Tell us a little
about yourself and your hair journey.
My
name is Kami and I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA. However, after college I
relocated to California. I started my hair journey in 2012 after seeing some
beautiful naturals online!
I was convinced that the natural life was for me. I
seriously was in awe of the beauty. I thank my little sister Kyra for the
initial spark! My mother, sister, and I all started the journey together. It
was a great support system.
How long have you
been natural? Have you always embraced your curls?
This
April will mark a whole entire 2 years natural for me. No, when I was younger I
hated my natural hair. It was always too thick, too hard to deal with, too
rough too touch, too everything. My older sister Karmen has really silky curly
hair and I thought her hair was out of this world. And it is, but I also have
my own world!
What motivated you
to transition? Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper& why?
My
little sister showed me Naptural85′s beach wave video one day in hopes of
creating the same style. We realized that we would need some Naptural85 hair to
do, so from that moment on we decided that we were going to begin a transition
journey. I would often go 3-5 months without a relaxer anyway so it didn’t seem
like it would be too difficult. After 11-12 months I cut my hair to become
natural.
How would you
describe your hair?
My
hair is very thick, but the front of my hair has a looser pattern to it. It can
be very dry sometimes as most people with Afro textured hair experience.
What do you love
most about your hair?
I
love that my hair can literally be and do ANYTHING. It shapes into whatever you
want it to do. And I adore how big it gets.
What has been the
most memorable part of your journey? Has it been easy or difficult or both?!
The
most memorable part of my journey was realizing how much I love everything
about me. My natural hair journey inspired me to take healthier steps in my
daily life. I began eating more organic foods and shopping at the local farmer
markets for healthier choices.
Honestly,
my journey was quite easy. I did not experience any mishaps as far as my hair
is concerned. (Minus a few bad hairstyles here and there of course lol) I
thoroughly enjoyed the process and would do it all over again knowing what I
know now.
What are some of
your favorite transitioning hairstyles or current dos’?
To
be honest I wasn’t feeling too cute during my transitioning days. I wore a lot
of buns and braids with beanie hats and etc. To be honest I would
Of
been happier cutting it WAY sooner. I see this BOMB styles out here and I
regret waiting so long to do it.
I
love wearing Curly Fros and puffs. Lately with my work lifestyle (flight
attendant) I find that wash n gos are a major YES for me. I don’t have to spend
tons of time doing my hair and I almost never have a bad hair day with those.
What have your
experiences been as a ‘natural’? Any memorable reactions from family or others?
My
mother and little sister went through this journey with me. So we were all
accepting of the process. My older sister actually cried when I cut my hair at
the time she just didn’t understand. It was probably a little past my arm pit
when I cut it but my little sister cut WAY more hair off than I. Her hair was
17 inches when she chopped.
It
was one of the biggest changes that I’ve made in the past few years and I am so
glad I did.
What is your hair
regimen?
To
be honest I am not very picky when it comes to products. However, I wash my
hair at least once a week. Sometimes more dealing with this psoriasis sigh. But
I wash with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Shampoo or do an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. (Psoriasis) Next I spray Crème of Natures Strength and Shine Leave-In-Conditioner. OMG It smells so good I think I use it just for the scent
sometimes.
Who doesn’t love a good smelling FRO!?! Next I deal with my homemade
she’s butter (such a big fan of Shea butter OMG). Really
that’s all to it in regards to the basics.
What are some of
your favorite natural hair websites, Youtubers, or blogs?
I
love Naptural85, Mynaturslsistas, Char J, MiniMarley, FusionsofCultures,
Donedo, AfrikanHairGod, NaturallyNellzy, and ChimeEdwards.
Anything you want
the readers to know? Any inspirational words?
I
want everyone to document their journey…rather you choose to do so by pictures
or YouTube. When it feels like you aren’t getting anywhere pull those bad boys
out and start tap dancing because you probably are doing way better than you
think.
Don’t
wear your shoes out because there are going to be MANY more dancing moments in
the near future and lastly,
be encouraged!
Where can people
find you for more information?
https://instagram.com/kamitinae
https://m.youtube.com/user/Annointmyhair36
http://kamitinae.blogspot.com/?m=1
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