Lauren // Multi-Texture Style Icon

*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally

Introduce yourself!
L: My name is Lauren and I am from Gastonia, NC.

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
L: I went natural simply because I wanted to. It has always been something that I was interested in; I just had to wait until the right time for me. I hadn’t experienced any major damage issues due to relaxing my hair. My hair was healthy during those years as well. I just got tired of relaxers and woke up one morning and told myself “Ok, I’m done”, and haven’t looked back since. I have been relaxer free since November 2008 and fully natural since my BC on July 8, 2009. I am approaching my 4th year post BC.

How would you describe your texture?
L: This is actually a great question that I don’t totally know the answer to haha. I haven’t really gotten into the hair typing issue. I do know that I have different curl patterns and that the front of my hair is closer to a 3b/c and my sides and back to a 4b/c. My hair is very full, thick, and strong and I love it the way it is.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
L: My styling regimen over the course of a month typically depends on the season. With fall approaching I am staying closer to the staple twist and braidouts. Over the past month I have been wearing twists that I have worn freely and pinned into various updos. Once I am tired of the twists I will take them out and wear a twistout that will eventually become a puff or bun. My hair appreciates it too and I have learned that the heaviness provides better looking styles for me and longevity. I add moisturizers as needed and always perform nightly maintenance.

I use Cantu Leave in Conditioner or Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie along with my own shea butter mix (shea butter, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, aloe vera juice) and argan oil to seal the moisture for styling.

What does wash day look like for you?
L: I only wash once a month now and use Terresentials Lavender Mud Wash and Aussie Moist for my cleansing. If I need a more clarifying wash I will use Giovanni Invigorating Shampoo and I always apply the Giovanna Direct Leave-In Conditioner before styling. I section my hair into 4 twists then detangle with the Aussie Moist. I then apply the Terresentials section by section until clean, rinse, and apply the Direct Leave-In. My process is the same whether done in the shower or sink.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
L: I love to twist my hair into chunky twists and then pin them into an updo. It’s such a simple style that looks like it took a lot of effort and it looks good year around. If I don’t have time for this I can always rely on a nice low or high puff or bun.

How do you combat shrinkage?
L: I typically braid my hair and allow it time to dry prior to styling to stretch it and then style however I please, and sometimes I will blow dry using the tension method prior to styling as well.

Tell us about your hair color?
L: I was a little apprehensive about coloring my hair because I’d heard so many horror stories about the damage it did to others. Since I knew my hair was really strong and had never been affected by color when I was relaxed, I decided to give it a try. I did it myself using Texture Tones Flaming Desire. I applied the color and let it sit for about 20 minutes then afterwards I cowashed using the conditioner that came along with the color, then deep conditioned with my own mix. I applied my initial color in October 2010 and it was more red, then again in the summer of 2011 after it had turned more blonde. I haven’t colored again since then. I’ve really enjoyed having it and haven’t noticed any change in the texture of my hair. I’ve just been a lot more conscious of keeping it moisturized properly.

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
L: I don’t have specific problem areas, but since coloring my hair 2 years ago I have been extremely cautious about moisture and maintaining that. I drink plenty of water and pay attention to how my hair reacts to certain things such as styles, the weather, and products.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?
L: Nightly maintenance and plenty of moisture!!!! My hair lets me know how angry it is if I negate from the two.

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
L: I don’t know if these are considered 2 don’ts but I had to pull away from shampooing a lot because I noticed it stripped away a lot of the moisture that my hair needs. I would also say a lot of heat. I probably only use it about 2–3 times a year.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
L: Yes I have a Facebook page Beau-ti-FRO-lly Lauren.