*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally
Introduce yourself!
V: My name is Venessa aka Vanie0295 and Iโm from Kingston, Jamaica.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
V: Well it is a long and very traumatic story. But in short, I went to a relatively new upscale salon to get my hair permed. Got a bad perm job and had practically all the hair in the crown section fall out in the sink. I was so traumatized from this event, I was forced to go natural. Yes, I was one of those black girls who was addicted to the perm. In time, I fell in love with my natural texture. It was the right shape and density to complement my naturally God given beauty and now I can confidently say that I would never, ever perm my hair again. I have been natural now for four years and 10 months.
How would you describe your texture?
V: My hair is mostly 4b with some 4a and 4c sections. I have a head full of fine densely packed hair that has a high propensity to tangle.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
V: Iโm not one to protective style a lot. I wear my hair out, big, and in an afroโed out state (95% of the time). Therefore my styling regimen must include careful daily moisture retention maintenance. My morning routine consists of first spraying my hair with water and aloe juice followed up by some styler (I have plenty, but one of my favs is Qhemet Biologics). Lastly, I seal it with an oil (my favs are coconut oil, jojoba oil and Jamaican black castor oil). My nightly routine is very similar to my morning routine. I place my hair in 5 plaits and cover with my satin cap for the night.
What does wash day look like for you?
V: Iโm a big advocate of having some sort of pre-shampoo routine, especially if you have major detangling issues on shampoo days. I typically pre-shampoo in an overnight cap with the Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment or Repair Me by Curl Junkie. In the morning I use a hair steamer, followed up by detangling. Then I shampoo (no allegiance as of yet), and condition with either Giovanni Smooth As Silk, Trader Joeโs Nourish Spa, or Wen Fig Cleaning Conditioner.
Tell us about your hair color?
V: Since going natural, Iโve gone from blonde to brown to black. Doing it myself I have damaged my hair some. But luckily enough, I was able to nurse it back to good health, cutting it along the way.
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you donโt have a lot of time to style.
V: An afro. Did I mention before that I love my big fro. My attitude has always been too bad if you donโt like it or think itโs unprofessional. Iโve rocked it at work in my suits, rock it at the mall, rocked it in a nightclub, you name it and Iโve rocked it there :).
How do you combat shrinkage?
V: I must admit that the worst part about being natural for me is the shrinkage I getโฆI HATE IT. Iโve spent the last two years perfecting the art of stretching my hair. Iโve used roller sets with no heat and with heat, rod sets, twisting when wet then taking down when 80% dry only to plait it up again all the while stretching the hair, tension method blow drying, you name it, Iโve probably tried it.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
V: My crown area.
What are 2 doโs for your texture?
V: Moisture, moisture and more moisture.
What are 2 donโts for your texture?
V: Donโt get caught up in comparing hair growth with other naturalsโฆhair will grow as long as you focus on getting and keeping healthy hair. Donโt get too caught up with your hairโฆitโs just hair!
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
V: YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/vanie0295
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vanie0295
Oh. My. Goodness. Iโm just speechless at all that hair. I love it! Her texture is like mine so that gives me some more inspiration. She is beautiful and so is her hair. I love her attitude. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Itโs Vanie0295 with the fabulous hair! She was one of the first youtubers I saw with high density hair similar to mine and like cynthiarf wasnโt into protective styling, you were an inspiration to me at the beginning of my hair journey.
Iโm so glad to have helped!
I love, love, love her fro!!
Venessa, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your hair. You are hair inspiration!!!! The your picsโฆsuper duper cute.
Big hair donโt care!!! I love it!!!
The reason why I went natural is to have hair like that. THAT AFRO IS PERFECT!!!!!!!!
yeah it really is the perfect afro lol
Love your hair ๐
Awww, you have the cutest little baby face! ๐ And your hair is gorgeous! I too wear my hair out 95% of the time, I wouldnโt have it any other way. lol!
Yep definitely one of my favourite interviews thus far.
Awww thank you!
Hi! first of all let me tell you, your hair is gorgeous!!! I am also from Jamaica, I live in MoBay, this is my 3rd and hopefully final time going natural, the other 2 times I went natural I was living in Cuba, as soon as I moved back home I permed my hair because Iโve never learned to take responsibility for my own hair. I canโt do cornrows or fancy updos etc. Seeing your hair out and in all its glory and not looking like a hot mess has really given me hope. Iโd like to know where in… Read more »
Hey Simoan, I dont know anywhere in Mobay that sells natural hair products, but in Kingston, Nettle & Moss sells majority of the popular products (Kinky Curly, Qhemet, Carolโs Daughter and more..). They are on 44 lady musgrave rd.
Gimme like 6 months and I plan to open my own lil store in mobay so no watch no face ๐
Btw Vannie, we have similar hair so you know iโm luvin your fro!! gotta check out your youtube when I get a chance ๐
Hey Simoan, try Montego Bay Beauty Supplies (i donโt know for sure if anythingโs in there but try it) and Fontana has a few things โ they sell a couple things from Beautiful Earth as well ass Kumeaโs Hair Perspective.
If youโre into mixing your own things you might find some raw ingredients in Adwa or other natural food stores (not so sure about this one).
But definately check out Fontana.
Thanks everyone for the very informative comments. Really appreciated. MoBay beauty supplies mainly caters to relaxed/chemically treated hair, they donโt really stock a lot of natural haircare products. As for Fontana they tend to run out of products quicklyโฆwhenever I go there they are usually sold out and donโt take orders and most frustrating they canโt tell me when they get new stock so that I can the first in line next time. I will definitely check out Nettle & Moss. Once again, thanks for the support guys! Already feeling the loveโฆxoxo
Iโm living in the US now.
oh, ok. your welcome anyway. Also, if youโre on Facebook โ search for CurlyCentric Jamaica โ its a natural hair support group and I know some people from Mobay are a part of it and can help you figure out where to get what. Check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/curlycentric?ref=ts&fref=ts
Hi! @ Jodi, thank you so much, just checked out their Facebook page, who knew? I had no idea there was a natural hair community/support group right in my back yard. Keep the info coming, really appreciated xoxoโฆI have a feeling that this time around, my natural hair journey will be a very good one.
yyyyaaaayyy Vanie sis! so good to see you here. your hair is just fab, the density ohhhh the density!!! love it and love you xxx
Loulou we need you featured! Unless I have missed yours!
Hey Mato! Looking forward to seeing your post :).
Gorgeous hair girl!
i would feel so subpar standing next to you for a picture with that hair girl!
LOVE! The thicknessโฆ*drooling*
Her hair actually raised my heart rate a bitโฆLol
2 more years and hopefully Iโll be sitting somewhere in the same ballpark of length and thickness ๐
Love Vanieโs hair and her youtube channel!
Thank you :). Iโm so honored and humbled by the feature.
Thank you ALL for all your kind words! NATURAL GIRLS ROCK!!!
Itโs Vanie!I heart her YouTube channel.
Great personality and faaaabulous hair. Reading this article, I could hear her voice in my head LOL! (That sounded a lil crazy, didnโt it?)
Instead of saying her hair gives me life, Iโd like to say that her hair gives me HOPE! lol I canโt stand protective styling and it so great to know that she can grow long hair WITHOUT protective styling but with proper moisturizing. I love wearing my hair out. Anyway beautiful pictures!
Lets do the Vanie dance! : ) Love you boo!
Big UPS to my sweet, sweet Vanie. I love her spirit and her weakness Xoxo
*realness
She has a โlotโ of hair. Love the color.
Overwhelming.
Big hair always looks great on others โI could not imagine it on me.
Venessa has a โhead full of hairโ as some Jamaicans say. Love it. Itโs amazing how healthy Black hair can look when itโs just left alone.