*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally
Introduce yourself!
M: My name is Monique, but my YouTube name is TheRoyalEmpress. I live in Houston, Texas. I was born in The Bronx, New York. My family is Jamaican, so I rep all 3! Iโm a recent UH college grad (B.A. Psych / B.A. Spanish). Still looking for a real job and about to go back for my Masterโs degree.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
M: I started relaxing my hair in the Summer of 1999, I was 12. I always got it professionally done, but I always HAAAAAAAAATED going to the salon. I hated how long I would be there. How they always put clients in front of me because I have so much hair. I hated that I had to tell them when it started to burn. They once burned my face by trying to relax my sideburns smh. I hated how they would blow dry my hair and my neck would be sore because I would try to brace my head while they yanked the blow dryer through. My scalp would be slightly burned already from the chemicals and the heat would singe it. Then, the hairspray would sting on my scalp. I hated that they would charge an arm and leg for it. (It always cost me between $65-$100 for a touch-up) Thatโs because I didnโt go regularly, but still! AND my relaxed hair always looked a mess a week later.
When and how did you transition into natural hair?
M: I got my last relaxer for prom May 2004 (it had been 7 months since my previous touch upโฆseeโฆI told yโall I hated the whole process!) After prom and graduation I guess I didnโt really feel any peer pressure to continue doing something I hated so much, so I never went back. Back then I wasnโt aware of the whole process and terminology of โgoing naturalโ so I was just โnot relaxing anymore.โ
At first I would just flat iron my hair. I started to experiment and do bantu knots and then I would undo the knots, but not separate them so they looked like curled locs. I even rocked box braids sometimes. Whenever I straightened it, I would have my mom or my sister cut some of the length off. In July 2006 I actually went to the salon to get a relaxer after over 2 years and right before she started putting it in I told her I changed my mind, so she just flat ironed it and cut what was the last bit of my relaxed ends off. The lady that did my hair told me about Miss Jessieโs and thatโs when I started googling about natural hair. I was really surprised there were websites with other people who had chosen to stop relaxing. Thatโs where I started to soak up all the terminology and all the info about products and styling.
In what ways (if any) has going natural affected you?
M: Going natural really taught me how to take care of my own hair because honestly the whole time I was relaxed (12โ17) my mom would help me wash my hair under the tub faucet and she would detangle it and blow dry it for me. When I went natural I didnโt know how to do anything except plaits, so I started experimenting and would do two-strand twists, and bantu knots and my biggest hair accomplishmentโฆI learned how to cornrow!!! I think itโs also made me more confident because both of my parents over the years have told me to get my hair relaxed and I just keep it moving. I just feel so at ease to not feel like I need to go to a salon anymore.
How would you describe your hair?
M: My hair is extremely dense and mostly coarse with a few different textures going on, as is the norm for many naturals. The sections at my temples are very kinky, coarse and tend to be excessively dry; the front is wavy, the crown area is actually the thinnest and frizziest section and the rest is very elastic and like a 3c curl.
What is your regimen?
M: I recently started detangling my hair before I wash it to save water. So I spray my hair with water, apply V05 Moisture Milks Strawberries and Cream Conditioner, detangle with my Denman brush and put it in jumbo twists. Get in the shower and either shampoo with Suave Clarifying Shampoo or recently I just started co-washing with the twists still in. Right now the conditioners I use for co-washing are Lisa Rachelโs Cleansing Conditioner (itโs just okay; found it for $5 at Ross) or Trader Joeโs Tea Tree Conditioner. Then I rinse my scalp and reapply conditioner (TJ or V05) and rinse after Iโm done showering. Then I let my hair dry a little with a tโshirt wrapped on my head, just so itโs not sopping wet. I then apply leave in conditioner and sometimes a butter, brush it through section by section and two strand twist.
The leave in conditioner I have now is Koils by Natureโs Leave In, but I also like Kinky Curly Knot Today and Giovanni Direct Leave In. The butter Iโm using lately is Afro Vedaโs Totally Twisted Ginger Almond Butter. I wash my hair once every 7โ10 days. I usually flat iron my hair once a year and then cut a few inches off to maintain it at a length thatโs manageable for me.
How do you retain length and moisture in your hair?
M: I very rarely use heat; maybe once a year, and when I do I always use a heat protectant. I always wear my satin bonnet or scarf, or sleep on a satin pillowcase and I use products with moisturizing ingredients that work for my hair. I also avoid petrolatum and mineral oil.
What mistakes have you made with your hair that youโve learned from?
M: I once gave myself a haircut while my hair was still wet without full shrinkageโฆnot a good idea. The first time I did mini twists I tried to rinse them and it just turned into a frizzy, tangled, matted mess ๐ In the beginning of my transition I used heat a lot with no heat protectant and my ends lost some texture from the heat damage.
Whatโs the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
M: I do everything in sections. Wash, condition, detangle, style.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
M: You can see my old pics on my fotkis: fotki.com/RoyalEmpress and fotki.com/RoyalEmpress2. I also have some videos on Youtube: Youtube.com/TheRoyalEmpress.
Anything else you want to add?
M: Thanks for this interview and thanks to the readers! OH and I love BGLHmarketplace.com. Thatโs actually where I got my KBN Leave In and 2 of my AfroVeda butters all discounted AND the shipping was free!!!
Thatโs a whoooole โlotta hair but it is GORGEOUS! Just gorgeous, I tell ya. ๐
With a few differences, I could have sworn I was reading my own story. You have glorious hair.
You have beautiful hair!
Iโm definitely team #savingwater!! Beautiful thick hair!!
Youโre hair is beautiful!!!
Your hair is lovely.
What a beautiful woman with a gorgeous head of hair!!!
Gorgeousโฆand like her I went natural mainly because I hated the whole salon experience. And my hair isnโt anywhere near as thick as hersโฆ
Your hair is beautiful and so are you.
Cool! I went to middle school with her. Her hair was long as heck even back thenโฆ
Beautiful hair!
She has all that hair and she doesnโt even deep conditionโproof that everyoneโs hair is different!!! When my hair gets healthier, I might cut out the DCing too! Lovely!
The thickness!!! Oh my.โฆIโm in love!
Her hair is so full and lovely! Go ahead!!
Thank you all for the lovely compliments!!! =) I got a bunch of new subscribers from this blog feature! I appreciate you all!!!
Her hair is gorgeous, and the pic with the 2 strand twists I just want to do some jump rope with it :). You will definitely not have to worry about going bald with all of that thick gorgeous hair.
She & her hair are BEAUTIFUL!
Love her length. Am going to check out the BGLH marketplace.