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

7/7/2014

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

Hi my name is Teshna. I am originally from the beautiful island of Jamaica but I’m currently living in London, UK.

2. What is your hair type?

I would say my hair type is 3c

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

I have been natural most of my life until I relaxed my hair when I was 17. I remember my high school prom when I was 16. My mother and I had no idea what to do with my hair. I had a few hours left until my prom so we went to the local shop and bought a really cheap hair gel. I soaked my hair with water and applied the gel all over. It was then I discovered what a wash and Go was. I started rocking my curly 'fro really often.

I loved my hair in that state so much I decided to get a curly perm. Long story cut short, it all went downhill from there. I experienced lots of breakage, dry brittle hair and the frequent visits to the salon to re-do my roots etc. The worst of it all was the awful smell of the chemical being applied to my scalp. In some ways I felt trapped, I missed my natural texture and I had enough after 4 years. On February 9th 2012 I decided to start fresh and shave all my hair off. That was the most liberating experience ever!

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

I would say the most challenging thing was building up the courage to do the big chop. I always knew I wanted to start from scratch and shave all my hair off. But my mind kept saying what if you have a big alien head or your forehead is really huge. I guess stepping out of my comfort zone and overcoming fears was my biggest challenge.

5. What is your weekly regimen?

My weekly hair regimen is washing and deep conditioning my hair once a week. I sometimes Co-wash during the week depending on my weekly activities. I also have a protein treatment and I clarify my hair once a month. I tend to moisture daily or every other day.

6. What is your daily morning regimen?

In the morning I tend not to do a lot with my hair except to style it. 90% of the time I prepare my hair the night before.

7. What is your daily night time regimen?

For my night regimen I use the LOC method (Liquid, Oil moisture) to moisture my hair. I braid my hair up at night. I apply my conditioner mix, coconut oil and hair butter then I braid my hair and tie it up with a silk scarf. In the morning my hair feels soft, fluffy and well moisturised.

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

I use heat very rarely.

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

Yes I braid my hair once or twice a year.

10. Wide-tooth comb or Denman brush?

I prefer to use a wide tooth comb for regular everyday use.

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

During the week it is mostly protected because I work in a corporate environment. I mostly rock a bun, up do or flat twists. During the weekend I let my hair down literally, lol.

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

I have not had any hair experience I would call a tragedy. The closest I ever came to a tragedy was recently when I installed a weave for weeks. The thread was too tight and caused noticeable blisters all over my scalp which took some time to heal. I just applied oil all over and let it heal naturally. I had to wait a while before I could wear styles that had a parting again.

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

My biggest tip is to keep things simple, get to know your hair by experimenting and researching. When you find out what works for you, be consistent with your hair regimen and remember to moisturise your hair! Patience goes a long way. Healthy long hair does not happen overnight!

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

List of social media