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

21/11/2014

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

Hey y’all. I am Monique aka IrieDiva from Kingston, Jamaica.

2. What is your hair type?

I am a 3c I believe.

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

I went natural in February 2012. I’ve always wanted to do it but having a daughter made me finally chop it all off as I wanted her to look to me for hair and beauty inspiration, not the TV or magazines.

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

I can’t think of any challenges, I really have always wanted to do it and knew it would happen one day.

5. What is your weekly regimen?

I deep condition every week using my homemade concoction and use ACV to clarify after. Then I apply leave-in conditioner, a styler and seal with a shea butter and olive oil mix. I may do flat-twists or may allow it to air dry depending on my mood.

6. What is your daily morning regimen?

I spritz with water if necessary and fluff. If the style has gotten old then I throw it up in a puff or butterfly clip and I’m done.

7. What is your daily night time regimen?

Cover with my satin bonnet. I have great intentions of twisting at night but I can’t seem to kick the lazies.

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

Currently, about twice per year. The heat in Jamaica does not allow for much more and I exercise regularly so the sweat would be an issue.

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

I have braided my hair quite a few times over the past year since the style has become popular again, however because of the fineness of my hair it never lasts very long unfortunately.

10. Wide-tooth comb or Denman brush?

Wide-tooth comb.

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

It is loose 98.9% of the time.

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

I have done a lot of things to my hair over the past couple years of being natural, dyed it fire engine red, blue, pink purple, bleached it myself, used food colouring as a dye, you name it I’ve done it.

I had to big chop again in December 2012 to get rid of some of the fried ends after all that colouring. I call none of it a travesty though, I just love to have fun. It grows back. I’m trying to go easy on the colour now in favour of growing it out, but I do have the itch.

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

I find that as long as I am consistent with my deep conditioning every week, my hair is happy. I wear it loose a lot which is frowned upon when trying to retain length but I like to enjoy my hair, if it grows a little slower, so be it.

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