Queen Brandi ~ Queen Of Kinks, Curls & Coils® (Neno Natural)

16/2/2015

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

Brandi Crenshaw from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

2. What is your hair type?

4B

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

I went natural in 2008 after noticing years of thinning edges and a dwindling ponytail. Years of consistent relaxers had damaged my hair and it was see through. I hated the fact that my hair was so thick at the roots and so thin at the ends. It was time to go back to my roots and so I did and have never looked back. That creamy crack is WACK!

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

The transition period where you have two or sometimes more, curl patterns and textures. I combatted this issue by maintaining my transitioning hair in protected up do's and two strand twist styles. The other challenge was dealing with a new look, a new me.

Hair is a major physical feature for a woman and changing the texture and length dramatically can cause mental and emotional challenges that requires changes to an individuals state of mind state outlook on self.

5. What is your weekly regimen?

I cleanse using a co-wash once a week and moisturize every three days with mist of water and quartersize amount of my personally blended Castor Oil/aloe vera based leave in conditioner followed by a dime size amount of my very own Shea Butter concoction that I mix at home and call PrettyBrand Hair Crack. I apply that to my hair in small sections. I style using a light non tacky gel.

6. What is your daily morning regimen?

Depending on the hair style it varies but typically I do not style in the morning as I have my style already set the night before.

7. What is your daily night time regimen?

Typically stretched using my moisturizing regimen listed above then braid each section or two strand twist and roll the ends for a more defined curl pattern for the ends.

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

Maybe once or twice a year when I have my stylist trim my ends.

9. Do you braid your hair? If so, how often do you do so in a year?

I never add extentions as I do do not prefer to have my hair confined to one style for longer than a week. Extension braids would be a waste of money for me as I would have to take them out prematurely.

10. Wide-tooth comb or Denman brush?

Both, first the wide tooth comb then the Denman brush.

11. Is your hair normally loose or in a protective-do?

Protective updo in the fall and winter and loose in the summer.

12. Have you ever had a hair tragedy? What was it? How did you recover from it?

When I went natural I had an all over color applied which made my hair brittle. So, in the first year of being natural I couldn't fully appreciate the new look because it wasn't technically natural or my true texture so I had to grow it out without color and create a new regimen. I now have highlights but I know how to care for it to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle.

13. What's your biggest tip for maintaining healthy or long hair?

Maintaining a proper pH balance, by applying the correct products in the correct way for the climate you are in. The LOC method is the best. If you want length rentention you must maintain your ends with proper moisturizers and have regular trims.

14. Where can we find you online? (blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc).