Naturally Fierce Feature: Jennifer

My name is Jennifer and I’m 23 years old and I’m from Overland Park, KS. I am a stay at home mom, aspiring photographer, and naturalista! I began my hair journey in February 2010, which was when I got my last relaxer. My hair was very damaged and thin and I wanted to have
healthy hair.

How long have you been natural? I have been natural for 3.5 years.

What motivated you to go natural? 
Seeing my hair unhealthy and damaged was ultimately what lead me to becoming natural. At first I wanted to transition because I was afraid
to do a Big Chop. I transitioned for 7 months and mostly wore my hair in buns during that time. For my 21st birthday I decided to try something
new and decided to finally do the Big Chop then.

How would you descibe your hair? I would describe my hair as big, fluffy, and wild! And most definitely thick.

What do you love most about your hair? I love that my hair grows quickly and that I don’t have to do much to it.

What has been the most memorable part of your journey? 
The most memorable part of my journey was definitely when I Big Chopped. I had long hair my entire life and had never seen myself with short hair. It was definitely an adjustment because I did not know exactly what to do with my new hair cut. The beginning of my journey was difficult because I couldn’t do much with my hair. I wasn’t as knowledgable about natural hair at the time so I felt stuck. As my hair grew and I learned more about my hair it became exciting to see the endless possibilities and versatility of my hair!

What  were some of your favorite transitioning hairstyles?
I mostly wore my hair in buns while I was transitioning. Once my hair got long enough after my Big Chop I wore puffs which was one of my all time favorite
styles. Currently my favorite styles are twistouts, big buns, and letting my hair be big wild and crazy!

Any memorable reactions from family or others?
When I first cut off all my hair it was a shock to my family, they were not used to seeing me like that! I did get some backlash and some non believers of natural hair. I was determined to change their minds though! My experience as a whole has been a positive one. Going natural was one of the best decisions I have ever made! It really taught me to take care of my hair. It feels great to have people ask me questions about my hair because I am always willing to help out and motivate a woman that wants to go natural. Seeing African American women return to wearing natural hair is so beautiful to me!

What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?

My current hair regimen is this: once a week I co-wash my hair with either Tresemme naturals Conditioner or Vo5 Conditioner. I then use Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner and apply that to my hair in small sections. On top of that I apply the Kinky Curly Curling Custard and finger coil my hair. I let it air dry overnight. At night time I put my hair in a pineapple. In the morning I take it down and seperate the coils. With this routine I can get fifth day hair! Each night I just put my hair in a pineapple and then take it down in the morning. My favorite products are the Kinky Curly line, Shea Moisture line, Eco Styler Gel, and coconut oil.

What are some of your favorite natural hair websites, YouTuber’s, or blogs?

My favorite YouTubers are: JustKellee101, Naptural85, Summer0892, GlamTwinz334, MahoganyCurls, TheIceiing, xlovedivine, NaturalNeiicey, and uLovemegz.

Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?

Don’t be afraid to embrace your natural texture! Don’t think you need a certain texture to be natural, and don’t give up until you find what works for your hair.

Where can people find you for more information?

You can find me on YouTube and Instagram @jennwiththebighair