Older Natural Feature – Virginia

Virginia

1.    How
long have you been Natural?  
I stopped relaxing my hair in 2009.  I
started wearing braids then.  I joke and say that I unknowing
transitioned.  I cut the permed ends off
on April 10, 2011 in the wee hours of the morning.
  
2.    Why did you become Natural? 
 
While I was wearing my extensions (braids) my daughter who was 8 at the
time, said that she wanted long wavy hair like me and her classmates.  I told her that she was beautiful just the
way she was and she told me that I was too. 
So I got online after she went to sleep to figure out what to do with my
hair and the naturals on YouTube were excellent guides as to what to do with my
hair.

3.    Was it a hard transition?  
No, like I mentioned before, I didn’t know that I was “transitioning, I
thought that I was just stopping relaxing my hair.  How did you
transition? I transitioned with zillions and latch hook extensions.

4.  Did your age aid in your decision to go
Natural? 
It was initially for my daughter, so not really.



5.  Does your age make it easier or harder
to be Natural?  
I think that the woman I
am now compare to 10 years ago is much more confident and comfortable being who
I am with no regards to what others think. 
I know some women that have this in their 20’s but not me. 

6.  Do you see many Older Naturals in your
area? If so,
what styles are they sporting?
Yes, Detroit has a large natural hair community and many of the women
are in their late 30’s and up. Locs and
twists are very popular. 

7. 
How do you primarily wear your Natural hair? 

I love
wash and go’s, twist outs and puffs or buns for work.  I am a nurse, so I like to keep my hair
pulled back.

8. 
Favorite products and/or product line? 

Shea Moisture, Shea Moisture, Shea
Moisture!!!!  I use the SM Moisture
Retention Shampoo, Deep Conditioning Mask, Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Curl
Souffle.

9. 
Any words of wisdom or encouragement for other Older Naturals already Natural
or thinking about it?  

As we get older,
we know better.  Try to be the best
healthiest version of yourself that you can be. 
If you are more aware of what you are doing to your body that includes
your hair too and vice versa.  Isn’t it
time for us all to just accept who we are, just the way we are?  I think so.

Thank you Virginia  for sharing your Natural hair journey with us.  How beautiful that you decided to do this for your daughter.  Her hair is beautiful and I love her versitility.  I’ve found another Shea Moisture lover!  

Don’t forget I’m always looking for women thirty and over to share their Natural hair story with us.  

Take care Naturals,
Sabrina