Less than 24 hours left to enter the TLC Naturals Giveaway!! The deadline is tonight, Thursday, September 6th, at 11:59 pm EST!!
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Here it is!! The TLC Naturals Giveaway that I told you about this morning has arrived!! So, what do Paige and I have for you? Well, I’m glad you asked;)! This giveaway is for full-size containers of TLC Naturals’ Grapefruit Hibiscus Hydrating Hair Spritz and Grow It Hair Growth Cream. Here’s a little more about the line and products!
ABOUT TLC NATURALS
We absorb over 70% of whatever is applied to our skin or hair. TLC Naturals products raw, truly edible products are made from raw, organic food grade plant ingredients, rich in nutrients, minerals & anti oxidants. The products are all handmade from scratch in small batches, using traditional methods.
When we make our products, we keep the ingredients as close as possible to their original raw state so your hair & skin can absorb the rich nutrients, vitamins and anti oxidants in the products.
This is much better than absorbing petrochemicals, synthetics, mineral oil, silicones, sulfates, carcinogens & other toxins commonly found in a vast variety of cosmetic products.
Our customers report seeing an INSTANT difference to their hair & skin from the first use.
GRAPEFRUIT HIBISCUS HYDRATING HAIR SPRITZ – 250ML (8.5 OZ)
This natural vegan hydrating spriz and detangler is a natural, organic blend of purified water, flowers, herbs and hydrosols, delicately fragranced with essential oils. The Grapefruit Hibiscus Hydrating Hair Spritz helps hydrate, nourish and fortify your hair.
Result? Smoother, softer, shinier & healthy looking hair that stays moisturised for longer.
This natural hair care product is also great for refreshing your styles and as a well as detangling your hair.
Ideal for ALL Hair types and suitable for children.
NO parabens, petrochemicals, mineral oils or silicones
MADE WITH:
An infused blend of Hibiscus flowers, Organic Green tea & Organic Rosemary
Aloe Vera
Essential Oils of Grapefruit & Lavender
and much more
GROW IT HAIR GROWTH CREAM – 100ML (3.4 OZ)
The Grow It! Hair Cream is a natural and organic vegan formula that is a firm favourite of those having hair problems such as thinning hair, hair loss, slow growth, premature balding and alopecia. It combines potent Indian ayurveda plants with effective natural herbs, MSM and stimulating essential oils.
This product is particularly suitable for anyone experiencing damaged hair follicles, hair loss, slow hair growth, alopecia, thinning hair or damaged hair.
Customers have reported seeing visible hair growth, softness and thickness within 7 – 10 days
Ideal for ALL Hair types and suitable for children and vegans.
NO parabens, petrochemicals, mineral oils or silicones
MADE WITH:
Organic Mango & Kokum Butters
MSM
Indian Bhringraj and other Indian Plants
Organic Plant Oils
Organic Herbs
Blend of Essential Oils
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So, what do you have to do for your chance to win???
- Like the Hairscapades Facebook page;
- Like the TLC Naturals Facebook page and write “Hairscapades sent me” on the wall.
- Once you’ve done both, answer the following question in the comments below:
What’s your name, from where do you hail (town/city/province/country) and what are the JOYS and CHALLENGES of being a natural where you live?
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Thursday, September 6th!
This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!! All subscribers, old and new, are eligible. Just make certain to like the Facebook pages and comment as instructed above!! A winner will be selected at random within the week following the close of the giveaway!
Good luck ladies!!
*No purchase necessary. In accepting the prize, the winner acknowledges that Hairscapades.com may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize. This contest is subject to all federal, provincial and municipal laws. Contest open internationally. One entry per person. Claiming of prizes requires an e-mail response to hairscapades@gmail.com from the winner within 15 days of being notified of winning. Failure to respond shall mean that the winner forfeits the prize.
hairscapades 
Hey Boo (AKA Shelli!) LOL. I hail from Atlanta, GA originally but call the Bronx home for the time being. The challenges I face are the stares at my puff/twistouts/braidouts/any style that isn’t straight. I have not noticed the influx of naturalistas in my area. The joy would be that I stand out. I don’t look like the average Bronxite and I love it!
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I’m in Grand Rapids, MI USA. My challenges are retaining length so I can achieve my goal of an inch past BSL and I love being natural because it gives me freedom.
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I hail from Fayetteville, NC/USA. I am actually transitioning to natural. I am enjoying the journey so far. I have joined a Natural hair group. I enjoy everything the group has to offer. The challenges that I face in this area is finding a natural hair stylist that will take the time to listen. It’s very hard to find a Natural hair salon in this area that actually appreciates and understand the transition from relaxed to natural.
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🙂 I hail from Lebanon, TN!! Iam not fully natural yet! But I plan to be in 2+ years! I am a long term transitioner! I am currently 3 months post! The challenges of transitioning where I am in life right now is simple. I work in a finance office and I am a student basketball coach! When I have to be sharp on game day, of course my hair needs to be on point as well. Since I have chosen to stay away from flat ironing during my transitioning, styling my hair for game day will be a challenge. But I think I’ll be able to pull it off! Also, I work out a lot and sweat like crazy, so thats another daily sturggle! LOL..So far the joys are just getting in touch with my inner self, inner beauty, and loving me! Can’t nobody love me like me! But I would love to win the contest and try your products!! 🙂
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I live in MD…I wouldn’t say there are any challenges with being natural where I live but I will say that one of the joys of being natural here in MD is that there are plenty of natural hair groups, meet-ups and swaps that I can/have attend(ed) that make me feel so proud to be a natural girl now! You may not always have the support from family and friends but if there are others out there to reach out to, it makes you feel so much better about your decision to go natural.
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I’m from the Washington D.C. metro area and it’s an absolute joy to be newly natural here. We are always the first to get new product lines in our stores, and they are great about keeping the products on the shelves. It is very common to see natural hair in my area now, so there are natural hair salons popping up all over the place. In addition, there are lots of natural hair activities and meetups to get and keep you educated on how to best care for natural hair.
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I’m originally from Winston-Salem, NC, but I’ve been living in Gwinnett County GA since 1999. I’ve been natural for the better part of 12 years with 2 backslides. LOL. The last back in 2008. I’d get a perm, hate it, let it grow for a month, and get a fade. I have an 11 year old daughter that has always been natural and she is my inspiration. Her hair is fresh, dope, and fly. I used to be challenged with what to do and how to maintain my hair but now, it’s become an easier process for me. I have learned what our hair will and won’t do and I have a few staple products I stick to. However, the product junkie in me lives and I can’t resist trying new things all the time. When they work, I’m elated. When they don’t, I pass them to other natural ladies to see if they fare better. Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to win the giveaway! Good luck to me :o)
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I currently live in the Dallas, TX. The Dallas summer heat can wreak havoc on my hair, in that it can become dry and brittle if I don’t keep it moisturized. This summer I have been attempting to keep my hair conditioned and moisturized daily and using some of the protective hairstyles you highlight in your blog.
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I hail from Delaware, OH, the land of cornfields and temperamental weather. WnG’s used to be my best friends after I did the BC. 10 months later that is no longer an option. I’ve moved up to twists, finger coils and genie locs. I enjoy the freedom and versatility of being natural. I work out when I want, twist it up and then head into work still looking fly. This time I’m sticking with my natural texture. No more creamy crack for me!
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I hail from the Bronx, NY via Westechester County. My challenges are keeping my hair moistured without being weighed down with products. The joy of being natural in New York is that with more and more women returning to their natural hair it lends to communication amongst us about styles, products and techniques. I have gained so many new natural heads as friends…its great!
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Ok Naturalista’s, I don’t blog as often as I should because I prefer to navigagate around in “lurker status”LOL! I am from New York City, born and raised in the Boogie Down Bronx to be exact. My natural transition process was very painful to me in the beginning. My original plan was to transition because my hair was a little aroound my waist. I began my transition November 2010. Thuought transitioning would give me the well needed break from getting third degree burns from the Dominican blow dryers, relaxers, and chemical filled haor care products because they were taking a toll on my hair. As a newly transitioning natural, I didn’t know the same amout of time is still needed maintaining my hair. With me begininng to feel the effects of blogger, vlogger, YOUTube overlaod, I becamed a little overwhelmed and before I knew it, my hair had matted from ear to ear. I went back on my trusty blogs to learn amout detangling tools, oils, conditioners, but after 5 hours and nothing worked! Here I am in the wee hours of the morning still trying to detangle. After letting my hair defeat me one last time, I got my scissors and did the BC Aprill 2011. Instantly became in love to what was a total shock to my system. I needed this strength for all the comments and ridicule that I will be receiving even when my hair does grow back to it’s fullest length. Since I live in NYC which is the more diverse epi center of the world, I still get stares, I have my “natural nazi” discussions with my PRO-LYE sisters, But I do feel the brothers for the most part are accepting of more healthier means for us to take care of hair. You are also still going to those superficial dudes that base beauty more aligned with European standards and don’t mine the weaves and extensions. I’ve met men who love sisters with natural hair or have no preferences as long as it’s well together. I will say the men you attract changes according to your hair style. I love being natural and regret not doing this as a young woman. I love researching products and seeing what effects they have on my hair. Laslty, I have mastered “what works for your hair type” which is more that what the product advertises on it’s bottle. Being Natural here make that New York confidence I was born with even stronger, and I am LOVIN IT!
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Michelle Phillips, Somerset, NJ – Humidity has not been kind this summer…The best defined twist outs are giant cotton balls by the end of the day. An arsenal of products has been unable to beat the frizz. But, I LOVE my natural hair. I love the way it feels. I love the three different textures. My hair has (or maybe it is a ….) personality!
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Hello to all of my fellow naturals! I am Ramah, from Arlington, Texas, USA.
In Texas, the summer brings extremely hot weather, while the winter brings extremely cold weather. Keeping my hair moisturized and stretched within both seasons presents a true challenge! I can do it, but not without a LOT of product use, EVERY SINGLE DAY. Because of this fact, I am unable to ever wash and go without my hair turning into a short, dry TWA within a couple of hours! :-\
To prevent this, stretching in the form of Bantu knot outs, Flat twists, and braids are a must! My hair is fine, so it does not have the volume yet for Twists or Twist outs.
I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE the freedom of being natural! Styling is easier, though it is not as glamorous; I am able to play with it and be creative with the styling without taking up too much of my time. My absolute favorite thing about being natural is the wealth of information on HOW TO care for our natural hair! This information results in astronomically improved health of my hair, as well as my body, mind, and self-esteem! My hair responds so well to natural products.
The information learned could be applied to relaxed hair as well, but why would I go back?!?
I just wish there was a natural product that added moisture, strength, resilience and shine without shrinking the hair! I’d have found my HG with this product /product line!
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Trinette Smith, Milwaukee, WI. The challenges of being natural is that my spouse does not like my hair. He will get over it! It has been 7 years natural and I am not backing down!! The joy comes from all the compliments that I receive and the many questions that I answer about natural hair and giving advice to other women. I love my hair and seeing other naturals!!!!!!!! LOVE IT:)
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Hello my name is Tisha I’m originally from Jax FL, but currently living in Watertown NY. I have been natural for 2 1/2 years. I enjoy the growth of my hair but some challenges I have are dryness and my curl pattern isn’t defined the way I would love for it it to be. My roots are puffy, hair is simi curly or wavy and my tips are straight..I opened to any and all suggestion. Thank you can’t wait to test out the new products..
Congrats tisha
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MY name is LaWanda Sykes, I am from Chicago. The joys of natural hair is the versatility that it brings, my challenge is a thinning crown and single strand knots.
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Oh I didn’t put challenges where I live, the weather especially winters are harsh and dry so I keep my hair hidden away then. The joys is there is lots of support and meetups to keep me informed and encouraged in the area
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Hi!My name is Tanesha and I’m from Birmingham,AL.I’ve been natural for a little over 2 yrs.I love being natural because it’s so versatile!I’ve recently encountered my first challenge;styling my hair because it’s at that in between stage!LOL!The sides don’t look right when wearing twist outs;so I’ve been just doing protective styling;until it grows out some more.
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My name is Nisha. I’m from Houston, TX. The challenges for me would be that a few of my friends are still not accepting of my hair and I’ve been natural since late 2006. Also, I noticed that men from different races are more accepting of my natural hair. I see the joy when I am in a certain part of town, specifically in Third Ward. A lot of women are natural, bohemian and Afro-Centric. I feel the most at home when I’m in this community. I also love how children react to my hair. I suppose they see themselves at me. Another joy for me would be that I inspired a couple of people around me to become natural.
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My name is Chesney, and I’m from Beaufort, SC, USA. I love the versatility of being natural! My challenge is finding different styles to try.
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First off, my name is Taryn and I live in Boston, MA. Around here, I don’t believe there are many challenges. I have the luxury of living in an extremely diverse city where if people don’t like something, they’ll probably keep it to themselves. The only thing that really bothers me about being natural is that people I know closely have their opinion of how my hair should be and won’t accept my answers. My cousin has told me that I should keep it short, a co-worker keeps asking me when she can give me a perm, another keeps asking me when I want her to do dreads for me, and my mother keeps saying that she knows how I want me hair and I can achieve it with a texturaizer. It’s not so much about where I live, just other people think they know what’s good for me.
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My name is Ambre and I’ from Cedar Rapids, IA. I am helping my neighbor figure out the natural hair of her two adopted children. My daughter has her father’s hair which is soft and curly. Figuring out the natural care of that has been the challenge of the past year for me! 🙂
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Hi my name is Karla King and I reside in Plant City Fl. the challenge for me is finding products that don’t make my hair feel gummie after a few days, I enjoy bantu knots to create curls and braid outs for a wavy look. Going natural is something that I decided to do on my own b/c of the humidity here in central FL. I have lived here for the past 20 yrs but I was born and raised in Philadelphia PA. and I began perming my hair at the age 16 I have been natural now for about 1 year , I also struggle with finding different styles to wear,but I am learning how to care for my hair by trail and error. The joys of going natural is my hair is never messed u[ or looking to full : ) as the day progresses and it’s hotter and more humid my hair still fits in and I am more comfortable with my hair now at age 49 than I have ever been in my entire life !
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Dawn Brelsford…Ellicott City, Maryland aka the DMV. Interesting week to have to answer this question…twist outs are great, but struggling with creativity. My hair is not quite arm pit length…but is past my shoulder? At any rate, creativity is a challenge….joys are total responsibility for and control over the health of my hair. Shellie…don’t yell, because you probably have this somewhere, but how’s about a forum for style ideas at various lengths? LOL….I’m “comb” through the site again to see if you already have it. Get it…comb through…because none of us are combing anything else anymore….ok, ok, I won’t quit my day job.
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LOL!!!!! You are silly Dawn! I like that:)!! Did you find the Style Library? There are several hairstyles for medium length hair in it:).
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I’m from Harford County, MD! There are a modest amount of natural hair products here. Most of the naturals I know are older women so I guess one of the joys of being natural here is standing out among my peers! And as a broke college student, I would love to win these products!
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Nita “MyHairFetish”, from Southern Cali. Finding all Natural products can be a little challenging. My BIGGEST challenge is getting used to BIG hair.. lol
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Francine Dunn The Original Ga Peach!! Born and raised in Hot “LANTA!!!. My biggest challenge with my thus far 10 month transition is styling. I don’t know what to do with my hair!. I have tried twist outs.and braids with extensions are NOT fir me!!. Keeping my hair moisturized is a big deal also. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!
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Lisa Rogers, from lil ole Griffin Ga. My hair’s name is Funita. My hair obstacles are finding good products in a small town. Sally’s have become my favorite hangout spot. The most annoying challenge is being kinky in a sea of longer and silkier the better weave wearers. I am yet holding on. Almost two years natural and no plans to turn back, no matter how many laugh!!!
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SheRa Crawford and I’ve was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. I am currently transitioning and I love learning about my new hair texture. I love seeing it change and styling it everyday. Some challenges I have are finding products that are all natural and work for my hair and my pocket :).
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Hola Chicas, I’m Tiffany Jones from Detroit, MI.
The greatest challenge with being natural where I live is the cold and snowy winters!!! I’ve always been curly girl during summer months then I would transition to straight during the winters. I’m heading towards 2 years without straight hair & it is VERY difficult in the winter. I don’t really like using a diffuser I like for my hair to dry naturally which isn’t good in the winter unless I’m stuck in the house all day and night. Hats dry my hair out and ruin my protective styles 😦 I can’t keep my styles as long in the winter as I can in the summer. I haven’t mastered the winter hair regimen as I’ve done the summer, I’m hoping for much more success this winter, (Any Suggestions).
The Joys of being natural are… I get the best of both worlds, have my cake and eat it too!!! I’ve always had long thick hair about 3 inches past my bra strap & I have always been bored with my hair and was always anxious for summer to hit to go curly, in those days I was limited to only two curly products only one being for women of color and my only style was the wash and go. I’ve never been spontaneous/ outgoing when it came to my hair I’ve colored maybe twice and I’ve never had length shorter than my bra strap. Being a full-time curly girl means I am able to rock shoulder length curls without cutting my hair when ever I want length I can straighten. Now I am able to try different styles, the products are affordable and healthy for my curls, and I am able to determine when and how I want to do my hair. No more searching for a stylist that can do my hair type, forking over a couple hundred dollars a month for a style that wont get me through the work week, no more giving up my weekends to get my hair styled, no more scheduling hair appointments around life events and no more boring styles. My heart skips a beat when I walk into a suburban store and see a variety of hair products made by and for people of color that look like me. I am flying high when I see women of color confident and embracing their natural texture and each one making it their own. This is the 1st time in my life where I have truly enjoyed my hair 🙂
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Amen, sista! I’m sad to say it took me to turn 37 before I began to embrace who I truly am, and ADORE HER!!!
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Hi everyone! I’m Stephanie and I reside in hot, humid Orlando, FL. The city alone can clue you in to my biggest challenge with being natural–the humidity in Orlando. For half of the summer I struggled to find the miracle product that would keep my braid-outs and twist-outs from turning into the reincarnation of Cousin Itt (that’s from the Addams family for those too young to know lol). I finally gave in to the WnG, especially after I found a regimen that works for me consistently. Now I’m just waiting for cooler temps (and less humidity) so I can return to Curlformers, roller sets, braid outs, and twist outs. Therein is the joy of being natural–the flexibility. Not only that, since I’ve gone natural I’ve started a love affair with my hair. The washing, conditioning, moisturizing, and sealing have provided me with quality time to fall in love with what God gave me 🙂
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HEEEEEYYRO! My name is Ashley and I reside in the beautiful land of Oklahoma City. The main curly problem I run into living in Oklahoma is the fact that no matter what the weather man tells us on the 10o’clock news, or even the 6am news, about the days weather doesn’t mean it will actually end that way. I could wake up with the sun shining bright, walk the dogs, get that good good Vit D naturally, come home shower, and walk outside in shorts and a cute T only to find its about to rain and pour down, with the skies looking like death, and by the end of the night we might have a few earthquakes, hail, and maybe a nader(tornado) if Mother nature is feeling lucky. That also happens to be the reason why I LOVE being a natural, because no matter what Mother nature sends our way, Mz. Frou and I will be golden.
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Hello!! My name is Allison and I live in New Orleans better known as the Big Easy. From March to November the weather is incredibly hot and humid and my hair will sometimes resemble a chia pet!!! I love being natural because it gives me the chance to embrace my natural hair and it is so beautiful. I see so many naturals here and I see we all have one thing in common, embracing our natural hair and loving it!! When I did my big chop I was instantly in love with my hair, I had not seen my natural texture in over 30 years. Now that I wear my hair in its natural state, even if I feel I am having a bad hair day no one knows it because I have a new found confidence in myself that I would not have experienced if I were relaxed!! I have found that its not just about natural hair but about being healthy, from my hair to my body. I exercise more, smile all the time and share my love with being natural to anyone who will listen!!
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Hi. I’m Nathifa from Jamaica NY. Its relatively easy to be natural in my area ans many seem to have embraced a return to natural movement. it is a bit overwhelming at times though because of all the products, ideas etc out there. There are also stereotypes that still exist in the workplace, from family members etc that natural is not good enough. Its a process and a journey but really worth it!
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Salutation from metro atl (social circle ga) my name is kim im a georgia peach! As u know im down south its very hot here right now. A dry heat with no relief! My natural journey started 2yrs ago. I use to rock a short spiked cut i have always hated the relaxer process. i have a very sensitive scalp and very thick hair i love my texture.i have learn to embrace it my biggest challenge i would have to say is the heat. But im learning that moisturizing sprtizing with water and with a touch of oil does the trick. I have always tried to live a healthy life style fresh veggies fruit and i love my water. My hair is at its healthiest and im happy. Im always open to learn and share my story.
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Hello! My name is Chakayla from Charlotte, NC. I love my natural, my curls, kinks, waves, and all the above. From detangling to styling, I love the versatility my hair provides me when I want to stand out of the crowd of Bobs and weaves. I have just recently gotten into using Jamaican Black Castor Oil on my hair and scalp, I have some trouble finding this all natural oil without be overcharged. Being natural and going through the process of growing out my natural hair, truly takes patience. I love every moment of it, but I would not change it for the world.
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Nancy Pinthieve. From the US (NY & FL) but I live in London now. I think the most frustrating thing is finding products here or not spending a fortune when you find them. I import a lot from home!!!! & order online. My hair is quite fine, so flat twist outs & high buns are my staple styles. You get a variety of looks (a lot of bad weaves too) in London, so i do not get too many stares. But I love being natural. I’m impressed that I can ‘do’ my own hair & it has taught me patience & acceptance of imperfection. I am hoping to grow my hair to BSL (@ APL now). I hope I answered all the questions! LOL!
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My name is Angel from Roselle, NJ. I love that I have so many resources outside of online shopping that can assist me in my hair care!!!! We are chock full of beauty supply stores and walmart, target, cvs you name it!!!! I HATE the humidity that attacks my banging twist outs!! 😦 So my biggest challenge is finding summer hair products that can hold strong through this tri state humidity!!! The joy is knowing I have so many resources at my fingertips to help aid the search!!
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My name is Autumn H. From north carolina. I love being natural, the only thing for me is keeping my hair moisturized properly..
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My name is Ollie and I hail from Memphis, TN. I am so happy to be a natural in my city. The city as a whole has really started to embrace naturals. I mean now as go go through life on a day to day basis here I am seeing more and more women with natural hair styles of that have done the BIG CHOP and I LOVE IT!!!!!! We are even starting to have more natural hair events in our city. But not to with hair, I see more people embracing a Natural life style as a whole, DID I SAY LOVE IT!!!! 🙂
Thank you,
Ollie Moss,
ollimo91@aol.com
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Stephanie and I hail from Fairfield, Connecticut.
I’ve been here for a few years now and been naturals for only one year and some change. I havent seen nann natural ’round these parts and sometimes it makes me feel some kind of way. But I’ve recently found a natural hair group that resides in CT and I was so fn excited! Now I walk with my head high and my curly fro out now that I know that are other naturals around me. I love it. Every second of it.
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Tee and I’m from the Triad, North Carolina. One of the challenges in my area is finding salons and products that cater to true natural hair.
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What’s your name, from where do you hail (town/city/province/country) and what are the challenges and joys of being a natural where you live?
Y’evette from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA .Not enough salons or speciaist that deal with natural hair.
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My name is Nikki, I’m from Alexandria La, but I currently life in Puyallup Wa–and am a military spouse. Challenges…there are not a lot of ‘Us’ out here so I haven’t treated myself to a salon visit in a LONNNNNGGGG time. (Sometimes you just want someone else to wash your hair, you know?!) Joys…when I do run into one of ‘Us’, like at Target or someplace, they are always really nice, and I always get compliments on my hair. Even from non-‘Us’ types. 🙂
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I live in Newport News, VA and the joys of being newly natural (I just BC’d yesterday) are that my hubby likes it, my hair stylist who owns a natural hair salon is the one who encouraged me to do this and is part of support team, and I have noticed already that there are a lot of women that are natural in my area. The challenges will be how to work with my hair now that it is not relaxed (styling and products), to not worry about what others think, and be confident with my natural hair and to not run back to my relaxers (which I have had since I was 7 years old…I am now 34). I am excited and nervous but here I go!! 🙂
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I’m Keisha from the Heart of Dixie…Huntsville, Alabama. The challenges of becoming natural is wash day *sigh* and when your do don’t (a.k.a. how sad my hair will look tomorrow). The joys of this journey is the freedom to just be..Everywhere you look someone has curls, a big fro, a puff. I like standing outside of the box.
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My name is Tracy Shuler. I live in Powder Springs, GA by way of South Carolina. I have two big challenges when it comes to my natural hair. One is getting the front of my hair to grow. My hair grows into a mullet shape and that is really not cute! The second is volume. My hair cannot seem to get any. The joys would have to be seeing so many other naturals. I live in metro Atlanta, so naturals, natural hair salons, and natural hair products and companies abound here!
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Hi I am from Paris, France and just moved to miami. In France the natural movement just started and there isn’t a lot of products or they are super expensive so it’s a big challenge to find good hair products. I actually made them from scratch. Now that I am here I can try more products. Being natural make you stand out from the crowd especially in France we don’t see that many naturals but now its changing for the best 🙂
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Hi there! My name is Elizabeth Menzie and I live in Irvington, New Jersey. As a natural, I was always challenged with maintenance but I never truly experienced any challenges from living in Irvington. BUT, when I went away to little ole Chestertown, Maryland to attend school things changed. Some times I think the people there never saw an afro in their life. The stares were deadly, this one girl even had the audacity to say my hair “looks crazy’. Though I felt soooo uncomfortable, I decided not to resort back to the flat iron. Then, I saw some of my sista’s going natural Shelli! That gave me the strength to rock my ‘naps’ as some may call it, and not have a care in the world. Everywhere I go now the biggest joy is just seeing all the natural ladies out there, especially the older women in the workforce. It’s not easy walking into an office building with a ‘fro or twist out!
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Hello! My name is Elicia Huggins, and I live in Toano, Virginia. Being a nappy girl has definitely changed my life in positive ways. Ever since I went natural, I’ve seen a great improvement in my overall hair health. At first, I was reluctant to go natural, considering people always told me it would be hard work, and hard to maintain. However, I haven’t had any problems with keeping it tamed, and it’s a lot easier to control than when I had relaxed hair. By being natural, I want to prove to the women around me that any race CAN grow their hair, and that it’s OK to be natural and stand out (most women here straighten their hair). The only problems I have encountered while being natural, is finding the right hair products. I’m HORRIBLE at making my own concoctions, and the closest store I know of that sells good products is thousands of miles away! Buying products over the Internet has really put a burden on my wallet. Recently, I heard very positive feedback about TLC Natural products. I’ve always seen it here and there on the Care 4 Curls blog, but I never really looked into them until now. Knowing that this is the first product line I’ve seen with absolutely NO chemicals, I just gotta try it!!!!
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Hey, my name is Arielle Ellis (REL on fb) originally from philly but living in md/dc area. My challenge has been random strands that just dont want to curl 😦 but besides that, this area has been great for a natural girl. There are many natural girls in the area so finding products is never a problem and theres support every where I go.
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Hello Curly Girls and Natrualistas! My name is Keelii Addy and I’m reppin the land of 10,000 lakes (hopefully changing that to the land of 10,000 curly girls) St. Paul, Minnesota. My challenge in being natural in Minnesota is the lack of natural hair resources. I had the hardest time finding a homebase community during my 2.5 years transitioning that a few times I ALMOST threw in the towel! Thank God for blogs like yours otherwise I would be sitting here with a relaxer as we speak! The beauty of being natural in Minnesota is that there is a budding natural hair community that is finally starting to take shape! We are planning meetups, providing support to one another and finally starting to share resources in hope of helping more Natualistas and Curly Girls to emerge! It’s a great time to be Natural in Minnesota!
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Hey guys!! my name is Takeema =) and i hail from good ol’ garden state NEW JERSEY!! the joys of being a natural gal here because everyone in jersey do it BIG! big hair especially so me and my curls fit right in! Jersey is so diverse you can have a bald head with a shag in the back and fit right in. The challenges of having natural hair is the lack of beauticians who have any experience with working with a naturalista thats still in transitioning (ONE YEAR AND COUNTING!)…so its up to me to do research, depend on my fellow naturalista’s, and take care of my good ol’ fro. Yes i am a huge product junkie but i do try to minimize what i use in my hair. Everyone in jersey loves seeing my fro and they just dont know i love it and appreciate it even more! ….a sexiness and confidence comes out of you as soon as you embrace the real and natural you, and after i found that..i just wanted everything in my life, products, hair EVERYTHING to be natural 🙂
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Hi -Sandy Brown from NYC. Single stand knots are my nemisis. They are out to get met – no matter what style I choose.
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Hello-Jessica from Philly. I’ve been a natural for about 11 yrs. My challenges would be slow growth and excessive shedding. The joys of being natural are the variety of styles I can have.
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Hi my I’m Le Ambre Alcox from Gary, IN .. the biggest challenge that I have here in Gary is that I live near and work in the steel mills. The pollution and DUST combined with the difficulties of wearing a hardhat everyday are enough to drive a curly girl crazy. I don’t get to wear as many WnGs as I would like… or let my curls breathe.. but I do get the opportunity to try lots of different protective styles..with beautiful scarves and head wraps
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Hi! I’m Lweendo from Sweden. The biggest challenge with being natural in Sweden is to find good products! There are four seasons here and it is a huuuge challenge to keep my hair moisturized throughout the year. I am currently trying different protective styles and I try to order product online.
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I am a newly natural and new attorney hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. The biggest challenge for me being natural is learning and understanding my hair and the right products for my hair. As a new attorney with A LOT of student loans, I do not have the time or the money to commit finally to experimenting with different products. It is crucial for me to “look professional” as a curly natural in a straight girl’s legal world so finding the right products sooner than later is of the essence. As a child I grew up using TLC products and I am very much excited and thankful that TLC has decided to develop products for naturals! I love being natural and here in Atlanta I stand out among the many weave wearers and straight haired sisters (i once was one of the many). To be an example for my younger sister who is in college and going natural and to see her brag to her friends about her “natural” sister and to encourage my beautiful mom to join me on this natural journey, especially when she grew up in a world of PERM IS THE WAY, is the biggest joy of all!
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Hi, my name is Adell and I live in NYC. There really aren’t many challenges of being a natrual where I live, I live in a part of NYC where people barely notice you’re standing next to them, much less what your hair looks like LoL The difficulties I have as far as being a natural are finding salons that accomadate natural hair care that don’t overprice & over charge. The problem w/NYC in general is that almost everything is overpriced.
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My name is Christina and I am from NC, but I go to a small school in PA. The biggest challenge is that I am a college student who is broke, but I also live in a community with no black salons.
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Hi,my name is Valerie and I live in Chatou, a suburb of Paris in France. I’ve been a natural for about 13 mths and i’m the only one in my family.My biggest challenge is to show them that “natural is beautiful and easy to maintain when you’ve found the right routine and products for yourr hair. I feel at peace with myself and I proudly wear my fro.I can do a lot of things and styles with my new natural hair and it’s a real pleasure.
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My name is Magdalene Ayuk, and I live in Montreal, QC (Canada). My greatest challenge used to be finding products for natural hair. However, three natural hair shops recently opened in my area, so I’m pretty happy. I would say that detangling and retaining moisture are two of my biggest issues at the moment.
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Hello, my name is Richelle and I currently reside in Baltimore, MD nad grew up in Sothern NJ. I love being natural and have been for 9 years and these past 2 years are the first time I am getting this thing right. The challenges are getting a reliable routine down and payition to what your needs and not what you think it does. The joys are that I am loving my hair, how it feels, and the versatility of it.
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My name is Abigail- and I live in Nottingham,UK. The challenges of being natural are people always squeezing my hair and never finding enough natural products. A benefit is I’m unique since I don’t know a lot of UK naturals- sans weave!!!
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My name is Hana, I live in jakarta, Indonesia
in my country is very famous for its natural ingredients for beauty, and I love it, makes women look beautiful naturally 🙂
hana_clay (at) yahoo (dot) com
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My name is Alina, from Malverne, NY. I love the versatility of having natural hair: from braid outs, to twist outs and wash-n-go’s. The most challenging part of being a natural in my area is the unpredictable weather. The humidity can obliterate the most defined curls, the rain can frizz up a braid out, and the sun can dry out the most moisturized hair. The good thing about being natural is that you don’t have to depend on one style to cope with your hair. If the weather messes with my tresses, it’s easy to throw it into some braids or a bun. Stylish and comfortable.
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Okay ladies, can I tell you that this may be my favorite giveaway entry criteria ever b/c of getting to find out where so many of you live?!?! I have enjoyed reading each and every response!!! But, one thing, some of you didn’t answer all of the questions!! LOL!!! I did add, “What’s your name” later on Thursday and if your name is listed next to your avatar, I don’t need you to include it. But, if you’re coming up as “Anonymous” and didn’t provide your name, please add it.
Two, some of you answered half of the question … it’s what are the JOYS and CHALLENGES of being natural where you live. So, if you only answered one of those, please add your answer for the other question. And again, this has been so awesome!! Thank you all for participating!!
Shelli
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My name is Danielle and i’m from Medford, NY and the challenges that i have are braid outs and bantu knot outs but the joys of being natural…I don’t have to worry about the weather, i don’t have to do much to my hair to make it look good (hence wash n’ go), i don’t have to worry about any chemical damage, i can change a straight hairstyle into a gorgeous curly one, and i LOVE flexi-rods and twist-outs! and being natural today, there are so many other natural around the world supporting you.
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I’m Payton and I’m from Upper Marlboro, Md. This line sounds intriguing. I’m transitioning to natural so I’m wearing my hair back, bantu knots or roller-set.
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I’m Dee, originally from Nigeria but live in Virginia. Ive been natural for almost a year. My biggest challenge is without a doubt finding the time to style my hair before work, I live in twists. The greatest joy being natural is washing my hair and feeling my curls,I look forward to it all week.
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‘Like’ both pages on FB /Elena Rudaya/
I’m Elena from Russia
I enjoy my natural hair because I’m free from touch-ups, paying for unnecessary services and putting harsh chemicals on my hair. But there are some challenges as well – I have to find a way to manage my hair through all 4 seasons and I’m always looking for good natural hair care products
Elena
queen-of-pain at yandex dot com
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Liked the Hairscapades Facebook: Shaimaa Ali
Liked the TLC Naturals Facebookpage and wrote “Hairscapades sent me” on the wall.
I am Shaimaa From Kuwait , The challenge is with the life rythem and style I am always busy and the claimant change as I am living in hot weather zone with temperature reaching over 50 C some times Also I am using Chemical and Bio therapy which destroy my hair
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I’m Cheryl from Chicago, IL!! I’ve been natural for approximately 2 years now. My biggest challenge being natural is always having to plan my hair days in advance around what activities I have coming up. Something I’m really not use to and time consuming. Especially challenging as a mom of a 5yr old!!! The joy of being natural is watching and learning what my God given hair really is. I couldn’t even remember it from childhood. Although I didn’t have a relaxer until highschool, before that, I was getting my hair pressed all the time. Now I can see what my “real” hair is like and I love that! I feel way more in tune to the “real” me!
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Hello I’m Vanessa from the United Kingdom,England, Birmingham. My main challenges of being natural is to maintain definition and moisture, when i go outside most of the time my hair starts to lose it curl pattern and moisture. On the other hand sometimes my hair will feel really greasy and when i’m at school people will touch my hair and feel the grease on their hand, its kinda embarrassing. But the joys of being natural is that very versatile you can do braid/twist/bantu knot outs and every now and again I will straighten it. Also its nice to receive compliments off people even when you think your hair looks terrible its makes me feel better.
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Hiya I’m Mitzi from Central IL. I have been natural for 3+ years (when I fell on the ice and tore my rotator cuff and had surgery) …long story short I was relaxed could not raise my right arm to do my hair and thought what a better time to go natural. Frizz is my challenge. No matter what I do to tame the frizzies, nothing helps. I am not about long hair I am about healthy hair. If I could just control the frizz that would make me happy natural.
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Hi!!! My name is Jameil and Im from Huntsville, AL. Tghe biggest challenges I’ve experiences thus far is that I have to order all my fave products…..the beauty supply stores here just dont support my product junkieism:-)
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Hi, I’m Erika from Philadelphia, PA by way of Germany. The joys of being natural in Philly include having awesome natural salons, access to products & seeing a lot of other lovely naturals around. The only challenge is the cold winter which is hard on my hair.
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Hi Shelli! I’m Nichelle from Indianapolis, IN. September 30, 2012 will mark two years relaxer free. I’m a long term transitioner and besides the two hair textures I’m dealing with hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. It’s a mess! I’m planning to mark my anniversary with a Medium Chop (no longer Big because I’ve had 2 years to grow my hair), but I’m having a hard day – BAD HAIR day. This morning I really wanted to call my old hair stylist and make an appointment to get a relaxer, but then I quickly came back to my senses. I sprayed a little water on my hair and clipped it up in a high bun. Not my favorite, but I can deal with it.
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Hello, I’m Donnella Pope from the United States Virgin Islands. I was born and raised on St.Croix, the largest of the three islands. I’ve always had natural hair which at it’s longest was armpit length, Where I live, I have to deal with lots of rain and lots of heat during the summer months. So there’s lots of frizzy hair. I big chopped twice in 2010 after I had my son and didn’t know much about protective styling until this year, so my hair is only two inches past my collar bone in two years. The joys of being natural in the Caribbean, for me, is the great African influence on how we style our hair so we can be very versatile. We also have plenty of castor bean plants growing all over the island, so we can make our own castor oil.
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I live in MD. The joys of being natural where I live, is that there are soo many people who are also natural and always offer words of encourage. I will get compliments on days when I am feeling less than lack luster which will just boost my attitude. I also hope to be a positive influence on those around me! No real negatives here. Winter time is killer sometimes so protective styles are a MUST! No wash and goes unless you’d like a cold, no poofy fros, strictly protective styling.
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My name is renay i currently reside in Memphis, Tn. What i enjoy about being natural is how healthy my hair is, when it was permed it was always breaking. Now its thriving very well.
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Hello, I hail from SC thanks for the opportunity to share my natural hair experiences. One of my challenges has been finding a beautician that has a working knowle of how to take care of naturally curly hair. I e by default become a kitchen beautician . I’m now more knowledgeable about hair and I’ve learned that simple is better . You don’t need every product out there on the market and that most items you can use are right in your kitchen.
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Hi, I am Kemi from Coventry, UK. I happened to leave my perm for a year and realised my hair was natural and soft. Not only that for the first time in 15 years my hair grew to my neck length, that is a miracle that hasn’t happend to my hair in forever. So I decided to keep it on natural and now its full and thick…. So happy. Then I discovered natural products but there is none here in Cov, and it was whilst searching I came across an array of beautiful products for natural hair, and realised the products I need were just right within my reach from the market or health stores. Its been a beautiful journey!!!
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HELLO 😉 I am Kiydra hailing from good ol’ Auburn, AL! But I am currently in school in FL. The joys about being natural where I reside are the versatility, ability to still be fly in the humidity, and pretty easy access to great products! The challenges of being natural where I live are really none! The only challenge I deal with really is that I am in Professional/Graduate school, so time is limited, and I am not able to try out different styles and style my hair as much as I would like! I am often rocking some cute/versatile mini twist or a fierce bun! Hope I win the products lol.
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Hi. I’m Nikk from Abington Pa., in the U.S. I am a very newly natural. My challenges are two fold – trying various products for my type 4 b/c hair and finding “corporate America” appropriate styles. The joy I anticipate is freedom and finally coming into my own at 41 years of age 🙂
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Hi…my name is Tanya..44yrs young…livilng in Toronto,Ontario Canada….and I am a converted natural curl girl…and I will be honest…by accident…what was what I thought was a disaster…turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise ever!!….I am sure I am not the only one who experimented with too many chemicals in my hair…which resulted in my long long hair…breaking and falling out…I was devasted….Once I made the only decision I could…to cut it all off…and start over…but..this time..NO..chemicals…NO relaxing…and let my natural beautiful hair shine thru….It was the best move I could of ever made…not only did my hair look more healthy…I was falling in LOVE with my hair…my Natural hair…I have been looking for more natural products for my hair…as to keep in line with excepting and embracing my natural beauty…..and would love to win this……might i also add….it sure is great….getting ready to go out…and not spending hours with a flat iron anymore…and the compliments…you loook soooo young…your are so beautiful..heads turning….made me realize…that natural beauty..shines…more than pretending to be something I am not…..
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Im currently living in Kansas City, Missouri where weaves and perms roam freely. Thats more of a joy because I stand out. everyone loves my hair. They love to look at it , touch it , talk about it , and it fits my style and personality because I also dont wear make up or fake nails. I work what God gave me. A struggle would be the climate. Kansas city is always in the extremes. Extremely cold , dry winters and extremely hot and humid summers and it takes a toll on my hair .. But id LOVE to try some of these products to protect it 🙂
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I’m Anthea & I live in the Caribbean islands- Anguilla…I’ve been natural for all my 20+ years but I’ve had my hair relaxed in 1996 & I had my hair texturized between 2007-2009.
I love my natural hair & now that I’ve started paying more attention to my hair & started taking better care of it due to the different hair forums on facebook, blogs like Black Girl Long Hair & youtube. I’ve had relaxed friends that have tried to convert me to creamy crack but I’ve held my ground. I love the versatility of natural hair & I never hesitate when it comes to getting my hair wet whilst enjoying a day at the beach. My proudest moments occur when I get my hair cornrowed and lots of persons comment about the beauty of my hair. I’ve used TLC products before & my hair loves it…I would love to have the grow it cream to help me achieve longer hair in my crown area- the hair is significantly shorter & I’m trying to get it healthy and long.
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Hi, I’m Traci, currently living in Jacksonville FL. When I originally did the BC I had no idea that is what it was called. I didn’t know there was a natural hair community and I didn’t know I was becoming “natural. ”
What I did know is that I was coming to a point in my life where simplicity was what I needed. And began breaking down layers to gain self discovery.
Since then, my greatest joys of being natural are realizing I didn’t have to be afraid of my hair texture anymore. I have plenty horror stories as a child getting my hair combed. Now with the education I have gained through blogs such as hairscapades I love, love, love my hair and admittedly I have a hard time keeping my hands out of it.
My current challenge where I live is the heat and the sun one minute and the rain and humidity the next. Never knowing what the weather will be throughout the day I have learned to just keep my hair in twists.
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The biggest joy of being natural is that people can see my natural beauty. The biggest challenge….trying to stay encouraged & focused on staying natural while trying not to damage my hair
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Oh sorry I’ll Tamieka & I live in Wilson, NC
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Greetings! My name is Cookie and I currently live in Alabama. The freedom is the greatest joy of being natural and the greatest challenge hmmmmmm??? *brief silence* Uh I can’t think of any challenges
I love my hair.
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Hey Shelli! My name is Tanefa aka Faye aka ThatNYPoetGIrl and I am from Harlem, NY! I currently reside in Baltimore, MD, and I have been natural or rather transitioning for a year. This is my second time going natural after a BC (Big Chop) in 2008 that I gave up on after a year.
I loved my hair – I just wasn’t sure of how to care for it, so I relaxed again, which was much easier to manage for me, but that didn’t last long! After tuning in to blogs like that this one (Haiscapades ROCKS) and CurlyNikki as well as BlackGirlLongHair – my greatest joy is learning to take care of my hair and style it in many more protective work appropriate styles! Now I am looking forward to having “Trixie” grow to waist length in the next 2 years!
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Hi Shelli.
I love your blog am learning so much about my hair.
I’ve always been “natural” in the sense that I have never had a perm. But I mainly wore my hair straight always getting my hair dubi’d or blown out or flat ironed. Now I’m focusing on healthy hair care and wear my curls mostly. I live in Norfolk, VA and feel really comfortable and free wearing my hair naturally. This area does go through some pretty humid summer so wearing my hair curly is perfect. It’s been a journey figuring out how to control frizz and dryness. But overall I love the process.
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My name is Jennifer, and I hail from Barking, London, England! Go UK Naturals! lol. The joys of being Natural where I live is include the fact that I am available to a really good Transport system, as I’m 14, and I get free bus travel, and train fares are reasonably cheap. This means I can go almost anywhere for a really cheap fare to buy my hair products 😀 Another joy would be, and this can be a joy and a challenge, that when people see my natural hair, the first question is almost always “Is that your real hair?” Followed by, “Why did you stop relaxing?” I mostly enjoy this, but after some time it gets so damn tedious having to answer the same questions time and time again. Moving on to the challenges, there aren’t really that many. The top one would have to be the weather. It’s almost always so damn cold here! I have to wrap up else I might just freeze, and it makes it really hard to take care of my hair appropriately, because I want to keep my hair warm, while taking care of it and it becomes a really long process. Another thing would be the products at hand here. Most of the natural hair blogs I follow are American, so I would watch their reviews and dress up to go out, planning to try out the product myself. Once I get to the store, I realize the product line isn’t stocked in my area. Yet another problem, again weather related, is that the weather is so unpredictable! I wake up and see it’s sunny, so I style my hair accordingly, and when I’m done, just when I finish, it starts raining. *sigh* But I guess it’s just one of those things, right?
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My name is Susan and I hail from San Diego, California. As a long-term transitioner I find joy in being able to wash and go with my hair rather than avoiding the gym, pool, and saunas. A challenge is all of the Cali-girl/Hollywood stereotypes of beautiful black hair aka weaves and bone straight, relaxed locks. I’m happy to have broken out of the mold to rock my curly locks!
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Hello lovely! My name is Jennifer and I reside from London, UK but claim Accra, Ghana as home 🙂 I love being natural because I love celebrating God’s perfections – and my hair is testament to that JOY! The main CHALLENGE of being natural is (not so much if you are a product junkie) settling on one product line when there is so many great options out here in 2012 (yayy!)
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My name is Paula L. and I currently live in Louisville KY. I love my natural hair. I’m natural for more than six yrs. now. The challenges I have is;
1. finding styles that I can work with on my hair. My hair is full yet when it is braided or twisted it is shows to be thin not much hair as it is when it is down. Therefore, unless I use extentions, I cannot get the styles that I would love to try.
2. Finding the right product that is reasonable in cost and that will enhance my curls without making my hair dry. Right now I am working on process of elimination of being a product junkie. Most of the products are gone and I have been holding myself back from buying new products but it is still a challenge for me.
3. Boredom. I get bored with my hair because of the lack of styles and if I do like a style and I’m able to obtain the style, my hair will frizz up in the middle of the week and I will need to take it down due to the itching and dryness that may have occurred.
The Joys:
1. Loving that I can fluff get up and go or if I have braids just shower and go.
2. I enjoy being natural I don’t have to worry about touch-ups or my hair shedding constantly.
3. Most of all it is beautiful I love me and I love my hair.
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Hello ^_^. My name is Sarah L and I live in London. I love my natural hair and I remember my beginnings as a Naturalista; without even realising I was one :D. It began quite ironically with me begging my mum to give me a relaxer. “It’ll be more manageable…” yada yah! After a while I had regrowth and my hair was breaking a lot. So one day I looked in the mirror and thought my gosh. So wthout much of a second thought I just cut all the perm off and had about an inch of my hair left. My own TWA. I freshly washed it put in some vaseline
and went to show my mum with a big smile on my face and I remember her smiling and saying “She looks like a woman”.
This story is the source of many of the joys I feel about my hair. It was extremely liberating and I feel looking back was the onset of a transformation. I embraced it with 100% positivity and at that time was not concerned about how others would view me or my hair. I was not aware of the natural hair movement, hair regimes, hair products etc. It was just me and my hair. Plus, following the natural hair movement makes me feel like i’m part of a sisterhood.
On the flip side I find it hard to fully enjoy my hair because of certain others insecurities I have within myself. I find I wear wigs and my hair in braids to hide certain physical ‘flaws’ I consider I have. This has lead me to being comfortable with not showing my natural hair and now the thought of wearing a style that showcases my hair without any … additives is kinda scary. I think I would feel a little self conscious and awkward even more than I already am.
When I finally am ready to wear my natural hair out it will sort of be an unveiling to the world. Kind of like ‘Here I am!’ and that is something I wholeheartedly look forward to with both a joyful attitude but at the same time taking on a challenge. I probably will get the same questions some of you all get. So that will be interesting.
Sorry for the essay, guys. I’m am not used to writing in brief bullet points, more used to writing in prose. Plus, I am a rambler… whether I win or not; it’s good to share. ^_^
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My name is Valentina and I am from Serbia.The biggest challenge for me iis finding the right products for my hair.
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My name is Aneiko, from lovely Cerritos, CA aka The Geographic Center of Southern California. 🙂 The joys of natural hair, for me, come from seeing my daughter embrace her kinks and curls with such excitement. We live in a pretty diverse area, but African-Americans still don’t constitute a large percentage of the community. However, I think she recognizes her natural hair as just another aspect of what makes her unique and beautiful. 🙂 The challenges are that she and I have two completely different hair textures, and I still struggle to find what products work for either or both of us.
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My name is Lola and I’m from London born and raised, however both my parents are nigerian!! The joys of being natural where I live is that its accepted and admired by many and I often get asked about my hair, while also the silent acknowledgement between other naturals LOL! However, the biggest challenge would be that I can only get my products at hair stores in predominately black areas in which I don’t live but I don’t mind it keeps my hair looking great and I love that!!!
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My name is Keria Martin and I currently reside in Gainesville, Florida (Home of the Florida, Gators whoop whoop). There have thankfully been many more JOYS of being natural then challenges. The big one has been truly accepting the texture of my hair, and learning what works and what doesn’t for my hair. Man, God has blessed us ladies with such beautiful heads of hair, and it’s been such a joy accepting this after years of wishing I had looser/softer/easier-to-manage hair. My hair IS easy to manage if I actually take the time to learn! I also love the versatility of natural hair. Updos, braids, straight and then back to a huge, wild head full o’ curls! Some challenges; those darned dry ends. My hair definitely tends to lean on the dryer side, and I’m still learn how to properly moisture and seal, along with trying the best products to do so. I’m still on the hunt for a butter-like product that moisturizes without leave grease on the back of my neck (ew). Lack of moisture is my hair’s worst enemy! Also, learning to embrace the protective style. Thankfully I have Hairscapades’ style library to look for PS inspiration! ❤
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Hey, I’m in London. I have been natural for over one year now. I’m still struggling with my hair because it’s very thick and tangles a lot. It’s hard to know what products to use on it. And I have started making and using my own pre poo. With mayonnaise, egg, aloe Vera and oils. I find it helps and I’m more able to manage my hair. I would love to try your products, and I hope that I’m the lucky winner. Eithe way, keep up the good works 🙂
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My name is Nicole and I am from the beautiful island of Barbados.
It is a joy being natural in this warm climate , because of the flexibility I have especially with the protective styles , where I can do a style and wear it for the entire week , which allows me more time to do other things each morning.
There are several personal challenges I have, namely mild cases of dermatitis and psoriasis, but with the right natural products I have been able to keep them under control. In this warm climate I also have to make sure that I keep my hair moisturised in the sun and constant heat all year.
Finding Natural hair products is very difficult here, even though the population here is predominantly of African descent. The one health store that has imported some products, sells them at ridiculously high prices, so usually I have to wait until I travel to purchase the things I need and therefore can’t try out many products to see if they work for me.
On the island, myself and some others have been trying to encourage others to love and embrace their natural hair and teach little girls to love their natural beauty. I LOVE my hair, my main aim is to keep my hair healthy and I would love the opportunity to promote your products here.
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Heeeellllloo, my name is Anita Hope Harris, I am from a very small town named Spring Hope, NC. I have been natural now for about 7 years. I truly enjoy my natural status. We have been conditioned to believe that the creamy crack is the only way to manage our hair, and IT IS NOT!!! I enjoy shopping for the different kinds of products that are available for my hair. Beauty supply store junky!!!!!!!
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Hello. My name is Samantha Walcott. I am from Fort Myers, FL. I have been natural for about 4 years now. The joys of being natural for me are being able to just walk in the light mists of rain. being able to pick up and go and not worry about styling my hair. I wear twists. The challenges are me being style challenged. And in my city most hair salons are geared for relaxed hair .
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Hi!! My name is Rachel and I am from Raleigh, NC. I have been natural for almost 2 years and I looove it! I love learning new things I can do with my hair! My only challenge is not being a product junkie!!
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What’s your name, from where do you hail (town/city/province/country) and what are the JOYS and CHALLENGES of being a natural where you live?
Hi, hi, HI! My name is Dawn and I am from Raleigh, NC, USA, baby. I’ve been o’naturale for almost 3 years (cutting it off, growing it back, etc…lol). Now that I’ve learned about caring for my hair, I’ve fallen in love with what it has done for me as a woman. Not noticing before, I was trying to look like someone I’m not, which, in return, made me act like someone I am not. I am in love with not only my hair now and how unique it is, but also the better woman I have become. The joys that I have is that I can do so many different styles now and people actually stop me on the street to tell me how beautiful my hair is. I went natural because I went bald from chemical treatments over the years and ended up creating my own product to make my hair grow back – and IT DID! Whew! The challenges that I have of being natural is this – I have none. Why? Because I adapt my hairstyles to how my hair reacts with the weather for the day. I check the weather the night before and plan on the style that night. So many weights have been lifted because I am natural. I LOVE IT!
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Hi
My name is Brittany T and I’m from Chicago, IL. I been natural for 2 years. My challenge is to find which is the right product for my regimen and the season to make sure my hair are acceptable because sometime my hair are dry quickly during the winter season that mean i have to find the right product will help to reduce dry quickly. I have to learn how to deal with my true natural hair. I hope this product will help the benefit for my hair.
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Hello! My name is April G and I ‘m from Brooklyn NY but I’m currently studying in Singapore for my MFA in playwriting at Tisch School of the Arts Asia ! While I’m here the challenges are to combat this major shedding, the water here has really made my hair break off terribly. My hair joys here would be that my hair dries so fast because the weather is pretty warm and my hair is so defiant to dramatically changing. I’ve been natural for five years even though I’m just now learning how to take care of it and still haven’t gotten it down pact, but my hair doEs exactly what it wants to do challenging me to be creative. It’s a blessing and a curse. Lol. Here in SG I definitely have to keep it simple which is great for me because with my program I don’t have time to worry about my hair.
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What’s your name, from where do you hail (town/city/province/country) and what are the JOYS and CHALLENGES of being a natural where you live?
My Name’s Aneesa and I’m from Maryland, USA.
the joys are definitely being able to accept me for who i am. i extended going natural to my skin as well. i’m no longer bleaching my skin (love my skin color!! i just have an EXTREMELY uneven skin tone because of deep bug bite scars), wearing less make up, and no longer relaxing/straightening my hair. i feel more like myself.
Challenges are definitely being accepted by others. i know it’s more important to love yourself first, but i feel like this journey would be easier if my family and friends werent constantly asking me when i would get a perm. Since i live in a diverse area, a lot of black women are pressured even more to have straight hair with so many white and asians in the area, so i feel like that also makes it difficult.
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