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

I am Chadel Mathurin from the beautiful island of St.Lucia, which is part of the Caribbean archipelago.

2. What is your hair type?

​I am not a huge proponent of the hair typing system as I think our hair is too diverse to ever fall into one limited grouping; however, I fall into the type 4 range.  A little 4a, mostly 4b and 4c strands. ​

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

I began my transition to natural hair from relaxer on March 26th 2011, after getting relaxers for about 1.5 years; and I big chopped on August 26th, 2011.
Long story short about what made me do it…. when I put a relaxer in my hair, I stated that I was conducting a “social experiment”… I wanted to measure whether men in St.Lucia were more attracted to long flowy hair as opposed to natural hair that refused to show its true length. (The whole colourism phenomenon). So I pretty much always knew I would be growing out my hair when my social experiment was done. Besides, I began missing my natural hair and its diversity. Relaxed hair lacked personality and was boring for me and those scalp burns were not the truth!

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

Nothing really. I had been natural most of my life; I was just excited to start fresh and I saw every stage as a new adventure. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

This is such a broad question. Despite this, most of my regimen is done on wash day.
I prepoo weekly before I wash my hair; usually on the same day as my wash day. With my prepoo, I may start out by spraying my ACV mix to my scalp to begin to lift the dirt that has accumulated. I then apply a liberal amount of coconut oil or olive oil to my strands to protect against hygral fatigue.

With respect to washing, I wash once a week, either on a Saturday or Sunday. Currently, I alternate between using the As I Am Coconut Cowash and a Shampoo. After my wash is complete, I almost ALWAYS deep condition my hair. I alternate between an elasticity treatment and a moisture-infusing deep conditioner, usually doing an elasticity treatment at least once a month.

I (mostly) finger detangle under running water with a moisturizing conditioner and I twist my hair into the already present sections and allow it to air dry.

With respect to my moisture regimen, after my hair is about 70% dry, I apply my leave in conditioner, followed by oil based product and then a cream- The LOC method. I usually twist right after since twists dry quicker. I remoisturise on the third day after wash day. What I use is dependent on how my hair feels and what it needs.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My daily morning regimen usually consists of taking my hair down if I retwisted or re-plaited the night before. I am not a morning person so I keep it quite simple. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My daily night time regimen would involve placing my hair into four huge twists or plaits to refresh my definition. On the 3rd day after wash day, I may need to add some water and seal with an oil just to add a little bit more moisture to my hair. 

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

​​I am not very big on heat, and my hair does not seem too keen on it either. However, I will use a blow dryer once in a while, especially if I resort to washing my hair very late at night. I blow dry about 4-6 times for the year if so many, using the tension method.

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

My name is Chinwe Juliet aka Igbocurls across social media and I am from Nigeria. 

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is 4b & 4c which is a mix of kinks and coils. 

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

I went natural sometime during the summer of 2011 after I received a scalp injury from a relaxer.

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

When I started out, my biggest problem was learning how to get my hair soft and combing it but when I later found out, everything was smooth sailing from there.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I try to wash my hair every 2weeks and it could be anytime during the week. All I do is pre-poo with my favorite Extra Virgin Olive oil or a moisturizer like As I am CocoShea spray, shampoo, deep condition, ACV Rinse, Leave-in Conditioner, add a hair butter and seal it all in with oil. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I don't moisturize my hair daily but rather, every 2-3 days and most times my hair is already in a protective style so all I need to do is spray on my favorite hair spritz ( Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier) and I'm out the door. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Every night I simply tie a satin/silk scarf and go to sleep. If I have to restyle my hair, I take down my style and re-moisturize with a good leave in conditioner, hair butter and seal with an oil. 

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

I hardly use heat. I've been natural for almost 5 years and I've used heat to blowout my hair just 4 times. Heat is not a necessity for natural hair. 

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

Hi, my name is Wendy Joseph and I live in New Jersey but was born in Haiti.

2. What is your hair type?

I have a mixture of of 4A and 4B hair with 4A being more towards the middle and front.

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

I went natural four and a half years ago in September of 2011. I had an adverse reaction to an at home protein treatment leaving my scalp uncontrollable dry and my edges quickly deteriorated. My dermatologist gave me a foam for the dandruff and asked that I come back to have a biopsy of my scalp done. That was when I realized that I needed to change my lifestyle and really start taking care of myself. My first step was to cut the chemicals out of my hair. So I did! I secretly cut all of my hair off! One of my best decisions to date.

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

Being afraid of not being accepted by societies standards of beauty. Initially, I had a rough time with my family accepting the fact that I cut all of my hair off. Their initial negative reaction led me to believe that that’s how everyone else would view me. Causing me to hide my hair under wigs and weaves for almost my entire first year. One day, something snapped and I no longer cared. I finally wore my hair out and everyone loved it. I realized that I never gave them a chance to see my hair short or properly educated them on the reasons why I went natural. They just assumed I went Britney Spears circa 2007 when she seemingly went off the deepend and shaved her head. Funny thing is, most of family are now natural.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen has pretty much been the same for the past couple of years:

• Split hair into seven sections in preparation to detangle: 3 in the front, 4 in the back
• Wash each section with cleansing conditioner (Shampoo every 1-2 months)
• Apply deep conditioner - (leave in for an hour or so then wash out)
• Rinse & detangle each section with a conditioner and wide tooth comb  
• Apply Cantu leave in conditioner then either a protective style or add Eco Styler Gel for a wash and go

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

When wearing a wash and go: I leave my hair out while taking a shower so that water splashes the hair and it absorbs the moisture in the air.

Protective style: I wear a bonnet and shower cap while showering and use sheen spray to brighten up my locs.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I do not have a specific nighttime regimen other than to sleep with a bonnet or head scarf on. For my wash and go, I either put my hair in a pineapple or four big twist before bed.  

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

I rarely use heat. I do heatless stretching methods and air dry my hair when doing protective styles. You can read more about this on my blog or view videos on my my youtube channel. My hair seems be very sensitive to heat causing extensive shedding and heat damage.

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

My name is Kristina and I'm from South Carolina, USA.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair type is 4a/4b

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

I went natural in December 2013. I wanted to be natural to achieve healthier hair.

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

The most challenging thing about going natural was loving myself in my natural state and learning to trust the process and to be patient. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen is to deep condition once a week, co wash twice a week and use the L.O.C method every time I wash my hair Bc my hair tends to get very dry. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My daily morning regimen is to use a spray bottle mixed with a leave in conditioner, oil and water and lightly spray my hair to keep it moisturized.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My daily nighttime regimen is to spray my hair with the leave in, oil and water and tie my hair with a silk scarf. 

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

I use heat on my hair at a minimum if I want to go out for a blown out look.

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

I’m Colleen and I’m from Jamaica, Queens baby!

2. What is your hair type?

​I am mainly a kinky-coily low porosity type 4b hair type at the crown and edges and an S-curl type 4a around the perimeter.

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

Chime aka HairCrush was my biggest hairspiration and curiosity. Her hair was amazingness and I kinda hoped mine looked the same. It was TOTALLY different but cool nonetheless plus, I really wanted to see what my texture looked like.
I first attempted to transition in 2010 and made it 11 months then relaxed because I couldn’t take it any longer. In 2011, I tried again and ended up doing the big chop 6 months post. I haven’t looked back since.

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

Working with my hair texture was difficult while it was short. I felt so self-conscious, I wore hats for almost a year. And because I was low porosity, trying things other naturals were doing just didn’t work. When I gained length is when I finally started enjoying the process more.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I’m mainly a roller set/straight/stretched natural so during that time, I wash my hair every two weeks. I wash twice for really clean debris free hair, deep condition ALWAYS, add leave in and roller set. Then I’ll either leave the set, flat iron or bun it up.
On my kinky days (wink), I wash every week. I wash and deep condition, add leave in and style. I usually style with grease.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I absolutely have none.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I absolutely have none.

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

​All the time. I’m not afraid of heat because I know how to properly use heat in a way to flourish my hair. It’s sad that some naturals get burned (pun intended) and shun heat. For my 4b hair, it’s the easiest way to retain length.

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

I am Joanne Guiste and I am from the Nature Island of the Caribbean, Dominica

2. What is your hair type?

​I have never really typed my hair as I believe all hair is different, so the type I know my hair to be is thick, curly, and unruly at times but still manageable

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

I big chopped on October 7, 2014.  My decision was mainly for the health of my scalp.  I experienced excessive shedding and scalp pains and going natural was my way to a healthy scalp and to grow healthy hair

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

So far, I can’t say that I have had many challenges, but what used to be difficult for me was sticking to a nightly moisturizing routine

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

When not in a protective style I do a mid-week co-wash and normally leave my hair in chunk twists, afros or puffs for the week.

I wash every two weeks, so on those weeks I shampoo then deep condition or hot oil depending on what my hair needs at that time, then place into a protective style for at least two weeks.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

On mornings when I have moisturized the night before, I just style in a bun or puff.  If I did not moisturize the night before I do so in the morning then put in a puff or bun

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I normally moisturize using the LOC method.  On nights when I already have enough product in my hair I just use a mix in my spray bottle of water, oils and cream so as to reactivate the product.  Put in some chunk braids, twist or flat twist, tie with my satin scarf then off to bed. Three to four times a week I will include a 3-4 minute scalp massage using warm coconut oil.

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

​Not at all

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

Ashley Raye and I am from Charleston, South Carolina

2. What is your hair type?

4B

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

2 years ago I decided to go natural. I went natural because my daughter always wanted her natural curly hair to be long and pressed out like my extensions and hair. She felt that having straight, relaxed hair meant you were beautiful. So I transitioned my hair to show her how to love her hair.  

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

Finding the right products to use on my hair and the maintenance. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I wash/co wash my hair weekly and style my hair depending on its length. My hair grows very quickly. I started out doing a roller set with perm rods/2 strand twist on the top of my hair and coil the sides. How that my hair has grown a few more inches I do mostly 2 strand twist all over. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I use my argon oil on my hair for shine and moisture. Then I use my Curls Blueberry edge control to lay my edges. A couple of sprays of my Organix Moroccan Oil and I am out the door.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I re-twist some of the my hair that had frizz using my Camille Rose Jai Twisting Butter then I use a silk bonnet at night to cover my hair.

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

NO! Hardly never. I hate the hair dryer.

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

My name is Lee-Anne Holder and I’m from the beautiful country of Barbados.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair is combination type 4 (i.e. 4a,4b,4c).

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

I started transitioning on feb 23rd 2012 after my last texturiser and did my first official chop, March 23rd 2013 when I got annoyed dealing with two textures.
I honestly decided to go natural because I felt like I literally did all I could do with my hair, relaxer, texturiser, braids, twists and everything in between. I was getting so bored of my hair and the limp texturised state it was in. I also felt that having no recollection of my natural hair, was a bit ridiculous and quite sad.
YouTube also played a pivotal role in convincing me to transition. Seeing the diversity of natural hair made it a GO for me.

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

The stares from the public and their embarrassing questions posed the biggest challenge for me. Not having the confidence, like I do now, made it really difficult for me in the earlier stages. I was really defensive, but now I have come to accept that years of being taught that these things about ourselves are not acceptable, cannot be undone overnight.

Oh, and lets not forget the daylong washdays. Sigh, but it gets better.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I wash and deep condition my hair every Sunday. I set my style for the week and moisturize and retwist when necessary.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I remove my satin headtie, oil my palms and undo my style.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I spray my hair with a little water/conditioner mix, then retwist with my choice of moisturizer or gel.

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

I mostly use heat during my deep conditioning treatment. Since I’m terrified of heat damage. I’m currently trying to practice heatless stretching using braidouts. 

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

Hello! My name is Keianna Springer aka QueensandCurls and I am from Cincinnati, Ohio!!

2. What is your hair type?

4b, 4a (nape and crown)

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

I went natural back in 2009. I was 14 yrs old and my twin and I decided to to go natural at the same time. My older cousin was natural and we fell in love with her hair so we decided to go natural too!

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

The most challenging thing about going natural was accepting my hair texture. We I was transitioning I would other naturals who had looser curl pattern. But about a 1 ½ into my natural hair journey I finally accepted every coily, kinky and curl I had in my hair! 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I pre-poo, cowash or shampoo and deep condition once a week

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My daily morning routine is very simple and easy. All I do is take my scarf off and go!

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

If I have a loose style I gather my hair into small pineapples and then I put a scarf on. And if my hair is in a protective-do I just put on my scarf before bed.

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

I use direct heat on my hair about two times a year. I use indirect heat we needed.

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

I'm Benedicta Odekanmi, I'm from Ibadan, Nigeria.

2. What is your hair type?

My Hair Type is 4b/4c but mostly 4b.

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

I started my Natural Hair Journey April 2013. I decided this was best for me because my hair never really relaxed. It puffed up after about a week. I wanted to try something different.
I transitioned and I'm still transitioning. My relaxed end fell off mostly because I wasn't into healthy natural hair journey for about a year.

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

I think it was finding out for myself how to take care of my hair. I did a lot of Google searches. Google is my best friend lol.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

It depends on my hairstyle. If I have braids or faux loc on, it would be the same as the daily regimen. If it's just my natural hair. It would be co-washing, moisturizing or protein deep conditioning and tea rinse/beer rinse.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My daily morning regimen is spraying from my spray bottle a mixture of water, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and other oils, Aloe Vera gel and Leave In conditioner. I follow with Oiling with my Oil Mix and sealing with my Shea butter mix I make myself.
​
7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

My daily night regimen is to spraying with water and oiling before bunning my hair. Then I put on satin scarf. 

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

​Yes I do. When I do straw curls.  This is about 3 times a year. I air dry every other time.