Natural & All Journey Feature: Kinky Kinetik

Hello my name is Kera 'Kinky Kinetik' Lee

My natural hair journey began a little something like this… In early 2009, I had gotten a relaxer.  I was getting ready to go to Miami for Memorial weekend and was getting a sewn-in weave with braids in the front.  I got a mini-touch up at that time.  I say mini as I didn’t leave it in long and I didn’t smooth it through my entire head.  That was the last time a relaxer touched my hair.  I kept sewn-in weaves in for a while and then in November of that same year, I cut off the rest of my ‘relaxed’ ends. 

I decided to go natural because…. Aside from health reasons, I wanted to go natural because I really love natural hair.  It’s liberating!

My friends and family were not all fully supportive of my decision to go natural and as a result I …did wonder if natural is for me, would being natural be 'accepted,' and if they would eventually accept me as a NATURAL beauty.  After all, my decision to go natural was something I believed in and really wanted to do.

The goal for my hair is just to be healthy, with minimal knots and split ends and to get to bra strap length.  I don't think I need to be at hip, knee, or ankle length!!

If I were stranded on an island the products I just couldn’t live without are water, coconut oil, a satin bonnet and ouchless elastic headband because water will moisturize my hair and the coconut oil will add a bit more moisture, shine, manageability and act as a sealant.  I would wrap my hair nightly with the satin bonnet and when I want to rock a puff, instead of a twist out, I will use the ouchless elastic band.

Throughout this journey I’ve learned … patience is needed as your hair will not always act, or grow, how and when you want it to.  I have also learned that what works for one, doesn't work for all when it comes to hair products.

For more information visit Kinky Kinetik's Facebook Fanpage or Kinky Kinetik's blog.

If you would like to be featured or post any of your health and beauty information on our Natural & All page please send your inquiries to iambondinc@gmail.com.

Natural & All Feature: Shana

Hello my name is Shana and I am in love with my natural hair!

My natural hair journey began a little something like this….

In February, about 8 months after first cutting my hair, I got frustrated with trying to maintain a perm as it grew out and decided to just cut the perm out and start fresh short with natural hair. About 6 months after that cut, I decided to start fresh and cut all my hair off again. I did an awful job and had a few patches so I had to go to the barber shop and told the barber to give me a fade.

I decided to go natural because I was tired of my hair.  I had long hair before getting it cut initially and although many believed I wasn’t, I was a perm head. My hair was getting dry and brittle from a lot of coloring, perming and cutting. I never seemed to be satisfied with how my hair looked, long or not. I had been researching going natural for months before cutting my hair but I was not sure if it was something I really wanted to do. I was scared of the stigma that may come with being natural and feeling unattractive. When I first cut the perm out, I received a lot of smart comments because I would pluck it out like an afro. People would walk pass me and put their fist up, LOL. When I cut it the second time, people really were surprised.

                                          

My friends and family were shocked but supportive of my decision to go natural and as a result I felt even more comfortable with myself and my decision. I think overall, they just want me to have my long hair again LOL.

The goal for my hair is just to continue to grow it out. I miss my long hair but I just do not miss having perms. Since going natural, I have learned that I have a pretty nice grain of hair. My hair gets real curly when I wet it and I never realized I had curly hair. The one thing I do not like is that my hair gets frizzy! I have found some good products that help me maintain that and basically on rainy days I just do not try. Even with that, to me, my natural curls are golden.

If I were stranded on an island the products I just couldn’t live without are coconut oil and Cantu Leave- in Conditioner because they make my hair soft and my natural pretty curls can form.

Throughout this journey I’ve learned confidence is important.  I have learned since being natural that natural is for everyone but not everyone is meant to be natural. You have to have patience and a real desire to want to learn about your hair. It does not make you any more or any less of a person. Just do you!