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Tatiana // 4B Natural Hair Style Icon

Avatar • May 25, 2012

*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally

Introduce yourself!
T:
My name is Tatiana and I am from Boston, Massachusetts aka THE BEAN! More specifically the Roxbury and Dorchester Area! I just graduated from a Boston area college as well.

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
T:
Well, when I got to college I was informed by my family that I would have to begin paying for my own relaxers/touch upsโ€ฆand I decided because of my lack of funds, to stop relaxing my hair and straighten it instead. Then with humidity and my lack of desire to do my hair I realized that wasnโ€™t workingโ€ฆand I decided to transition and stop straightening it. Then one summer, I was sooo fed up with my hair I got a five dollar perm and had a friend put it in. I immediately regretted it, and from then on Iโ€™ve been chemical free. Since then Iโ€™ve become more political about my hair and it not only reflects me, but my ideals on beauty politics, and maybe politics in general!

How would you describe your texture?
T:
My hair is definitely thick, like THICK. It absorbs water almost immediately and it takes forever to braidโ€ฆIt also needs a lot of moisture. I would say itโ€™s somewhere along the 4 spectrum. The edges of my hair are very kinky and I have many โ€œSโ€ curls in my hair as well. I also get A LOT of shrinkageโ€ฆyou actually can never tell the length of my hair at all. I once got it trimmed and the stylist was shocked at how my hair was much longer than it looks; which I call my hairโ€™s secret weapon. Itโ€™s ambiguous and big when it wants to be.

I definitely have to detangle my hair when itโ€™s wet because I hate pulling my hair and feeling any sort of intense pulling on my hair, but once detangled itโ€™s flexible with hair buns, bantu knots and braids outs. I am still unsure if my hair is fine or coarse, I would say a mixture of both depending on the section of hair.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
T:
I usually wash my hair once a week, and co-wash one to two times a week. I wash with Giovanniโ€™s Tea Tree Shampoo when I want something clarifying, and then I usually use Yes to Carrots shampoo and conditioner. I also use Organix Macadamia Nut Conditioner for co-washing.

I then detangle with Jane Carterโ€™s Leave In Conditioner and sometimes a Johnson and Johnsonโ€™s Detangler. Then I use Lushโ€™s R&B to do twist outs or bantu knots, or Shea Moistureโ€™s Curl Enhancing Smoothie. Sometimes I do a blow out using Giovanniโ€™s heat protectant. Itโ€™s PERFECT. It leaves my hair soft and not damaged! I also do a deep conditioner once a week with Carolโ€™s Daughter Monoi Treatment and Lushโ€™s Hair Doctor (for my dry scalp and flaky flakes). I usually do this over a month with a number of lazy days. I love wearing my hair in a fro, so Iโ€™m working on making myself wear protective styles and trying to stick to this regimen.

I also like Carolโ€™s Daughter Hair Balm, Jane Carterโ€™s Setting Foam and just regular coconut oil and jojoba oil.

What does wash day look like for you?
T:
A wash day includes what I mentioned before, but I also wash my hair in four sections because it is so thick, and when Iโ€™m not lazy it really makes a difference because my hair is already separated and isnโ€™t so hard to detangle. I also do a wash and go in warm weather using Jane Carterโ€™s Leave In Conditioner. I tie a scarf around the front and have a nice curly fro.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you donโ€™t have a lot of time to style?
T:
When Iโ€™m pressed for time, I throw on a headband or a scarf and pull my hair back after spritzing it with some water/jojoba/coconut oil mixture, or I wet my hair and try to bring it into a bun (I try not to do this because I hate my hair being pulled all the time)โ€ฆotherwise I just wear it out and free and usually I can take it out of a protective style and wear it wild and free. ๐Ÿ™‚

How do you combat shrinkage?
T:
I detangle and do about eight braids in my hair and that gives my hair some length. I also blow it dry once in a while, but usually I just accept my shrinkage and put a bow or flower or some other accessory in my hair. Shrinkage can be annoying, but I embrace it and condition myself not to worry about it.

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require extra care and attention?
T:
I can get really dry hair and my scalp has recently been dry and itchy, so I use tea tree oil with water and I also try to wash my hair twice a week instead of once. This usually occurs in the front of my hair, so I try to massage it with oil. Not only does it help my scalp, but it feels pretty awesome too.

What are 2 doโ€™s for your texture?
T:
Protective styling, deep conditioning and moisturizingโ€ฆthree MUST DOโ€™S!!!!

What are 2 donโ€™ts for your texture?
T:
No chemical dying. Iโ€™ve done it before and my hair became so dry and brittle. My hair began to hate me. I also donโ€™t straighten my hair (because of my hair politics), but sometimes I want to. I just donโ€™t want any straight ends, which usually happens when I straighten my hair. I may do it soonโ€ฆor not lol.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
T:
Twitter: @tatianamrj, Tumblr: summercoolin@tumblr.com

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About Meosha

Just another lover of natural hair and expression. - Style Icon Coordinator for BGLH

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Kay
Kay
8 years ago

Simply Gorgeous!!!

Annie L.
Annie L.
8 years ago

The shape and โ€˜flouffโ€™ of your cloudy fro with the little bang is just sensational! Very nice interview.

Annie L.
Annie L.
8 years ago
Reply to  Annie L.

Meant to comment on that ADORABLE robinโ€™s egg number and the sequined dress, marvelous!

Home Daycare
8 years ago

Your hair looks soooo soft! Nice pics.

ladyluo
ladyluo
8 years ago

Love, love, love the hair

Kim
Kim
8 years ago

Gorgeous natural hairstyles!

B
B
8 years ago

Great story and lovely hair!

maralondon
maralondon
8 years ago

I love that you embrace your shrinkage in all its glory.

Elle
Elle
8 years ago

that fro is the BOMB!! I loved that interview also, I could relate to many of the things mentionned.

j
j
8 years ago
Reply to  Elle

+1

Vanessa :)
Vanessa :)
8 years ago

Yay Tatianna! Nice interview!

Ashley F.
Ashley F.
8 years ago

Yes!!!!!!!! Finally a Boston girl! I live right in Dorchester too behind Fields Corner (Only my Boston heads know what Iโ€™m talking about!) Anyway, we should def do a meet up ๐Ÿ˜‰

BlackOnyx03
BlackOnyx03
8 years ago

I was a Boston transplant for nearly a decade until I moved away a little over a year ago. I know all about Roxbury/Dorchester/Mattapan (including the Fields Corner area too, Ashley!). One thing that suprised me is how many people have natural hair in that area (esp. among young black immigrants I noticedโ€ฆ) and yet how few salons there are to cater to us. Besides Murielโ€™s (whooo! donโ€™t get me started on that one), Fresh Start (which wasnโ€™t much better), Erinnโ€™s (which I only went to once and wasnโ€™t that impressed)โ€ฆI was hard pressed to find a salon while I… Read more »

Tatiana
8 years ago

Thanks everyone, Itโ€™s great to get all this support on here! i know, the salon situation in boston isnโ€™t very good for natural hair, I did live in New York for a while and ended up getting my hair done there, and now every once and again I do that, only because i end up in nyc, but also I rely a lot on friends and my aunt, and now I lean how to do everything myself, so I can be my own salon, but it is hard! ๐Ÿ™ Hopefully things will change and more Boston salons will cater to… Read more »

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