Where do you live?
K: I live in Lafayette, LA. I am a 9th grade Algebra I teacher.
Why did you go natural?
K: My siblings and I used to spend every summer at my grandmother’s. My sister and I would cry when my grandmother would wash and comb our hair because it was so thick. So when I was 7 years old my grandmother put our first relaxer without our mother’s consent. My grandmother went natural at the age of 66 years old and when I saw the texture of her hair, it made me curious about what mine would look like if I went natural too.
I went natural in December 2002 after I had my 4th son. I was just ready for a change. By that time, I had gone 8 months without a relaxer and I did the big chop myself (bad idea). I cut my hair where the waves stopped and the straight began. My husband was livid, but I actually loved it. My hair was about 3 inches long.
I LOVE MY NATURAL HAIR!! It has actually boosted my self confidence. I love the versatility of it. I’m never bored. If I want a relaxed look, I straighten it with a flat iron. If a want a free look, I wear it wild, If I want a sophisticated look, I twist it up. As a teacher, my students look forward to seeing how my hair is going to look that day. That’s kinda fun to see their reactions.
I teach at a predominantly white high school, so its fun to play with diversity and allow my students to recognize beauty in being different and also discuss our cultural differences. It also creates an opportunity for me to model to my young black female students about taking pride in their afrocentricity, if you will.
What’s your regimen?
K: I use Pantene shampoo and conditioner, Cantu Shea Butter to moisturize, and Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk to define my curls. When I where a simple curly puff, I use a light gel to lay my hair down.
What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?
K: When I first went natural, I had a very hard time finding affordable hair products that would not dry out my hair. The most important thing I’ve learned is to not to use products with alcohol-based ingredients in it.
What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
K: The most effective thing I do for my hair is to keep it moisturized and sleep with a satin cap at night. I love not having to continuously put heat on my hair.
Anything else you want to add?
K: This is the longest and healthiest my hair has EVER been in my life. One of the BEST decisions I’ve ever made.
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12 Responses
beautiful! i love natural hair buns and the knotted look takes it to a whole new level! definitely trying this style next
Beurtiful person inside and out. Your hair is yet another extention of your natural loveliness!
The updos are fab, and it’s cool to see someone from the “flats” profiled on this site 🙂
thank ya’ll!!…i did these styles myself…just playin around with my hair…Ive always adored natural hairstyles, so yes mlb, i still would have gone natural if my hair was a different texture.
I love your twisted bun updo..beautiful. Do you do it yourself? I wish I had someones inspirationally naturally beautiful like you when I was in school too!
Such stunning photos and a wonderful inspiration! Simply beautiful!
Your hair looks wonderful! If you had though the opposite of your ‘hair having a nice wave’ in between relaxers, would you still have decided to go natural?
Your hair is Beautiful Karen. It so crazy to see you featured on here. I met you at the family reunion with my cousin and we were both natural as well!!! Sheesh its such a small world.
Wow, beautiful lady with beautiful hair. I’m right around the corner from Ms. Karen in Lake Charles,LA and I went to a predominately white high school. I wish I would have had a teacher to inspire me the way you are doing with your students.
I knew your face looked familiar the minute I saw it. You taught at my school! I didn’t have the privilege of being one of your students though. Here I am raving about this site to everyone and this small world we live in shows a familiar face. I’m glad to see natural hair is catching on out here where it seems that everyone is afraid to be “different”. It makes me proud to be a black woman that can hold her head up high.
Really beautiful, Karen! As someone who went to a predominately white high school (and college) I would have loved to see a teacher like you representing beauty and confidence! You are teaching those kids so much! The algebra skills should come in handy too :).
Karen, your twist updo’s are simply gorgeous. I would like to hear about how you achieved those styles. It looks fairly unstructured, but those fat coils — fantastic!