Naturally Fierce Feature: Kara

Hi! My name is Kara. Im originally from New Jersey but I packed my stuff up and headed to LA a little over a year ago to pursue my dreams of becoming an Interior Designer.

How long have you been natural?

I have been natural my entire life but just like most of us, you don’t really embrace your curls until you realize you completely damaged your hair. I use to flat iron and color my hair A LOT! The straight hair would work during the cool seasons but once summer hit…forget it! My hair just couldn’t withstand the humidity.

What sparked the shift to rock your curls?

I believe it was the summer of 2006, I took a vacation with my family and my hair was a complete mess the entire trip because I had zero curl pattern and I just didn’t feel sexy so as soon I got home I made the decision to cut off all my damaged hair off. Unfortunately, this was before selfies and Instagram so I don’t have too many pics of my haircut but I looked like Annie after the cut (yikes) so I continued to straighten my hair often as it grew out. The cut was a little below my ear, but it was fun to style and play with because I had extremely long hair my entire life. So wow its been about 8 years since my big chop and it was the BEST decision I ever made.

How would you describe your hair?

My hair has a 3-C curl pattern to it, its thick, and gets tangled often. I wouldn’t mind having straighter roots but I am thankful for my fro and embrace it.

What do you love most about your hair?

I love the attention my hair brings (no I’m not vain but its nice to have a unique look) and the freedom it has given me. I get a lot of compliments about my hair and it makes you feel good. People will remember me when I go on interviews, or just happen to see more more than once somewhere. I also workout out 3 times a week and we all know straight hair will really deter you from exercise because who wants to sweat out a fresh flat iron job? I also don’t have to wrap my hair at night. I use to HATE having to do that, especially around your boo thang. I remember one time I spent a week at a university and my roommates were white and asked a million questions about wrapping my hair, I was honestly embarrassed.

How would you describe your hair journey?

My hair journey has been nothing but easy! Besides having to wake up earlier to give my hair time to dry, being natural been a fun experience from styling and trying new products.

What are your favorite hairstyles?

Being that I have a oval shaped face and a huge forehead I usually just rock the fro with a bang, it frames my face well. I do want to experiment more with new styles, but usually when I am not rocking the fro its up in a high, loose ponytail with my bangs out and sometimes I’ll add an accessory like a flower or headband.

Any memorable reactions from others?

When I first cut my hair a lot of my classmates were shocked because like I said I’ve always had long hair. A friend of mine actually told me she hated my short hair. Being natural was not very popular at this time, or at least not in my town, so I don’t think a lot of people understood my ultimate goal. But I didn’t mind, I never make decisions based off of what people think of me.

What is your regimen?

My hair regimen starts in the shower every morning. I do a good rinse to remove buildup and then I add Cantu Shea Butter conditioner and a detangler- I really like Au Naturale Knot Out but I am currently using Taliah Waajid The Great Detangler- smells great but not that impressed! I then detangle with a wide tooth comb, starting with my ends to avoid taking so much hair out. After I apply some oil and a curl enhancing product. I love love love the Shea moisture line but I am trying to get rid of all my products. I usually use Shea Moisture Curl Smoothie, but I am finishing up Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue- smells awfullllll! but it gets the job done. As far as oil, I love smell of argan oil and how it makes my hair feel but I noticed my face starting to break out, I’m not exactly sure if it was from that but I am currently using Deep Shine Oil by Rusk which I found at ULTA. I’m not picky on my oil product, as long as it smells good. I am going to experiment again with the argan oil and if my face does not break out I will stick to the argan oil by Agadir. After the products are smoothed in I use a cotton tshirt to get rid of the excess water. I apply my Eco style gel- I use the olive oil gel, but the clear one works just as good. And I use a comb brush to go over my ends for better definition. I am usually up so early that my hair has time to hair dry, if not I use a blow dryer on cool until semi- dry and switch to medium heat to dry my roots.

What are your favorite blogs?

I honestly don’t have much free time to read blogs and watch youtubers but I admire everyone who does take the time out to share their reviews and beauty tips. I adore Jade (lipstickncurls) even though her IG page gets deleted so often, as I’m checking her page out now it looks like it got deleted again 🙁 I also love Baroness Countess, she’s gorgeous and her hair is fierce. And lastly, my favorite diva HalfieTruths. Oh and I can’t forget about HeyGorJess- so sweet!

Any hair advice?

The bigger the better!!! I get volume from teasing my roots and I recommend that you all invest in a pick. Also, please stop trying to revive damaged hair. I know a few people that are so uneasy about cutting their hair, its not about the length! Healthy hair is most important so remember the curly journey usually starts with a big chop. And lastly, I would like to remind you that no matter how kinky your hair is or what shade of brown you are, we are all most beautiful in our natural state!

Where can we find you on social media?

I made a new instagram page after about 7 months of pretty much falling off the face of the earth so I’m just getting back into the natural crowd on IG. You can find me at karathomass.