Naturally Fierce Feature: Elle & Neecie (BKA Natural Hair Daily)

July 31, 2014

Neecie and Elle are the London naturalistas behind Natural Hair Daily; the rapidly growing inspirational platform showcasing curly, kinky and coily hairstyles. They are on a mission to educate women and men worldwide about natural hair care and encourage them to feel confident whilst embracing their beautiful natural tresses.

How long have you been natural What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or aBig Chopper& why?

Elle: I’ve been rocking my natural tresses since June 2008. Prior to that I transitioned for 18 months, I wasn’t 100% ready to wear my hair in a shorter style. When I finally decided to chop off the relaxed ends it was such a liberating experience! I joined a popular hair forum and was in awe at the ladies with natural hair, which motivated me to discover what my own texture was like.

Neecie: December 2014 will be my 2 year hair anniversary and I can’t wait to see my progress however I feel as though I’ve been natural for longer than that. I think transitioning mentally prepares you for whats to come.

I first attempted to go natural back in 2008 then I lost my will power. So for the second attempt I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could get past that stage where I gave up previously. Being a goal driven person I thought if I discipline myself to embark on a healthier hair journey and embrace my hair they way it is then maybe through that I can help to influence others.

How would you describe your hair? What do you love most about your hair?

Elle: A mass of waves, loose curls and tight curls. The way my hair behaves changes all the time, some days my curls are wavy and other days they’re really tight. I love the versatility which means I have so many styling options now!

Neecie: My hair is kinky, coily and very thick! It loves moisture and works better when styles are prepped overnight. I love how full my hair is and the grow my hair has recently taken. I love the beauty of shrinkage and the ability to stretch my hair as both techniques create a bundle of styles.

What has been the most memorable part of your journey?Has it been easy or difficult or both?!

Elle: My hair journey has been a combination of both. Six months into transitioning my hair got really tangled and I was so tempted to relax it again. I’m glad I took the time to learn how to take care of it instead. Since my big chop, my journey has been relatively easy and it’s been fun experimenting with new styles and finding out products what work well for my hair.

Neecie: For me it has to be when i took the scissors to my hair and when i decided to say goodbye to my relaxed ends. I was alone at home and just started chopping away. I went out to a friend’s birthday dinner the same night and I was overwhelmed by compliments. That was the good experience. The bad experience I found difficult would be my ex who I was with for many years and dealing with him not excepting me. He just couldn’t adjust to the change and it became more and more apparent how much of a problem it was for him…which explains why he now in my past and not my present or future. What were some of your favorite transitioning? Neecie: I wore curly half wigs, marley hair as bun. Those worked well for me and wasn’t too complicated to achieve and they worked well for work too. Elle: The styles that helped me through my transition were wash n goes, bantu knot outs, braid outs, kinky twists and sometimes I’d flat iron my hair. I have so many styles I like to experiment with now, but my staples during the week are wash n goes, high buns, twist outs and puffs. On the weekends I like to get a bit more creative, you can find some of those styles on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/naturalhairdaily What have your experiences been as a ‘natural?’ Any memorable reactions from family or others? Elle: I’m lucky to have received positive comments from most of my friends and family. Someone I dated a while back asked me why don’t I do anything with my hair. I’m not sure exactly what he meant, whether he was referring to straightening it or what but the comment did upset me at the time. All that matters to me now is that I love my hair, and with that confidence the negative comments will never phase me. Neecie: All the women in my family were really proud of me because I was the last one standing as they are all natural. My brothers made banter jokes saying “What you going to do with your hair?” Working in a corporate environment I was surprised at how complimentary my colleagues were.

What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?

Elle: I moisturise daily with water, conditioner and a heavier creamy product. On the weekend I wash, deep condition, style using the LOC method

Neecie: I wash my hair once or twice a week depending on what styles I’m wearing. I do regular twist outs, bantu knots. My hair doesn’t like heavy products. A little seems to go a long way with me.

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

Crystal Afro of The United Kinkdom (http://www.youtube.com/crystalafro), Tyrone of Afro Hair Addictions (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY0Wa-3ohYpRk3PehTzwk1w), Jouelzy, Jfashiongirl87 on Instagram, Natura Magazine, MadameNoire.com… we have loads!

Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported Natural Hair Daily. It’s really uplifting to see so many naturalistas embracing their natural tresses. Have fun and enjoy your journey, tap into the qualities that you already have and are yet to discover and watch them blossom. Explore, experiement and follow your gut feeling because it’s always right!

We’re excited to announce that are hosting Natural Hair Week UK 2014 (www.naturalhairweek.com) in all six cities! The first event will take place in Leeds on 28th June 2014 and the last event will be in our hometown London on 2nd August 2014. We can’t wait to meet as many naturalistas as possible across the UK and host this fantastic event.

We have more exciting stuff coming up but we have to keep it quiet for now! Stay connected with us to find out what we have in store!

Social media links: Instagram: NaturalHairDaily | Twitter: @DailyNatural | Facebook: NaturalHairDaily | Youtube: NaturalHairDaily