FEATURE FRIDAY: WHITNEY
Hi everyone!!
Hope you’re all having a great week! So here we go with another feature from the beaut Whitney! Enjoy!
Tell us your name, where you’re from and where you live?
My name is Whitney Madueke. I am from Anambra State and I live in Lagos, Nigeria.
How long have you been natural? And why did you decide to go natural? My last relaxer was on the 20th of June 2012. I transitioned till the 13th of March 2013, when I did my big chop. I was so bored with relaxed hair – my hair was healthy but it was not fun for me. I love change and diversity, which natural hair gives me in surplus. It had to be done plus Tumblr at this stage was so crucial. I fell in love with pictures of different girls with natural hair – shapes, colour, styles, lengths, all so beautiful and I just had to have it.
What’s the best and worst thing about being natural?
Best – I embraced myself even more. After my big chop, the confidence boost in me rose to its highest and no one can take that from me. I used it to start my blog, Leazz Way, which continues to inspire others. I teach beauty in diversity. Being natural has helped me as an individual to grow and, also, those around me to be influenced to love what God has given us.
Worst – Nothing. I can not find anything bad about being natural. I see everything in a positive light. People complain about shrinkage a lot and I see it as a vital feature of what natural hair is. Our texture and structure is what makes natural hair, natural. Saying its bad explains the very point of why us coily haired individuals were put under the relaxer for years.
Finding something bad about natural hair is not part of my journey. My journey is to embrace all things in its positive light. I share this on Leazz Way.
Give us a brief summary of your wash day regimen I mostly have a wash day every two days. In between those two days, I just drench my hair in water then apply products. I wash with my V05 conditioner, I wrap my hair with an old t-shirt since towels are bad, the t-shirt stays on while I get dressed just to take out any excess water. After I use my LOC method, where I apply any oil (olive, castor, tea tree or jojoba oil) then Indian Hemp on my damp hair in that order. I leave it to air dry. I may use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse, but it depends on if I feel I have product build up, dandruff or an itchy scalp.
If you were stuck on a desert island and you could only have ONE hair product, what would you choose?
Olive oil. Oil is a multi-purpose product and olive oil does so much. Strengthening, shine, growth, promotes scalp health, prevents infections, helps against dandruff and split ends and improves the manageability of your hair. It penetrates the hair and aids beautifully in a hair routine. I always recommend this to my clients, it is really a must-have.
Tell us two DOs and two DON’Ts for your natural hair
DOs: Comb and style on wet hair. Softer natural hair is easier to handle. Deep Condition weekly or bi-weekly or monthly. Depending on the season. This helps with moisturizing and strengthening of my hair.
DONTs: Leave protective hairstyles for more than a month, as it causes hair loss and breakage due to neglect, tangling and matting of hair. Even when one braid is done too tight or not at my roots but on my hair shaft, I take it out. Prevention is better than cure. When done right, protective styles aid my hair growth tremendously. Be close minded about natural hair. All hair is different no matter what. Our hair responds to different things like weather, food, health, genes etc. Thus don’t expect the same results as your fave hair blogger but rather embrace and accept what your hair does and gives you. Embrace yourself and your hair.
Give us one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to go natural Be positive and focus on yourself for yourself. Lots of people on my Tumblr, ask me questions and tell me stories of how negative they feel about their hair and how they want a certain result or just speak negatively about their journey. This will only lead you to troubled roads of excessive product buying, anger and frustration towards your hair. Instead, take everything that comes as a positive – like shrinkage is great for my diversity, one minute I have short hair, the next long. It is amazing. Focus on your hair and what it does, needs and wants. Not on what I or your fave natural hair blogger says. Rules on natural hair are meant to be broken. You will only grow by embracing yourself and fighting for your hair. Love your hair, ask questions, be open minded and focus on your hair with positivity. Nature’s Locks and Leazz Way are both here to help anyone with their natural hair problems. It is that beautiful.
A huge thank you to Whitney for sharing her hair tips with us! You can find her on Tumblr (leazzway.tumblr.com), Instagram (@desourire) and Youtube (youtube.com/leazzway)!
Email or comment below with any questions and follow on Instagram!
Tara xXx
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