Alisha // 3C/4A Natural Hair Style Icon

Introduce yourself!
A: My name is Alisha Adetoro and I’m from Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
A: I would say apart from about 2 years when I used to relax my hair, I have been natural all my life, but it’s only recently that I’ve taken the time to learn how to look after my hair. During that 2 years I over processed my hair with heat and chemicals due to dying it several times. In the summer of 2012, my hair was in a bad state due to the fact that I had bleached it blonde and most of my ends had gone straight, so I decided to cut all the straight ends off and bring some health back to my hair. This blog was actually the first one I found that really helped me to start to understand and care for my hair.

How would you describe your texture?
A: I would say that my hair is a mixture of 3c/4a curls. I have a lot of hair and most people then assume that my hair is thick, but the individual strands of my hair are quite thin.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
A: The style I tend to go for is a wash & go as I don’t like to spend too much time styling my hair. When wearing a wash & go, after washing my hair I usually apply a leave in conditioner by sectioning my hair into 2 and making sure I apply the product evenly by raking it in with my fingers. I am a bit of a product junkie so my leave in changes quite often, but recently I’ve been using Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner or Giovanni Direct Leave-In Weightless Moisture Conditioner. Also I normally apply a bit of Eco Styler Gel to define my curls and then seal with either avocado or olive oil. Recently I have tried a twist out and my process for styling was the same except I skipped the Eco Styler Gel and two strand twisted my hair.

What does wash day look like for you?
A: I tend to wash my hair once every week. Sometimes I try to stretch it to 2 weeks, but that never ends well. I would normally pre-poo the day before wash day by coating my hair in lots of coconut oil. I then shampoo my hair with Crème of Nature Moisture & Shine Shampoo. I really love this for my hair as it cleanses my hair without drying it out as it is sulphate free. Also once a month I will use Curls Pure Curls Clarifying Shampoo to really get rid of product build up. I normally detangle my hair with Tresemme Flawless Curls Curl Hydrating Conditioner. It gives great slip so it makes detangling a breeze. I would normally finish off by deep conditioning with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque or if I feel I need an extra protein boost I use Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
A: If I don’t have a lot of time to style my hair I usually pull it up into a loose pineapple and I’m ready to go!

How do you combat shrinkage?
A: I don’t mind shrinkage too much, but I usually pineapple my hair at night and that helps to stretch my hair.

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
A: In the back of my hair, which has the tightest curls, I have to be the most gentle when detangling to avoid causing breakage.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?
A: Moisture & more Moisture!

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
A: Diffusing & Dry Combing

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
A: Instagram: @freckleface_92