Natural Hair Inspiration - Brittany

I would like to introduce you all to Brittany, a natural beauty. I met Brittany at a local Trader Joe's, a couple of weeks ago, and I really loved her hair. Here is a more about Brittany and her natural hair journey -

Q:  What is your hair story?  What kind of hair styles have you rocked, before embracing your natural hair?
A:  I went natural spring semester of my Sophomore year in high school. Before then I wore my hair either flat ironed, in twists or braided. I didn't really care too much about the style, although 8th grade through Freshman year of high school, I was all about the side swept bangs!

Q: You mentioned that you have been natural since the age of 15. That is impressive. What made you decide to not only go natural, but to also stick with it? Did you feel pressure to change your hair by your peer group?
A:  My decision to go natural was really out of curiosity. I had just finished washing my hair one evening and I was looking at in the mirror, when I notice that my roots were really curly, compared to my limp, relaxed ends. I was excited to see what it would look like, so I asked my mom to cut my hair. It was a bit of a struggle, but I finally convinced her to do it. I was left with about 1 1/2 inches of hair, but I was happy.

I decided to remain natural for several reasons. I played a bunch of sports in high school, and my short natural hair was very practical and easy to manage. Every morning I wet, it combed some conditioner through it and then rinsed it out. I never really felt any pressure to change
my hair from my peers. My hairstyle worked for me, so I could care less what other people thought. Also, I really enjoyed the fact the my hair was kind of unique. In high school, I only remember seeing one other girl with short natural hair like mine. As I started to learn how to care of and style my hair, I got a lot of compliments from people, which really boosted my confidence. I definitely don't see myself going back to perming my hair, because I have found something that works for me. I love that I don't feel limited about what I can do with my hair.

Q:  I love your hair!  Please tell what you do to achieve your cute hair style?
A:  Thank you!! When I saw you at Trader Joe's, I was wearing a two day old twist out. I'll usually twist my hair and pin it up for a week or two. If I get bored I'll take my hair down and rock a fro. Generally, I tend to take better care of my hair, the less that I'm playing in it.

Q: What are three products you can't live without for nurturing/styling your hair?
A: Organic Root Stimulator, Hair Mayonnaise (Conditioner), Olive Oil Hair Lotion, and my Denman brush. My scalp gets super dry and my conditioner and olive oil are they only two things that seem to make it better. My Denman brush is the most effective thing that I have to detangle my hair before washing.

Q: What would you say to someone who's thinking about embracing their natural hair, but scared about being rejected in various parts of their lives?
A:  I really encourage it! I looove big hair, so I'm biased... lol. Natural hair is fun and very versatile. There are always going to be people who don't like how you look, how you dress, etc. I think the most important thing is to be at peace with who you are no matter what is going on around you. Also, if you do decide to go natural, enjoy your hair for what it is. Try not to spend to much time wishing that your hair looked like someone else's. Everybody's hair is different, so don't be afraid to learn what works best for you! That will save you alot of frustration.

Q: How can we keep up with you and your journey i.e. blog, twitter, facebook, fotki, tumblr, personal or professional website?
A:  I've had a Blogspot account for the past year, but I'm still undecided on whether or not I should start blogging.  In the meantime, I'm on Facebook :) -  Facebook


Thank you for letting me interview you Brittany! And it was wonderful to meet you, not only because you were so nice, but also because your natural beauty was refreshing! And it was wonderful for me, because my  daughters were with me at the time, and I am so happy when they can see beautiful woman and men who truly embrace themselves for who they are, inside and out.