Introduce yourself!
R: Hello! My name is Ritza, but I also go by the name Raspberry. I am originally from Haiti, but have lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts for a good portion of my life.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
R: Iโve been natural for exactly 2 years, 4 monthsโฆand counting! I decided to go natural simply because I grew beyond tired and became quite annoyed when it came time to get my hair done. What a process!! On my โGet your hair doneโ days, you could say that I basically lived at the salon. Waking up just to get ready to go spend what felt like an ENTIRE day at the salon is not, never has, and never will be โwhatโs upโ! My reason for going natural was due to sheer laziness, lol!
How would you describe your texture?
R: My hair is a very dense mixture of 4b, 4c, AND 4z textures, lol! The hair on the back of my head is very soft and seems to have more of an sโcurl pattern. The hair on the crown of my head is thick, dense, tight, and I often find it more difficult to stretch even after having done a twist or braid-out. My hair requires a lot of moisture, sometimes more than once a day, because it tends to get very dry. Some days my hair looks fabulous hunny! lol, and I feel like upon waking up and undoing my twists my hair tells me that โI better werk!โ lol. Then there are the other days where my hair just looks soo tired. Every day is different. #naturalgirlproblems!
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
R: Hmmm, letโs seeโฆover the course of a month I use Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner as a leave in, SโCurl Moisturizer, Wave Nouveau Moisturizer, and 100% all natural aloe vera juice to keep my hair moisturized. I find myself getting bored more often with certain hairstyles. Because of this, I wear my hair in protective styles. I wear wigs, braid extensions, and pinned updos probably something like 70% of the time. Iโd say that I wear my hair in a twist out style the other 30% of the time.
What does wash day look like for you?
R: Wash days are my least favorite daysโฆEverrr!!! lol. When I first started my natural hair journey I would wash my hair once a week. I currently wash my hair more like every two weeks, and sometimes a little longer than that *gulp*. Because Iโve been washing my hair less frequently than usual, I typically give it A LOT of TLC on my wash days. I start off with a 15โ20 minute protein treatment by Joico KโPak, followed by shampooing my hair with Terressentials Organic Mud Shampoo, then a 1 hour deep conditioning treatment using Living Proof Restore Conditioner, followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse, and lastly I moisturize my hair using Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner as a leave-inโฆLike I saidโฆItโs a long day!
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you donโt have a lot of time to style.
R: My favorite go-to hairstyle on days where โI aint got time for thatโ lol, would be pinned two-strand twists. Let me tell you, the beauty in this look is that it lasts for days! Plus, with the undercut that I currently have, I must say it looks pretty bad a$%, lol!
How do you combat shrinkage?
R: Shrinkage!!! Iโm over trying to combat shrinkage, so I donโt really do much to prevent it. I have tried different types of twist outs, and it seems like no matter what, my hair shrinks back to what ever length it feels like shrinking back to. So.โฆ*shrug* however my hair comes out, Iโm fine with it, shrinkage and all!
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
R: The crown of my head is my problem area. I suffered from a severe itchy patch that just wouldnโt go away. The crown of my head was soo itchy to the point where I had to go and visit with a dermatologist. That area would severely itch approximately every 2 months. I was told that I suffer from what is called seborrheic dermatitis, which is basically an inflammatory skin disorder that in my case affects the crown area on my scalp. Unfortunately there is not much one can do to cure it, *sigh*. The dermatologist did tell me that constant scratching of the same area stunts the growth of hair, and she prescribed me with a stronger version of Scalpicin to help alleviate the itching when it occurs. I try to keep the crown of my scalp moisturized and free of build-up. I try to apply my prescribed solution every time I feel the itch on the crown of my scalp intensifying, to keep it under control.
What are 2 doโs for your texture?
R: Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize. Oh, wait, that was 3 ๐ You get my drift!
What are 2 donโts for your texture?
R: Washing and going. It just doesnโt work for my hair type! If anything it does more damage than anything.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
R: Why yes! Thank you for asking! facebook.com/naturalandthecity and youtube.com/naturalandthecity. My vlog is mainly for giggles though; laughter is good for the soul! Iโm also on Instagram by the same name.
I love how thick her hair is- reminds me of mine
Love it! Her undercut looks good, usually thatโs not the case.
I like her interview and How well grounded she is.
Haitianne!! U make me proud! Great post!
Just gorgeous!! Hair, face, personality all are banginโ! Thanks for the laughsโฆvery funny interview=)
nice hair ๐
coconut oil basically got rid of my seb-derm; it was much better than the cream the docโs gave me. apple cider vinegar is awesome too; i use it to keep the seb-derm at bay.
If you donโt mind me asking, what was the routine that you created using coconut oil to get rid of your seb-derm? Just curious.
I used to have it as a little girlโฆIt was like cornflakes in my head. Now itโs coming back. How did you use it to clear it up? I can scratch that patch up and it will return within 2 days. UGH!
Thanks in advance!
Try Henna for the itchy dry scalp. It works wonders for me and my daughter. Henna is very healing
Wow, she is so beautiful! I love her hair. Sheโs funny, & I love her care free/whatever type attitude sheโs displaying.
Love your hair! So healthy! I can totally relate to the some days it looks great/some days not so much thing.
very pretty.
Love your blog
Amazing hair. I love it
She is very pretty! I like the fact that she wears her hair in protective styles 70% of the times and her hair still looks great and healthy ! I used to think it wasnโt possible. I wear my hair in protective styles (braids) a lot and always had this presumption that if I donโt leave my hair out to take care of it, it wonโt grow. I think she just killed that presumption ! She just confirmed that hair can grow and be taken care of even under braids ! Such an inspo !
Yep, this is my exact interview. I dread wash days, I keep my hair in twists 90% of time and I have a itchy patch at the crown. I use Head & Shoulders to keep mine at bay. The growth in that area is very, very slow and the hair is extremely different from the rest of my hair. Just when you think you are the only one.โฆthereโs always someone else!
Love, love, love this interview. Witty and charming. I found someone who describes their hair like i do mine, and her coils looks exactly like mine. You go girl!
I love your hair. Lol, you said Type 4Z, thatโs cute. I try to wear my hair out like that, but right now there is no order to my hair. My hair looks confused and lost. =)
I am a 59 year old woman whoโs hair is thinning. At one point in my life my hair was thick and long . Those days are gone now . And I have accepted that gracefully . I would like to know at this point what can I do about the thinning of my hair . Please โ HELP โ me. Thank You
Gorgeous head of hair!