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. 

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

Hello, I’m Pastaveia, I'm a Florida native however I reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA

2. What is your hair type?

4a-4b

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

I decided to go natural after my family moved to CA and was shocked at the prices for relaxers back in Aug 2009.

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

Personally, I haven’t had any major challenges; however I would say that I had to learn patience. Patience for myself and the learning curve I was now experiencing getting to understand my hair and how it responds to certain styles, products and ingredients.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Ha! What routine?  Honestly I haven’t kept a “routine” since my first 6 months. Nowadays I simple cleanse my hair and style depending upon the time I have available and my mood.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Removing my satin scarf (fluffing is optional) and going about my day (most days) I really let me hair kinda do whatever now. I enjoy a wild mane.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Putting on a satin scarf. I no longer re-twist at night.

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

Yes, ma’am. The last time was in 2013. I’m not one to freak out about heat. It’s just hair at the end of the day and if its damage then I’ll cut and move on with my life. Short is chic and fun too!

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

My Name is Lila Mayes and I am from Los Angeles, California.

2. What is your hair type?

I am a true 4C.

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

I returned to natural in January of 2013.

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

The most challenging thing has been finding products that moisturize my hair and realizing that my hair changes as it grows.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I usually wash every 2 weeks and co-wash once a week. I wear braid outs, puffs and head wraps during the week.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I spritz with water and a leave in conditioner, then decide if I want to wear an afro or a different style.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night, I use a curl pudding and oil and braid. I sleep in a satin bonnet.

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

I occasionally blow dry my hair.

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

My name is Saudia. I am from Southern California but currently resided in Virginia.

2. What is your hair type?

3c/4a with a little 4c. It’s possible to have all three one head Queens. Lol

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

I did three big chops: August 2011 -1st, May 2012 – 2nd...

July 2014 – 3rd – I had a lot of heat damage so I chop it off for the last time. I RETURNED natural when my family and I decided to live a health-conscious life style. Plus, I was over not knowing what I really looked like naturally.

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

Transitioning was the most challenging for me; It was difficult learning how to manage my natural and processed hair.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Shampoo, deep condition, mask, detangle and moisturize. I do twist outs or flexi –rod sets on my hair throughout the week.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Protective style, I moisturize my braids/ scalp, and go. Twist outs, I fluff and go.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Protective styles, I wear my satin bonnet. Loose styles I pineapple my hair and sleep on my satin pillowcase.

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

No, to flat irons. Yes, to my hooded dryer for steam treatments. 

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

Noelle Adores from Los Angeles, California.

2. What is your hair type?

I have a mixture of 4a/4b hair, 4a at the ends and 4b at the roots.

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

My last relaxer was in the spring of 2008 but I didn't decide to wear my hair naturally until September 1st 2011. 

I had grown very tired of the never ending cycle of wearing weaves for a year or two to grow out my hair, followed by getting my hair straightened every two weeks at a salon only to have it break off and become damaged from the excessive heat. It was a vicious cycle. 

In 2011 I was introduced to the plethora of information on maintaining healthy natural hair on YouTube. I decided it was time to put in the work and learn to care for my natural hair in it's natural state.  

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

The most challenging thing about wearing my hair naturally was my shrinkage. I have never been a fan of short hair on myself. I love it on others, but my hangups prevented me from wearing my hair out at all the first year. 

In my second year I rarely wore it out or down because I felt more comfortable with it pinned up or in a puff. I was very frustrated that my shrinkage wasn't allowing me to show off all my hard work and hair growth. It wasn't until the last year I overcame my hair length issues and learned to embrace and accept my hair shrinkage instead of seeing it as a negative or downside to being natural.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I wash, deep condition and style weekly, on Sundays. If I pre-poo, I do it overnight starting on Saturday night. On Tuesdays I moisturize and detangle. Midweek, on Thursdays, I oil-rinse and style.   

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Typically I take down whatever I had done the night before (twists, braids, bantu knots) or if I had not prepped a style I remove my bonnet, mist with water, and style. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Mist with water, twist, bantu knot, braid or put into a puff, put on bonnet, go to bed.

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

I do not use regular heat on my hair, meaning I don't blow dry or sit under a dryer, I air dry. I do give myself short term goals for straightening my hair. For example, my first year of wearing my natural hair I straightened every 3 months, the second year every 4 months, etc. 

These were my opportunities to check the length and get a good trim of my ends, as well as enjoy some length and a change of style. In my third year, I was supposed to straighten my hair every 6 months but when the time came I was not interested in doing so. 

I find that the longer I wear my hair naturally the less I want to straighten my hair or place heat on it.

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

My name is Kim Isaacs, I live in Los Angeles, California, but I'm originally from Durham, North Carolina.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair is half and half 3C and 4A. It's low porosity with fine to medium strands and thick density! 

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

I went natural in August of 2010.  I wasn't really trying to go natural, I just became curious about my own curls.  I never knew I had any!  I was getting my hair pressed and my stylist had just washed my hair.  I looked in the mirror and was shocked to see waves! It was then on that I wanted to learn more about my hair which put me on the journey to becoming natural.  In August of 2010 I made the decision to embrace my curls.  :)

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

Getting used to the image in the mirror after decades of associating myself with straight, flat hair.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I do my hair twice a week, once with a sulfate free shampoo, the other with conditioner only.  I do a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment once a week and I do a protein treatment every few months or so or as my hair need it.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Pretty simple, I fluff my hair, and spritz with an oil spray. That's it! If I'm wearing a bun or a puff, I just take off my scarf and go!   

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I spritz my hair with water first, then I apply a water based moisturizer and seal with an oil or butter. If I'm wearing a wash n go, which is most of the time, I pull my hair into a low ponytail and cover my hair with a loc soc.  I also sleep on a satin pillow case.  If I'm going to wear a bun or puff the next day, I style them the night before, and cover my edges and hair with a satin scarf.

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

I might sit under the dryer for a deep treatment or to dry my hair, but that's about it. I almost never use direct heat on my hair.  I had my first blow out in almost 4 years a few weeks ago. I have no plans to do it again any time soon. I haven't flat ironed my hair since going natural. I am scared of heat damage.  Plus, for decades I wore my hair straight, I know what that looks like. :) I just don't have the itch yet.  I'm sure I will at some point, although I have no interest in going back to wearing straight hair most of the time.

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

My name is LaShon Renee and I’m from Los Angeles, CA.

2. What is your hair type?

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

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

I decided to go natural about 3 years ago after seeing the movie “Good Hair”. I was shocked to learn about the chemicals in relaxers so I stopped perming my hair shortly thereafter.

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

The most challenging part was learning what to do! I didn’t know what it meant to be natural, how to style my own hair, or even what my real hair texture was.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen is to wash and deep condition. I also incorporate hot oil and protein treatments once or twice a month.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Daily I spritz my hair with water or a water based leave-in conditioner and then I seal with oil.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night I tie up my hair with a scarf or satin bonnet.

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

I use heat to straighten my hair about twice a year and I blow dry my hair if the style calls for it.

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 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? 

Diana Ramsey, from Riverside California; by way of Newport News, Virginia

2. What is your hair type?

My type. Sorry, not one to be put in a box because I don’t fold. My hair Jazzy is her own type and I like her that way..:)

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

I returned back to my natural hair November 27, 2010.  I wanted to prove to myself that I could succeed at treating my hair better. I’d tried to return back to my natural hair in 2006, and failed horribly. Upon moving to Texas in 2010, I decided to try my hand again and was successful due to my extensive research. Once I set my mind on treating my hair better, my want to continue fell into place.

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

I don’t battle with challenging, once I established my own platform, SistersWithBeauty where I educate on Home Hair Care, the challenge stopped being about my hair and more about my business. Talk about maintaining healthy hair and growing a business, now that’s the real challenge.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

My weekly regimen is very simple. I style my hair for my workweek on Sunday, with a wash and style. I plan my workweek hair Monday-Friday. The style I create on Sunday, transforms into different things throughout the week. This type of styling I call 7 day workweek styling. I work smarter and not harder when it comes to styling my hair. If I begin with a protective style on Sunday, by Thursday, I’ve taken out the ends of my hair and come Friday, I’m in a full on Fro Flex in the office. I leave the conditioning and cleansing for the weekends, and retwist my hair every night, no matter how lazy I want to be. I also minimize the amount of products I put on my hair during this time so I’m not creating product build-up.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

My daily morning regimen is simple. I modify my style from the day before, and spend no more than 20 minutes on my hair. I leave the true styling for my Sunday prep. My morning is carefully plotted out and spending too much time in the bathroom will kill my commute.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I retwist. I don’t sleep with bobby pins in my hair and don’t suggest anyone to go to bed with sharp objects on their scalp. I retwist and prep my hair for the style I plan on wearing the next morning.

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

No, I don’t. I’ve had my hair blow dried twice in Jazzy’s natural existence by two professional hair stylists. (Felicia Leatherwood of Loving Your Hair With Natural Care and Veola Jolly of Do You Naturally Hair Salon). I truly believe in Home Hair Care and one of the first pillars of HHC that I’ve designed is knowing when to go to a professional stylist. Applying heat for me is one of those times. I’ve also seen enough of my hair in a straight form during my relaxed days. It was uneventful to me, so I’m not interested in seeing my natural hair straightened with heat at this time.