Devan // Natural Hair Style Icon

Where do you live?
D: I’m from a distant land called Far Rockaway (Queens), but I rep Brooklyn because that’s where I live now (thank the Lord).

Why did you go natural?
D: I met my first “natural” when I was 21, and previously I hadn’t even considered it an option for anyone much less myself. Lo and behold, I began to see more and more natural ladies here in NYC, with varying textures and it became less of a taboo thing. My hair refused to grow and was getting thinner with relaxing and weaving. I felt like my hair was literally saying “Enough already! Leave me the heck alone!”. So I listened and finally bit the bullet and began transitioning.

I had my last relaxer around April 2007 and I transitioned with micros for about a year. In April 2008, I’d taken them out to wash and get them re-done, but didn’t feel like sitting for 6 hours so I snipped off the relaxed ends myself and from that day forward, rocked my TWA.

It was a bit unnerving at first because I’d never worn my hair so short. Plus, you couldn’t tell me that from the moment I’d stepped out of the house, people weren’t going to point and yell “Ooooooh look at the girl with her nappy hair!”. I realized very quickly that nobody cared. And if anything, I got more compliments than ever before because it was all about me, and not my 18-inch weave. Going natural has been one of the best things I could have ever done for myself, because I’ve learned not to lean on straight hair to feel attractive. I don’t look down on weaves and relaxers, I just know that I don’t need it. That makes all the difference in the world.

Describe your texture.
D: My hair is kinky and coily, with fine strands. It’s dense and thick and is prone to dryness.

What’s your regimen?
D: I keep it really simple. During the fall and winter I wear kinky twists and when I remove them (about every month and a half), I wash and deep condition with either Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Cream Shampoo and Conditioner or Nature’s Gate Hemp Shampoo and Conditioner. I use the leave-in from the Garnier line as well. It leaves my hair softer and easier the de-tangle. When it’s loose in the spring and summer, I do the same routine with twist-outs using Garnier Fructis Fiber Gum because it reduces the shrinkage and the style holds up better.

How do you retain length?
D: I’ve found that the key to retaining length (for me anyway) is protection, protection, protection! When it’s loose, I have hand-in-fro disease like nobodies business and I’m my own worst enemy. So even in the warmer months when I’m giving extensions a break, I keep it in twists because there’s less manipulation on my part.

What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?
D: My hair didn’t really grow much from 2008 to 2009, because I didn’t realized that I couldn’t just do nothing with it. I was so bad…sleeping without a bonnet, washing it too much and conditioning too little. Once I started braiding and twisting it up again, my hair grew like mad. Then it dawned on me that when I conditioned it well, protected it, then let it do it’s thing, it grew! Wonder of wonders…

What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
D: I’ll say again, protective styling has been like a miracle for me. I love kinky twists because the sections are bigger and they aren’t as tight as micros. And when I take them out, instead of being dry, my hair is actually soft and slightly oily (albeit dirty lol).

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
D: Please check out my random ramblings and such on my blog: http://www.devanity.blogspot.com

Anything else you want to add?
D: I’d like to send a HUGE thank you to BGLH for featuring me! And I’d also like to say thanks to all of the natural hair/personal style bloggers out there who make being natural easier and super exciting for the rest of us! I appreciate it!