Amina // Natural Hair Style Icon

Where do you live?
A: Detroit, MI born and raised…I love my city 🙂 I’m a recent graduate of Michigan State University with my B.S. in Economics (Masters in Public Policy is up next). I just landed an internship relevant to my field of study that I am super excited about. In my leisure time, I share my thoughts about beauty, wellness, and all things natural hair.

Why did you go natural?
A: There wasn’t just one concrete reason why I decided to go natural. Sometimes I have been known to act on impulse; this was one of those cases. One day, I just woke up and said “NO more relaxers for me!” I quit cold turkey. The straight hair was beginning to bore me; it was time for a change. Now, I say it was a long time coming!

I’m not certain of the exact date when I stopped relaxing, although I can say that I have not had one in about two years. I transitioned and clipped the relaxed ends off gradually for about a year or so. As my transitioning progressed, I started to become fascinated with the true blossoming of my natural hair.

What’s your regimen?
A: My regimen isn’t set in stone, however, there are certain things that I do consistently. I pre-treat with coconut oil and wash once a week with VO5 Moisture Milks Conditioner; cleanse as needed with Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castile soap or a sulfate shampoo.

I deep condition with heat using Nature’s Gate Lavender and Aloe conditioner. After rinsing, I apply Giovanni Direct Leave-In and put my hair in plaits to air dry (stretches out the shrinkage; no blow dryer needed). Finally, I style as desired using aloe vera gel and a shea/aloe vera/coconut oil combination.

What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?
A: In my early stages of transitioning, I used excessive heat to blend the multiple textures. If I’d have known better, I would have found other styles to do the task. I have learned from it though; flat irons have not touched my hair in about a year.

What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
A: My hair has seen the most benefits from pre-treating my hair (thanks to LeobodyC5). I faithfully put oil on my hair before water touches it; the detangling is a breeze that way. I notice less single-strand knots after this procedure as well. My hair loves me for it!

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
A: You can browse my posts at blackhairplanet.com/blog
twitter.com/ubersavvyclassy (I need to step it up though…I’m on there primarily to follow current events #suchanerd)
forum.blackhairplanet.com – username: Amina