*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally
Introduce yourself!
N: My name is Nadia! Iโm from Boston, Massachusetts. Born and raised! But my parents are from Haiti! Ayiti Cherie! I am a full time waitress. Iโm working towards going back to school to get a degree in communication. I love sports and hope to someday be a TV journalist!
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
N: I went natural kinda randomly. I told my stylist at the time that I wanted curly hair and I was begging her for a texturizer. She told me I needed to grow out my relaxer and cut that all off before I could do that so I started growing my hair out. About a month in, I started researching curly hair and came across sites like BGLH and CurlyNikki and found out I didnโt need to have a texturizer to have curly hair. My natural hair was already curly! Who woulda thought right? Lol. It seems so silly now that I didnโt even realize what my natural hair could do!
When and how did you transition into natural hair?
N: I started growing my hair out at the end of March, beginning of April 2009. I have never been afraid of doing drastic things with my hair so after 3 months of โtransitioningโ on July 17, 2009 I went in to my stylist (for the last time) and had her cut off all my relaxer. I was left with about an inch of hair. I didnโt really know about transitioning and to be honest I probably wouldnโt have had the patience to transition for long anyway, so I just cut it and got it over with. During those 3โ4 months I would just go in every couple of weeks and have my hair washed and set. Thatโs it. No special tricks or anything.
In what ways (if any) has going natural affected you?
N: Going natural has affected me in so many ways! I have a new confidence about myself that I didnโt have before. I know itโs cliche to say but when I big chopped it was like a new me was born. When I was relaxed I was always doing something to my hair to give me an edge whether it be funky cuts or colors. With my natural hair I donโt need to work hard to have a unique look or edge. It just happens naturally, pun intended!
Iโve also learned so much about just taking care of not only my hair, but my body in general. Iโm much more aware of the products I buy and what I consume. Itโs a constant struggle, but I am working to be a better person and live a more organic and healthy lifestyle. And last but not least I have made so many new friends and connections since becoming natural. The online natural hair community is amazing and everyone encourages each other and offers tips and great advice. If I ever have any questions about my hair I know I have many options to turn to and get answers. Iโve even made real life friendships through people I met online because we share this โnaturalโ bond.
How would you describe your hair?
N: My hair is very thick. It also shrinks to about 50% of its true length. In the front when wet itโs a looser wavy curl and in the back itโs tighter curls. Itโs a mix of 4a/4b for those keeping track. Sometimes I struggle with the two different textures because when I do twistouts the back will last for a week and the front will last for maybe 2 days at most without retwisting because it doesnโt hold the curl as much.
What is your regimen?
N: I used to do all kinds of craziness when I first went natural, but now I try to keep it as simple as possible. Once a week (usually Sundays) I wash my hair. First I finger detangle with olive oil and then wash my hair in four sections with a sulfate free shampoo. Iโve been trying to find the perfect shampoo for me and that has been a little difficult. Currently Iโm using Burtโs Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash (yes you read that right, BABY, lol) Itโs 99.9% natural. Then I coat my hair with Aussie Moist and detangle again with a wide tooth comb. After getting out of the shower depending on the week Iโll either do a deep conditioning treatment or a protein treatment. For deep conditioning I use Shea Moistureโs Deep Treatment Masque and add honey. For protein treatment I just started using Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle Deep Reconstructor, but Iโm also going to be experimenting with Joico K Pak Reconstructor. I henna once a month.
How do you retain length and moisture in your hair?
N: My hair stays in twists for 5 out of 7 days a week. I spritz daily with aloe vera juice and water and mix and seal with either coconut oil, vatika oil or castor oil (straight from Haiti) depending on the season! I used to wear puffs all the time because I was lazy, but Iโve noticed my retention hit a wall so Iโve gone back to protective styling 90% of the time and in just a couple of months Iโve already noticed a big difference. My edges are growing in thicker and thatโs always been a problem area for me, even when I was relaxed.
What mistakes have you made with your hair that youโve learned from?
N: When I first went natural I dyed my hair a lot and that was definitely a mistake. It looked good, but Iโm sure it wasnโt good for my strands. Now I henna monthly so I have a nice red tint to my hair without any damage. Every time I get the itch to color I always remind myself that healthy hair is whatโs most important to me! Also like I said before wearing my hair in puffs constantly was damaging my edges. I also used to wear my hair in a fro a lot, and while itโs really cute it sucks when it comes time to detangle! So now I keep my hair stretched for less breakage. Also knowing when to trim my hair. I would see splits and single strand knots, but not trim because I didnโt want to lose length. Well your hair is just going to keep breaking if you donโt nip those in the bud so to speak. So now if I notice excessive splits or knots I take out my scissors and trim all over before they can do anymore damage!
Whatโs the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
N: The best thing I believe I do for my hair is keeping it well moisturized and sealing. My hair almost never feels dry because Iโm obsessed with making sure to moisturize and seal twice a day!
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
N: I have a tumblr: http://omgnadia.tumblr.com and I just started really getting into my vlog: http://www.youtube.com/user/THExtremelyperfect. Right now Iโm doing a weight loss challenge, but I hope to do videos about hair and fashion in the future if there is an interest! I weigh in on Sundays! Come check me out. Also Iโm on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/xtremelyperfect.
Anything else you want to add?
N: Thank you so much to all the contributors/writers of BGLH! You are one of the major reasons I went natural! I totally recall browsing the site and being in awe of the beautiful naturals who grace your pages. Iโm so honored that I can finally be a style icon! Seriously I feel like Iโve won a Grammy lol!
And for those who are transitioning or thinking about going natural: You can do it! As cheesy as it sounds donโt give up when the going gets tough. Youโll be so happy you stayed strong! Going natural is one of the best decisions Iโve ever made. I just wish I had done it sooner!
I absolutely love your hair. Iโm at that awkward stage where my fat twists arenโt the right length yet so I get sucked into wearing puffs. I should do like you and remind myself that healthy hair is the main goal. Thanks for the encouragement. ๐
Gosh she is pretty!
I have a crush!
Her photos scream: I am a nice person. Come and talk to me. Some people have open faces. Nadia has an open face.
I am partial to Haitians too!
I love her big twists! I canโt wait until my hair gets that length. Beautiful hair!
Nadia, what do you use to stop the jumbo twists from unraveling? I cannot find anything โand the braid the top and then twist the bottom method causes horrific knots. I hate them ๐
What henna do you use?
Thanks!
Also, what did you use to help your edges (products).
Thank you. ๐
Thanks for all the lovely compliments! I am not picky when it comes to henna(thatโs probably bad but whatever lol) so I just get whatever my local Indian grocer has in at the time. Iโm gonna henna this weekend and I just looked and itโs Supreme Mehandi. But if youโre looking for quality henna you should definitely check out http://www.hennapage.com/. It literally tells you everything you ever wanted to know about henna and sells kits! Also for my edges Iโve been using Wild Growth oil every other day and whenever I seal with castor oil I just put a dab… Read more »
Where is your local India grocer. I did a halfโa**ed search on google one night, but didnโt find any. Iโm from Boston to by the way. Hi! And Haitian!
Itโs very unfair that I didnโt get that Haitian thickness that people talk about when it comes to hair, mine feels so thin.
I love your hair and the fact that it looks like your wearing red lipstick/lip gloss in that first pic. Get it , girl!
Hey Lanie! I get my henna from a shop in Somerville on Elm Street called Farmerโs Bounty. I know that thereโs a shop in Central Square on Mass Ave that sells henna and vatika oil and all kinds of fun exotic oils and itโs called Shalimar I believe.
Castor oil(or lโhuile masketi for us Haitians) helps thicken up hair so I would definitely suggest trying that.
And yes I love red lips!! I have on bright red lipstick as I type this hehehe.
Thanks! Iโll be stopping by those places.
Ayiti cherie! Whoop whoop! And now on to my question lol. Iโve been trying to moisturize twice a day too but my hair would start smelling funky. I pour cold water all over my 2 strand twists, squeeze out the excess water and then seal with castor oil. Then I protectively style it with a banana clip and pins to hide the ends. Should I start washing my hair once a week as opposed to two? Common sense says โduhโ but doing my 2 strand twists take so long (4b and thick) that redoing them weekly sounds like its not worth… Read more »
Have you tried just spritzing your hair instead of pouring water on it? If your hair is constantly damp and greasy (castor oil is HEAVY), then that may explain why your hair smells. Especially if you let it go for two weeks without a wash.
Try spritzing your hair with a mixture of water, aloe veral gel or juice and glycerin. Then if you want, you can seal with either coconut or castor oil. If you do this right, you wonโt need to seal everyday, I donโt; but I do moisturize twice a day.
I was going to say exactly what EG said. Instead of pouring water try spritzing! My bottle has 3 parts aloe vera juice 1 part water. You can get the bottles at a drugstore or BSS. HTH!
Gonna give that a try. Thanks yโall!
Iโve heard castor oil works wonders in growth stimulation but I cannot for the life of me get over the smell!! Could this be the reason for the funk?
Iโm not sure if this is directed at me or Nadia, but my castor oil does not smell. I use cold-pressed castor oil by home health (Whole foods). If you are that sensitive to smells, then why not try coconut oil to seal? Coconut oil has the added benefit of actually penetrating the hair which is how it moisturizes in addition to sealing.
Beautiful hair!
Woah!! Talk about coincidence!! I was flipping through a local magazine yesterday (The Somerville Scout); free copies get dropped off at my apartment complex every month. I usually recycle them without reading but yesterday was my first time actually opening one. Not sure if you know but youโre briefly featured in the current edition of the paper. I remember seeing your pic and thinking yay for naturals! Then I click on BGLH today and youโre featured here as well! Anyways, at least I can tell you directly, you have enviable eyebrows and your hair looks awesome ๐ Itโs nice to see… Read more »
Hi! Yes I did get my Somerville Scout a couple days ago and was like woohoo they put me in there! Lol. They just stopped me on the street a month or so ago and they said perhaps Iโd make it. So yay! And thank you! I get my eyebrows done in Allston at Monicaโs Salon on Harvard Ave.
Absolutely gorgeous hair!!!
Ayiti Cherie! thatโs right baby. Gorgeous girl, but then again, iโm biased :-).
She is soooo cute! Agreed with FloridayHoneyBee- she has such a pleasant, open face. Love her hair too of course- so thick and luscious! Just beautiful!
You are too cute!
Love her hair, it reminds me of my natural hair. I am currently transitioning as we speak so this post was right on time!
gorgeous ๐
Hi Nadia! I am loving your hair!! You are def an inspiration to all of us naturals! I was even more excited when I read that you are also from Boston and family from Haitiโฆ We have so much in common! ๐ I also got a chance to check out your website and I love the pics and you seem to have a great spirit! I would love to connect with you and share about our hair!
Hey girl! If youโre on twitter send me a message! I love making new friends!
your hair is so beautiful and I like how dark and shiny it is. I am also from Haiti haha!!
OMG Iโm in Boston too! Your hair is fabulous and I would kill for that thickness! Too funny because Iโm in communications at the University of Rhode Island after working over ten plus years in finance!!! Good luck on your journey
A black woman with an open welcoming face is a blessing to those who behold her. Being very beautiful with enviable skin and hair doesnโt hurt either!
Gorgeous hair, stunning faceโฆ
I know her!! Lol! Love this feature and FloridaHoneyBee that is SPOT on her personality.
HaitiโฆWhoop whoopโฆ
Gorgeous hairโฆgorgeous skin..
Gosh, she is so beautiful!! And her hair is gorgeous. Great feature.
Ayiti Cherie! Is it weird that I could tell right away that sheโs a fellow hatienne? Beautiful hair and beautiful skin ๐
I am aware of open faces because I donโt have one. ๐
Nadia, how do you seal your twists. I love twists but my hair never lasts more than a weekโthe twists either unravel or get tangled.
Do you use any vitamins? The color and thickness of your hair is to die forโฆ
Thank you.
Hey HoneyBee! Iโm sure your face is lovely! ^_^ I seal my twists with whatever oil I feel is appropriate.. in the winter I usually stick to olive oil or castor oil, in the winter Iโll seal with coconut or vatika oil. I do my twists relatively small and use a butter or cream like Bee Mine Bee Hold Curly Butter or Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I used to use Afroveda Ginger Twist Butter also which was amazing but that was a couple years ago so I donโt know if itโs still the same quality. The only vitamin I… Read more »
Hair gorgeous, face gorgeous, everything Gorgeous!!!
Nadia, I have to agree with everyone on this train that you just radiate beauty. Iโm in Boston, too! I can tell you have patience when you work with your hair. My transition to the weather has been rough but youโre definitely inspiring me.
sheโs so pretty! and love the hairrr
You are truly beautiful.
Your hair looks great! I need to try to moisturize as much as you do but I get so lazy! Btw to all boston naturals!! My name is Adobuere & I am a frequent bglh reader & visitor to the website. I am hosting a curly girl/naturals meetup at my place on Saturday December 3rd and would love to invite all beautiful boston naturals!! I am trying to get the word out and if youโre interested it will be a lot of fun w/ raffles, prizes, food & drinks. Admission is free ๐ Check out my blog for details and/or email me at… Read more »
Chile, if that ainโt my hair on another body.โฆLOL! My hair is nowhere near and thick tho ๐ Iโm going to begin giving henna a try. I was trying to see those closer to my hair types give their opinion on it before I jump in. Thanks for this, all very helpful and beautiful!!!
[โฆ] Friday I was featured on Black Girl Long Hair as a Natural Hair Style Icon! You can check it out here. I also have been making videos for my YouTube channel. Please check it out and subscribe here. [โฆ]
Her hair looks beautiful and has grown pretty fast.
great interview and pics. your hair is so pretty. what i want to know is your skin care routine. your skin is flawless do tell!! please? ๐
This is going to sound really bad but I donโt do anything special for my skin. I wash with Noxzema sometimes if I remember and just put regular lotion on after I shower. Thatโs it, lol. If I get a blemish I have a tube of Proactive Refining Mask and Iโll put a dab of it on there and itโs gone the next morning. Sometimes I even go to bed with makeup on! I know, itโs bad lol. So yeah basically thank God for mom and dadโs genes, lol.
lucky girl but thanks for sharing! now that iโm locโing my hair again i will be able to devote a little more time to my skin care since iโll have more time day to day. your skin is so pretty!!
Wow, what a beauty!
Wow thank God iโve been scouring this website andIโve finally found someone whose hair is the same texture as mine! Iโll try some of the products you use. thanks ๐
Iโm in Boston too, Iโm very familiar with Farmerโs Bounty and HATE that it CLOSED! I do my shopping for Vatika and Coconut oil in Waltham now. Where do you get your lโhuile masketi? Beautiful does not begin to describe your hair!
My mom brings me lโhuile masketi from Haiti every time she visits. I have so much stocked up now actually. Thereโs a shop in Central Square that sells henna and vatika oil and the such. Itโs right on Mass Ave.
Nadia,
Kote nan Ayiti famille yo te soti?! Ou jamn visite Ayiti le mamm aller?
Oui, mโayisyien touโฆ:)
Tres Bon
P.s ou gin bel cheveauxโฆ:)
Hi Nanane! I try to visit Haiti once a year but Iโm not going this year because my husband canโt travel yet. But my parents have a home in La Boule. My mom is from Anse-A-Veau and my dad is from Akin. I canโt wait to go back soon and show my husband how beautiful the country is. And thank you for the lovely compliment! I wish I could write you back in Kreyol! :o)
Aw sheโs pretty (=
I never castor oil was Lโhuile Mascriti wow.I am going to grow my hair but I want to wash my hair with raw african black soap but what conditioner should I use or should i just do deep conditioning. My hair is also in braids so i make twits or cornrown and add castor oil and coconut oil to it every morning. What do you think?
Sheโs a cutie ๐