HairStory- Veronica G.

Veronica G. of Savvy House Wife

1. How long have you been natural?  I’ve been natural (including my transition) a little over 3.5 years. I transitioned while I was pregnant with my youngest son, so my hair grew like crazy and I “big chopped” in the summer (2010).

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2. Why and how did you go natural? (Did you transition? What products and styles did you use?) This actually my second time going natural; the first time I was in college years ago and I ended up relaxing my hair again. This time around I was inspired to go natural by my mom and best friend. They are both natural and wear their natural hair straight. They both told me that relaxing my hair was a waste of time and that I could achieve the same results without the harsh chemicals…needless to say I was convinced. But once I started researching natural hair tips, styles, etc. I was inspired to rock my natural curls instead. Like most naturals I struggled in the beginning with trying to find the perfect product; I experimented with so many that I the list would be too long to share. But midways through my transition I feel in love with Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, coconut oil and Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Shampoo & Conditioner.

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3. Did you transition long term or do the big chop? Why? I was a long term transitioner. I definitely had those days (and sometimes weeks) when I wanted to big chop but my hubby wasn’t having it, he loves long hair. So to keep a happy home I grew out my relaxer about a year before I big chopped. At that time my hair was right at my shoulder…so I guess it really wasn’t much of a “big” chop.

4. Tell us about your hair regimen. What products and techniques do you use? How do you keep your hair moisturized? My regimen is pretty simple. I’m a mom of three boys so I don’t have a whole lot of time to spend doing my hair…lol. I wash, condition and detangle my hair once a week…I prefer to do this process in the shower because it makes detangling soooo much easier. I must confess that I am a bit of a product junkie and will often times reach for whatever shampoo and condition I can find. But I do have my favorites…Shea Moisture’s Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo; Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Fortifying Cream Conditioner and all of the Suave Professional’s in the green bottles. I find that using one of my hub’s old t-shirts to dry my hair helps to keep down on frizz. And a few months ago I started actively doing the L.O.C method and I love it. My absolute favorite oil to use is coconut oil.

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5. How would you describe this experience? Being natural is awesome! I had no idea that my natural hair was so versatile or that I could be so creative with styling it. I will admit that I have had my ups and downs with my hair…but I have no intentions on going back to the creamy crack even on my worst hair days.

6. What was others response to your naturality? At first a lot of people thought I was crazy for going natural, something I know a lot of us naturals experience. I got laughed at, joked on and what not when I was transitioning and experimenting with styles but some of those same people have come back to ask me for natural hair advice…lol.

  7. Who was your biggest influence/support? How did they provide support during your natural hair transition? My mom and bestie were my biggest supporters when I decided to go natural…I was constantly sending them pictures and asking what they thought about my hair. And of course I found tons of online support and inspiration from various websites, blogs and Youtube.

8. What have you learned since being natural (about yourself, your hair and other people)? Going natural (this time around) reminded me that I was an individual…I realized that my hair was as unique to me as I am to the rest of the world. I learned to be creative, to have fun, to experiment, and to just go with…not just with my hair but with most other aspects of my life. Even when people joked on my hair, I was confident and comfortable with who I was…

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9. What advice would you give to those transitioning or concerning natural? The best advice I can give is…know that your hair is as unique to you as you are to the world, so find what products and techniques work best for you and stick with it. Don’t spend your entire natural journey wishing your hair was like hers or searching for a perfect product because you will more than likely end up disappointed. Learn to rock what you got…with confidence!