Tell // 4C Natural Hair Style Icon

Introduce yourself!
T: Hey there, my name is Tell and I am from the mitten aka Michigan!

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
T: I decided to go natural for my daughter actually! My husband is Caucasian so she’s a little bit of both worlds and I didn’t want her growing up thinking that she had to chemically alter her hair or wear extensions all the time because her hair didn’t look a certain way. I want her to know that her mother is a beautiful African American woman who embraces every part of that.

I started this journey January of this year on a cold winter night at about 11 pm. I got an idea to chop off all of my hair and start my YouTube channel back up so I could video blog the process. If you’re a part of the YouTube world then you are familiar with Big Chop videos… basically you just watch a woman cut off all of her relaxed ends lol. Once you see a few of those you’re pretty pumped to do your own, or at least I was. Haven’t looked back since :)!

How would you describe your texture?
T: I would definitely describe my hair as mostly 4C. It is very coarse and very thick! I’m so excited to see my hair get fuller and longer. I can’t even imagine what I’m going to look like!

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
T: Honestly, I am very into low manipulation. I film for my YouTube channel a few times a week so at night I twist my hair up to stretch it a bit. Twisting at night also helps my dry hair to retain moisture better. My products are pretty natural… coconut oil, olive oil and I throw in some Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk. I am still very new to the natural world so I am searching for my perfect regimen.

What does wash day look like for you?
T: Wash day is very experimental for me lol, but lately I have been using Shea Moisture’s Raw Shea Butter Restorative Shampoo and Leave-in Conditioner for dry, damaged hair. After washing I apply the Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask to deep condition. I also throw in some olive oil to baby my hair. Then I rinse, which is sometimes the next day… Yes I will be the wife that walks around all day with a plastic bag wrapped around her head because I refuse to buy shower caps lol.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
T: Lately I have been feeling a side part, so I’ll part and place a couple of bobby pins where my hair is separated to keep my scalp visible.

How do you combat shrinkage?
T: A lot of people complain about shrinkage, but it really doesn’t bother me. Naturally, that’s how my hair is most comfortable, so unless I am going to take the time to twist it out, no fighting here!

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
T: I would probably consider my edges to be a problem area, but I hate to say problem, more like consequence. But I am seeing growth without taking any extra steps.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?
T: 2 do’s for my texture are to love it fervently and to feed it as much as possible with natural products.

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
T: 2 don’ts for my texture are to NEVER stress myself out about defining curls that do NOT exist! And to never wear a protective style because I am uncomfortable with the way I look with my natural texture.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
T: You can find me on YouTube! I do videos about everything Beauty… From makeup to embracing your Natural! Come say hi! http://www.youtube.com/user/TellmeBeauty?feature=watch