Tell me a little about yourself and your hair journey.
My name is Melodie Miller (@getslimwithmelodie on Instagram)
and I am from Delaware. I’m 20 years old and a junior in college, studying
education. I love having natural hair because it is so versatile and beautiful.
It feels so good to be a part of a community in which African American women
embrace their natural hair and wear it proudly.
How long have you been natural? Have you always embraced
your curls?
I guess you could say that I’ve been natural my whole life,
but I suffer from heat damage. I’ve been transitioning from heat damage for
almost 2 years. I had a really hard time embracing my curls. Coming from a
predominantly Caucasian area, I often felt pressured to have long, straight
hair. I was never comfortable with my natural hair, until I actually learned
how to appreciate it. Now, I don’t know how I couldn’t see the beauty in my
natural hair before!
What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or
a Big Chopper & why?
I was motivated to transition by the simple fact of having
long hair. I transitioned because I couldn’t fathom the thought of cutting my
hair short. Originally, I didn’t care much about the health of my hair, I just
wanted it to be long. Once I learned how I could grow it long without using
heat, I was forced to learn how to properly take care of my natural hair. It
definitely was a slow process, but eventually I became obsessed with having
healthy natural hair. I’ve actually grown to not care about the length too
much, it’s all about the health and appearance of my hair in its natural curly
state. I think that’s a better way to think actually.
How would you describe your hair?
I don’t really use the little number-letter hair system that
many people use, but my hair is really curly. Some of my curls are tighter than
others, but for the most part I have medium curls and some waves in my hair.
What do you love most about your hair?
I love the versatility of my hair. I can wear it big, I can
wear it straight, or I can wear buns.I can create any look with my hair and I
appreciate that. Any look that I may go for, it can be achieved on my hair.
What has been the most memorable part of your journey? Has
it been easy or difficult or both?!
The most memorable part was the beginning. The first few
months were so annoying, but funny, now that I think about them. Every day, I
would look in the mirror and pull down my hair to see if it grew. I would ask
my boyfriend everyday like “Babe, can’t you see all of this growth? It’s much
longer than yesterday!” It was ridiculous.
It also seemed like it took forever
for my hair to grow, but that’s because I was pulling it down every single day.
I’d say my journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed learning
about my hair, embracing it, and learning what it feels like to be confident
with myself and my hair. It’s also been very rewarding to have connected with
so many other naturals in the natural hair community.
What are (or were) some of your favorite transitioning
hairstyles or current dos’?
My favorite transitioning styles are braid outs and twist
outs. They allow me to alter the appearance of my heat damage, so that it
blends with the rest of my hair. Also, buns are my go to styles while transitioning.
What have your experiences been as a ‘natural?’ Any
memorable reactions from family or others?
My grandmother tells me to “go do something about that head”
all of the time. Lol I get weird looks at family gatherings, but other than
that, I haven’t had any crazy stories.
What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?
I wash and deep condition my hair once a week. I like to use
Cream of Nature Argan Oil shampoo, and my deep conditioner consists of many
products. I have a video on my YouTube channel showing my exact deep
conditioning routine. After that, I use the LOC method to moisturize with Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in conditioner, olive oil, and curl enhancing smoothie. Then I
style and set my hair in either a braid out or a twist out. My all-time
favorite moisturizer is Elasta QP Olive Oil & mango butter moisturizer.
That stuff is awesome.
What are some of you favorite natural hair websites, Youtubers,
or blogs?
My number one fav natural hair YouTuber is Natural Neicey.
She’s the only YouTuber that I’ve found with hair similar to mine.
Where can people find you for more information?
You can find me more information on:
YouTube: YouTube.com/MelodieMillerMusic
Instagram: @getslimwithmelodie or @_melodiemiller
Twitter: @_melodiemiller
