Introduce yourself!
D: Hello!!!!! My name is Danielle and I currently live in Houston, TX born and raised!!!!
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
D: Well I decided to go natural because I felt like I had done all to my hair that was to be done!! I was relaxed, but I did the Bobs, the asymmetrical bob, the short hair, the Rihanna haircut, weaves, you name it!! I have a daughter who has a beautiful head full of hair and itโs funny because I wanted to be like her. Let her know as she gets older that there is absolutely nothing wrong with her hair and what better way to display that to her than to show her that mommy has curls and kinks too!! So I researched for like 5 months about natural hair. YouTube and Google were my best friends!! Iโve been fully natural for about two years, but my last relaxer was September of 2010. I did the big chop the day before Motherโs Day in 2011 as a gift to myself.
How would you describe your texture?
D: I like a lot of my friends that are natural donโt really get too caught up in typing. But if I had to take a guess my hair is 4b at the top and front and 4c at the bottom with my sides being a mixture of the two. My strands are fine in my opinion and this mane is THICK!!
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
D: Well for the past month or two I have been doing the Curly Girl method so it has been 2 months of wash and goโs!! I decided to go this route because I wanted to try something different as I was becoming broke with buying styling products that didnโt give me the look I wanted. So when I started the curly girl method the conditioner showed me what I had been looking for!! Girl it was like the heavens opened up and Jesus himself handed me that conditioner.
What does wash day look like for you?
D: Since for the past month I have been doing the Curly Girl Method or a modified version rather, I donโt use shampoo and I co-wash my hair every day (I know it sounds crazy!!). I swear by the Holy Grail of Conditioners, which is Trader Joeโs Nourish Spa Conditioner. Itโs cheap and gives my hair what it needs, so I am able to buy 3โ4 bottles at a time to tide me over without breaking the bank. I finger detangle in the shower and do a minor cold rinse leaving a bit of the conditioner in my hair. I use a tโshirt to put my hair in a turban and soak up some of the water. I then rotate between adding rice bran oil and vitamin E oil to seal in the conditioner. Then I add my leave-in and for that I use Lustrasilk Moisture Max Keratin Amino Acid Leave-In Crรจme Conditioner. Depending on how I feel I may add a bit of Eco Styler Gel. That particular leave-in came in my May Curl Kit and I loved it!! Then I may put my hair back up in the tโshirt so I can get dressed. My hair air dries for the rest of the day. I like this method because itโs simple, giving me the look and results I like. There are occasional fairy knots, but overall itโs working for me. It helped my curls replenish, so when I thought I was 4c all over my head, those curls were just in need of some TLC!!
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you donโt have a lot of time to style.
D: There are days when I one it, and bun it if I get lazy or wake up late!!
How do you combat shrinkage?
D: I combat shrinkage with the rice bran oil and the vitamin e oil. It was a tip I read on Urban Bush Babes!!
Tell us about your hair color?
D: The red color is a color I picked up from Sallyโs on a day that I had watched Sex and the City. The scene that inspired me to color my hair was when Carrie dyed her hair as sort of a fresh start from a difficult time she had just managed to overcome. Me and my boyfriend (cue tiny violin) had recently had a separation and I needed to do something to make me feel better. I saw a picture of a girl with beautiful cranberry curls on Pinterest and that too was inspiration. I chose a red and I bleached and dyed my hair myself. If I can remember it was a LโOreal color. But donโt let me lie chile!! I did feel that it loosened my curls a bit, but nothing I would complain about. FYI only color your hair professional or otherwise if youโre gonna be committed to giving it that extra love it will need to continue to be healthy.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
D: I have always been bald on my temples since as early as I can remember. So right now I am focusing on my temples and edges to give them a fair shake at growing back in. What is a natural girl with no edges right?!
What are 2 doโs for your texture?
D: Two doโs for my texture are moisture and moisture lol.
What are 2 donโts for your texture?
D: Two donโts for MY texture, key word MY, is the pineapple method and excessive protein.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
D: Yea girl!! Hit me on the hip!!
Twitter.com/Elleluminate
Tumblr.com/Appleloniasway
Instagram: Ellea_Ellea
Pinterest: Danielle Tillman
First of all, Iโd like to start off by saying that I absolutely love your hair. Your regimen is extremely simple and efficient and itโs wonderful that its working for you. Secondโฆ I think the whole typing system is so complicated. At this point, I donโt even know what to base it off of. Your hair, to ME and from what I understand looks more like a 4a/4b (maybe even a LITTLE 3c) then a 4b/4c? It just goes to show that it doesnโt make any sense and it is completely inaccurate or irrelevant. We seem to have the same hair… Read more »
Aww thanks!!! Yea the hair typing thing will have you going crazy!! Thanks for the kind words and I love rants!!
Nice hairstyles and pretty child! I donโt care for the red, but hey, not my hair. Good story and inspiration for the kids!
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Thank you!! The red was a risk!! it turned out ok but itโs not something I think Iโll do again!!
I love the red!!!!! If I didnโt work at a fairly conservative insurance company, I just might.โฆ.
I really enjoyed this interview! You are stunning, and that colour is so vibrant. Love your hair.
Thanks!!! ๐
You and your daughter are gorgeous ๐
Thank you!!
Yayyyyyyyyyy sisssssyyyyyy *does tootsie roll*
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The violins have came to a halt ladies and gentlemen we are back together.โฆIsnโt she lovely!!
Thanks for the support baby cakes!!!
you dont need red hair!!
How about she can do what she wants to her hair? Sheโs expressing herself & being confident about it. I love it!
i absolutely love your hair and the color!!! beautiful!!! your daughter is cute and I love her curls too!
Thanks girlie!!!
Gorgeous
Okay! Itโs time for me to hurry up and dye my hair red! Did you have any damage from the dye?
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Hey Kemz!! The only damage that I can say I experienced was the dryness. That color and I think red in general is a hard color to maintain and requires extra love!! I say if your thinking about going that bright make sure moisture is your best friend!!
Your hair is so full and beautiful! Love it! That picture with your daughter is too cute for words ๐
Omg I love that color!!! I wanna go blue but am scared of the bleach. My hair is about 3 inches from my waist and everybody keeps tellin me not to do it.
I want blue hair too! Not the whole thing but like a little piece. I too am worried about damage and regret. I would say there are four options: (1) donโt do it if itโs not worth it; (2) live your life and just try it. you might love it; (3) try a streak or the very backโnot your whole head. So if itโs terrible it can be more easily covered and easier to come back from than an entire head of mess; or (4) try those hair chalk things. They add a splash of color and easily wash out.
What makes you think you are A 4b/4c (not being rude just trying to find out what u see as 4c because I am a 4b/4c and our hair is different)
Her curls actually look more 4A to me too. Iโm a 4A. But since sheโs not big into typing, I guess it doesnโt matter to her one way or the other. I like to know a personโs hair type so that I know if their regimen will work for me. No need for me trying what works for a 3B/C natural, when my hair is nothing like that.
Your hair looks so lush.
Your hair is beautiful but if all the fros are your wng fros then Iโd say you are a 4a/b with 3C as some of the curls are really visible and the rest seems to be made up of curls and undefined areas like 4a/b is. Youโre right that it doesnโt matter so much when you type yourself but it does help people with hair like yours to find out their hair type proper and then they can maybe get tips from your regi. I love the fullness of your hair too.
I love the colors you have used and your hair sill looks so healthy and beautiful. Your daughter is gorgeous as well, I can identify with wanting to be like your baby, I thought the same thing about my hair in relation to my two daughters. What better way to say love yourself the way you are than to show that you do?
I liked this interview. Lol at the no pinappling. I just started doin this and it is helping me keep tension off my edges instead of retwisting everynight. At least you gave it a shot. Iโm gonna have to get me some rice bran oil. Its one of the few good hair and body oils ive had yet to try. The red is a whoa, but its working for you. It probably looks amazing when you do up dos and twists.
I love this!!!
i think that color is magenta by loreal because my friend dyed her natural hair the same color