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

My name is Taylor (or you can call me Taylie) and I'm from Virginia. 

2. What is your hair type?

​I am in the 4 family. I have 4a in a small patch in front and nape of my neck and the rest is a mixture of 4b/c.

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

I went natural in my senior year in high school (2011). I did it because my hair had started breaking off severely from a perm that I didn't properly care for. I started doing my research and decided to transition.

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

Hmmmm, probably all the trial and error that takes place. All the time and money spent trying to find the right products and regimen that suits your hair can be frustrating and expensive. That's the part I hated.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I cowash once a week and deep condition on the weekends. I try to keep my hair in protective styles and out of the way so that it's safe from harm of the elements and the fact that I play in it all day lol

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

If my hair is in a braid out or twist out, I coat my hands with coconut oil and untwist my hair then style and go. If I'm being lazy, which is most of the time, I throw on one of my wigs and go about my day.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Ughhh I hate doing my hair at night! But usually, I spritz my hair with a little bit of water and follow up with an oil or moisturizer depending on what my hair needs and I proceed to style.

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

​Yes, I blow dry my hair a couple of times a month when I wanted a stretched style. I rarely straighten my hair, maybe every two years or so.

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

My name is Sabrina Greene and I’m from Alexandra, Virginia (DMV area).

2. What is your hair type?

​Overall I would say i'm 3C type.

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

I went natural in November 2015.  I big chopped after transitioning for 11 months.  Prior to going natural, I started to dislike my relaxed hair.  That straight, damaged, lifeless mess was boring.  

​I noticed that I loved the thick and natural curly look.  Every naturalista I would see, I would compliment.  Then I thought, what the hell! Girl, go natural! Never in a million years would I have believed I was hiding such beautiful curls!

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

Deciding to cut when I did. I originally planned to transition for a year and a half, but was tired of dealing with the two different textures whenever I would take a protective style out.  So, I cut sooner than I planned. My hair was long all my life. So to go from long hair to basically a couple of inches of hair was shocking but I loved it.

I embraced it and in the end was happy with the decision I made. Cutting my hair sooner allowed me to learn what products worked for me etc. Also, it helped step my makeup game up, lol… Couldn’t have a short 'do without a lightly beat face. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

If my hair is not in a protective style (i.e. braids or cornrows) I deep condition once a week, do a wash&go and when it gets old I just wear my hair in a high bun for the remainder of the week.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

Add a little water maybe leave conditioner to a previous wash&go, fluff hair out with my hands and last, add jojoba oil to seal in moisture.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Throw a bonnet on and go to sleep.

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

Only time I use heat is: before getting box braids (my hair gets blow dried before braiding), when deep conditioning (sitting under hooded dryer) and when I diffuse (low heat or cool setting).

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

Lateefah Cisero (social media name: lalanaturallyme) I'm from: Virginia (DMV, aka DC, Maryland, Virginia)

2. What is your hair type?

3c-4a

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

I went natural 3 years ago, I've always considered myself a natural girl inside and out, I went natural with my hair, as i felt it totally completed me being lalanaturallyme.

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

The most challenging thing about going natural was finding products that work for my hair texture, I know in the community hair typing is big, but i never quite got what worked for me just following someone or noticing someone that had what i thought was my texture hair, so i was truly a product fanatic till i found my regiment.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I only co-wash once a week, use conditioner only, i do not use shampoo at all 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I use aloe vera juice as a daily moisturizer instead of water

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I spray my hair with aloe vera juice, use a little leave in conditioner and pineapple my hair

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

I've only straightened my hair once in the three years to cut my ends, I have not straightened my hair at all since then in the three years of being natural. I've used heat on my roots occasionally to add length, I only do this if i want length and have not pineappled my hair enough to stretch to desire length

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

My name is Denasiha Christian and I am from Virginia, but currently in Indiana for school. 

2. What is your hair type?

I believe my hair type is a combination of 3c/4a. It tends to look thick but is pretty fine especially at the crown of my head. 

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

My mother was the main contributing factor for me going natural. She had been for many years and all throughout my high school years wouldn’t stop expressing how pretty my natural hair is and telling me I was addicted to perms (lol) so I told her that once I graduated I would try it out. Ended up doing the big chop my senior year April of 2012 kind of spur the moment.
Two years later, after a tapered hair cut and color gone wrong I ended up doing a second big chop (May 2015). Which at first I was pretty upset about but it turned out to be very beneficial for me. I colored my hair A LOT after my first big chop and I also had no knowledge of how to really care for my hair. So being able to start over with more understanding of my hair (also not dying it a million times) has been wonderful. My hair retained SOO much more length in a shorter amount of time. 

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

The most challenging part about going natural is learning your hair and figuring out what works for you. It wasn’t until my second big chop that I actually got my regimen down and the difference in the health and length of my hair is incredible. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I try to stick to one regimen but it sort of changes based off of how I’m feeling. But basically:

Sundays – Deep condition& style (usually a wash n go)

Wednesdays- Ill refresh my hair by cowashing& ill either do another wash n go or experiment with some new style .. which usually turns back into doing a wash n go ..lol

The days in between Sunday and Wednesday I will moisturize my hair as needed. Which usually is about every other day so Tuesday/ Friday. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I wear A LOT of wash n go’s so usually my hair is in mini pineapples when I wake up. Ill undo the pineapples refresh my hair with a leave in conditioner or just water and conditioner in a bottle, fluff it out, lay down my edges if I feel like it and usually throw it in a puff. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

At night I check to see if my hair needs to be moisturized then I do one of two things: mini pineapples, or chunky/messy flat twists down. I have a satin scarf as well as satin pillow cases that help not to dry out my hair.  

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

The first two years of me being natural I almost never used heat. But now I am not afraid of heat at all, I usually only blow out my hair to prep it for protective styles (sew ins). It is rare that I do but if I randomly feel like experimenting with a blown out twist out or just want to straighten my hair for a day or two I will. Again, it is an occasional thing for me maybe once a month or so. The only heat I use on a regular basis is my blow dryer with a diffuser for my wash n go if I am in a rush.

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

I'm Kiara and I am from Hampton, Virginia, United States. 

2. What is your hair type?

I have a mixture of mostly 4a with some 3c patches 

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

I decided to go natural about 6 years ago, I transitioned for a year and then big chopped Aug 2010. My decision came after dealing with my skin condition after a really bad relaxer experience. 

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

For me, learning what worked for my hair and what didn't seemed to be the most difficult part. It took a lot of trial and error. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I usually wash my hair weekly, most times Friday nights so my hair has time to air dry. I try to pre-poo with an oil to help detangle, wash with either bentonite clay, ACV, or my fav Trader Joe's shampoo & conditioner. I try to deep condition every wash and I style my hair once a week as well.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I usually take down my pineapple, spray a little water on it, shake down my curls and walk out the door. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

I normally work out most afternoons so my hair is in a pineapple, so to prep for night time I just tie my hair up in a satin scarf. 

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

I do. I rarely use flat irons or curling tools. I do use my blow dryer at times as well as sit under a hooded dryer occasionally. 

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

My name is Tiana Isaacs and I am from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

2. What is your hair type?

My hair is between a 4a and 4b.

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

My story is quite interesting because I cut my hair off completely in Dec 2010 before I even knew what it meant to be natural. I had long hair all of my life and I felt like sometimes people cared more about my hair than me. So I cut it all off. Little did I know that it would be just the beginning of my natural hair journey. 

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

The hardest thing for me was not comparing my hair to other naturals. I think with all the buzz surrounding youtube and having information at our fingertips we take the fun out of our journey wishing for someone else's texture.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I just recently changed it. If I have a lot of product build up I do an apple cinder vinegar rinse. After that I wash my hair with J'Shae peppermint shampoo. I am between conditioners right now so I am just using Shea Moisture's Curl and Shine conditioner. I add J'shea oil before detangling, followed by twisting with Itsyourshairco twist and curl cream. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I take my bonnet off and fluff the areas that need it and then I add some J'shea oil for some shine. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

This one is a little harder, I don't really do anything with my hair at night except put my bonnet on, however I do re-twist every three days. That is of course my curls are giving me life..lol 

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

Outside of blow drying on cool for a more stretched look I recently had my hair straightened for the first time since my big chop. I do not think it is something I will do often. Possibly once a year. My hair reverted wonderfully. Thanks to my professional stylist. 

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

My name is April Bee and I'm from Virginia, USA. 

2. What is your hair type?

If I had to guess, my hair ranges from 3c-4b. But mostly 4a. 

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

I Big Chopped on 12/28/12. It was very random. Sort of like a spur of the moment type of thing. 

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

The most challenging thing was finding products that work well on my hair. As well as keeping my hair moisturized. My hair was very, very dry when I first went natural. 

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

I really don't have a regimen but I do make sure that I deep condition weekly. 

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

I don't have one. It all depends on how my hair is styled. 

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

If I'm not re-twisting or re-braiding, I'm just putting a satin bonnet on. But if I am re-twisting/braiding, I'll spray my hair lightly with water and add cream and oil for moisture. 

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

Once a year. Which is in the winter months when I blow dry and flat iron my hair. 

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? 

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? 

I'm Jonna from Virginia.

2. What is your hair type?

3c/4a/4b, yes I have all three on one head

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

I stopped relaxing my hair in July 2008, and big chopped in December 2008. I did it as a move towards a healthier lifestyle and out of curiosity as to what my natural hair would look like.

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

Transitioning was the most challenging for me; that's why it only lasted 5 months. Figuring out how to deal with two textures was too much work for me.

5. What is your weekly regimen? 

Deep condition, cleanse, detangle, moisturize and style. Then just maintain the style throughout the week.

6. What is your daily morning regimen? 

If it's in a protective style, nothing much usually. If a loose style, fluff and go.

7. What is your daily night time regimen? 

Pineapple with a satin scarf if I'm wearing a loose style. If it is in a protective style, I just sleep on my satin pillow case.

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

Yes. I use indirect heat from blowdryers, hooded dryers, and my Heat Therapy Wrap.