’s not braided). I would usually wash, condition, then air dry.  I always prep my hair for detangling by using a mid priced conditioner to saturate my hair. I put on a plastic cap and let the conditioner sit on it. Then when I’m ready to detangle, my hair is super soft. I detangle with a wide tooth comb. I braid my hair in sections making sure to leave space between the scalp and the braid. I shampoo my hair in big braids and I focus mainly on the scalp. I follow with a deep conditioner. Then after the deep conditioner, I add my leave in, and seal with grapeseed oil, and air dry. Depending on my hairs needs, I may co wash instead of using shampoo. I always try to maintain a moisture/protein balance by paying attention to my hair. If my hair feels weak, then I know it needs more protein. If my hair feels too hard, most likely I have protein overload and need more moisture.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

In  the morning, I usually remove my scarf, and if I had braids in for a braid out, I remove the braids and wear either bun, ponytail or braid out. My hair is usually well moisturized in the morning due to my nightly regimen.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night, I would normally apply coconut oil to my hair, and my homemade Jamaican Black Castor Oil to my scalp. If my hair feels dry, I will spritz with water and add a small amount of my leave in and seal with Coconut oil or Vatika Oil which is the Indian enriched Coconut Oil. If wearing my hair loose, I braid my hair in prep for a braid out in the morning, and tie my hair with a silk scarf. If my hair is in braids or twists, I just add coconut oil and tie with my silk scarf.

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

I blow dry my hair on average 3 times per year. I’ve only lightly flat ironed my hair twice during my natural hair journey. Once in 2011 and in 2013. I plan to flat iron after I reach my goal of 16 inches. I don’t want to risk any heat damage before then.

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

My name is P.A., and I’m literally from all over. I was born in Nigeria, lived in over 13 countries before the age of 10, but spent the majority of that time in England.  I currently live in Virginia, but most of my family resides in Texas.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair is a mixture of 3c, 4a, 4b, and 4c. 

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

My last relaxer was on May 4, 2013 (yay!).  My choice to go natural was a practical one —relaxers ate through my scalp and left it bleeding with sores. Since I actually like my scalp, I decided that not using relaxers was in my best interest. 

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

Honestly, the most challenging thing was perception—perception of myself and others’ perception of me. When you get used to a certain look (my mother put relaxers in my hair at the age of 8), you associate a part of yourself with that look.  It was a daunting thing to have to imagine myself without what I considered my “norm.” Plus, since I’m an attorney, I worried that people would make disparaging remarks about my hair at the office.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen changes depending on what I’m doing with my hair (e.g., leaving my hair out, wearing braids, etc.). Typically, I pre-poo, shampoo with a natural, mild shampoo (I love Shea Moisture!), and follow up with a deep conditioner. After I wash that out, I follow the LOC or LCO method and style. 

Since I’m protein sensitive, I only do a protein treatment once a month, or right after I take out my braids and my hair needs some strengthening.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Since I like to wear styles that will last me all week (or almost all week) or longer (e.g., protective styles), my morning routine generally consists of spritzing my hair with water/leave-in conditioner, and sealing with an oil or butter (my hair LOVES coconut oil and Shea butter!), then leaving my hair alone. If I’m wearing braids (I mostly wear crochet braids), I’m sure to moisturize any exposed hair and massage my scalp with a light oil.

My hair is low porosity. So for me, my focus is maintaining moisture, as products tend to sit on top of my strands.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Again, it depends on what I’m doing with my hair, but it typically is the same as my morning routine. Since I’m usually trying to preserve a style, I’ll sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet.

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

I haven’t used direct heat on my hair in over a year, but I’m not opposed to it as long as it’s properly done (e.g., appropriate temperature, use of heat protectants, etc.). I do use indirect heat on low during deep conditioning treatments (to open up my strands’ cuticles) or if the style I need to set is taking an extremely long time to dry (wet hair for prolonged periods of time isn’t that healthy for your strands either!).

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

Queen Iesha (Mum) & Princess Zekyia (Daughter). We are from Texas. 

2. What is your hair type?

Queen Iesha:  I am transitioning. I believe my hair type is 4c

Princess Zekyia: 4c

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

Queen Iesha: My last relaxer was mid October of last year

Princess Zekyia: I have been natural for 5 years now

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

Queen Iesha: I am in the transitioning phase, I struggle with making two different textures of hair look decent. My career has me in the public eye a lot...there's no telling when a reporter will call me asking for a interview. So it is important that I look presentable. What's making the process easy is crochet braids! Talk about a LIFE SAVER! I have been rocking them in different ways for the last 3-4 months!

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Queen Iesha: Since I have been wearing crochet braids, I mix a little shampoo and water in a spray bottle and spritz my scalp to keep it health and clean.

Princess Zekyia: We co-wash at least once a week. We shampoo usually at the end of the week, depending on how dirty her hair is. I generally put her hair in a updo or twist so that she can get up and go quickly. She has a busy school schedule which includes sports.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Queen Iesha: I spritz my scalp with a mixture of warm water, Shea Moisture's Conditioner, and tea tree oil. It has helped my dry scalp TREMENDOUSLY! 

Princess Zekyia: I usually do the LOC method on my hair every morning before school. My oil of choice is usually coconut, olive oil, or jojoba oil. My cream is usually Shea Moistures Raw Shea Butter Conditioner.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Queen Iesha: I spray my hair. I tie my hair down with silk scarfs. 

Princess Zekyia: I do the LOC method on her hair.

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

Queen Iesha: Yes. I blow dry our hair from  time to time always using a heat protectant. I use Fantasia IC.

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

Hello Girls, my name is Kesia Welcome and I am from Roatan, Bay Islands in Honduras, Central America. It is a small island in the Caribbean, but with a diverse variety of people from all over the world. It's a beautiful island, fun and interesting place to live; a tranquil place with great weather.

2. What is your hair type?

My type is 4C all over, kinky, coily, zigly and zagly all the way.

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

I transitioned for 4 months – November 2011 to February 2012, did my Big Chop on February 28th 2012. My inspiration for returning natural was due to 2 of my Aunts, both natural, who encouraged me to not only love my own hair but to enjoy healthy beautiful natural hair. After many attempts, decided I would transition. On the 28th of Feb. after viewing so many beautiful girls and their TWA, decided this was it, went home and had my mom cut off my relaxed hair.

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

It was figuring out what products would work for me. Had to re-learn all over again how to take care of my tresses on my own. It was challenging but possible especially with family's support, online bloggers and YouTube. Research is essential in returning natural so I highly recommend it. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen is the L.O.C. Method once every 2 to 3 days; it depends on how dry the air is here. I wash every 3 to 4 weeks, do a Deep Conditioning, Black Tea Rinse and place hair in a protective style, either 2 strand twists, roller sets or place in perm rods for a curlier look.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Very simple, wake up, get ready, fluff hair and out the door. I love hair accessories, so occasionally will place hair in updos and add cute flowers. Will add my spritz to hair if needed.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Always sleep with my satin cap on; this is a must-do every night. Will spritz hair with H2O, Black Tea Rinse or Okra mix, apply my conditioner mix and seal with Olive or Coconut Oil. Place hair in 10 to 12 large twists, re-seal ends with oil of choice, satin cap on and off to Dreamland :D

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

In these last 3 years, only once have I used heat. It was on a roller set under my Mom´s hooded dryer, setting on Cool for 1 hour. My policy with heat is, if it is burning your hand, it is burning your hair so no heat for me. Will start to use hooded dryer more in the future on those rainy days.

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

My name is Kelsie Lyn as I'm originally from Columbia, South Carolina but I currently live in Southern California. 

2. What is your hair type?

I have a mix of 3c and 4a hair; more 4a. 

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

I started my journey to return natural in 2008 when I graduated from high school. At that time, I wasn't working a lot in the entertainment industry so I thought it would be the perfect time to transition. When I had a relaxer, I used to wear my hair straight down or straight back or straight up. Either way it had to be bone straight. My mom told me one day she would give me $20 if I teased my hair and when to bible study like that and I did. That was the start of my change. 

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

Learning that my hair was resistant. It took me about 2/3 years to learn what porosity was. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My regimen is weekly or no-weekly. I prepoo with coconut oil and massage my scalp with JBCO. I shampoo once a month and Cowash the other 3 weeks. I always deep condition and then set my hair in flat twist for elongation after adding a creamy leave-in and hair butter. During the week if needed, I refresh moisture and re-twist. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Wake up and go (I sleep on a satin pillow case so I don't always cover my hair) or if it's freshly washed or fresher, take down the twist. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Go to bed usually; if I want to stretch my hair, I put it in two low pony tails (it can go in a pineapple but because of my length, shrinkage and hair type, it over stretches and "undefines" my curls); or fresh and retwist. 

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

Only for deep conditions and hot oil treatments. My hair is easily heat damaged.