Naturally Fierce Feature: Ashley

December 18, 2015

1. Tell me a little about yourself and your hair journey.

Hey everyone, I’m Ashley! Natural hair sites, Netflix, shopping, and finding new delicious places to eat are just a few of my favorite things. I’m a lifelong resident of Virginia, with a brief stint of living in DC for a couple years under my belt. I love my hair, it’s one of my favorite accessories and it’s a big part of me. I’ve never disliked my curls, as a little girl I was a totally tender headed (still am) and when it was time for my mom to do my hair I would throw a mini fit every morning. When she relaxed my hair she involved me in the decision and it was for conveniencemore than anything. She supported my decision to go natural my junior year of high school which was super helpful and meant a lot during that process.

2. How long have you been natural? Have you always embraced your curls?

My natural hair journey has taken some twists and turns over the years! I’ve always loved curly hair, and to get some texture when I was relaxed hair my mom would braid my hair wet and I’d wear it curly, way before knowing all about braid outs and twist outs. I transitioned for about a year in 2004 and did the big chop a week after I graduated high school in 2005. I loved my curls, but after four years of being natural my hair had reached tailbone length and I was overwhelmed by the hours of detangling, and my routine at the time wasn’t as great as it is now. I ended up getting a texturizer in 2009 to make it more manageable, but regretted it almost immediately. I did a slow transition by cutting off the texturized ends and was completely natural again by 2012.

3. What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper& why?

I’d had a relaxer since third grade and was so curious to know what my natural texture was like after all those years. My first go round transitioning I wore my hair straight, cutting an inch a month, and then big chopping after about a year. I was still a teenager and that worked best for my comfort zone until I was ready to let it go. I’d never had short hair so it was a huge deal for me after 18 years! After my texturizer experience, I used my knowledge from being natural the first time to do a long transition, and before I knew it all of the chemically processed hair was gone and I enjoyed the experience even more because instead of relying on a stylist I felt totally in control of playing with my hair and really getting to see all the phases of my hair returning back to natural.

4. How would you describe your hair?

Very thick, dry curls that drink up moisture and love to tangle.

5. What do you love most about your hair?

I love seeing my curls and knowing they’re uniquely mine, and I feel 100% myself with my curls than with any other style. Plus from twist outs, wash and gos, coils, rod sets, and the occasional once in a blue moon straight style I have so much to play around with!

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

Definitely both! There have been times when I’ve been totally frustrated and tired of my hair (hello 5 hour detangling sessions from back in the day ugh!), and I have times when my hair just doesn’t act right no matter what, but the good days, the surprise days of unbelievably awesome hair far outweigh the occasional rough patch.

7. What are (or were) some of your favorite transitioning hairstyles or current dos’

I wore my hair straight the first time I transitioned, but the second time I wore braid outs, twistouts, and buns and my hair was much healthier when I catered more to my new growth than the other way around by trying to blend the curly hair with the limp texturized hair.

8. What have your experiences been as a ‘natural.’ Any memorable reactions from family or others?

It’s been pretty positive overall! Most people were used to seeing me with long, straight hair for so long and weren’t shy to let me know they preferred my hair that way, but now almost everyone I’m close to prefers my hair curly.

9. What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?

My regimen is pretty solid, but picking fav products is like picking favorite pets, that’s a hard one. But I can narrow it to a few of my most beloved staples. I usually wear my hair in twists/twistouts, and wash and gos, but use similar products for both styles. With a wash and go I can usually go a week between restyling, and with twists and the resulting twistout I can push it to about eight or nine days. I prepoo on dry hair with a cheapie creamy, thinner consistency conditioner like Nature’s Gate or Giovanni to help soften my hair and loosen tangles and focus most on my stands and not my scalp. After thirty minutes I wash in about eight sections with a sulfate free shampoo, like SheaMoisture Moisture Retention, Ouidad Superfruit Renewal Clarifying Cream Shampoo, or Dudu Osom shampoo. The pre poo gives me a head start on detangling, and keeps my hair soft during cleansing. Then I apply a rich conditioner, like Kinky Kashmere Infused Hair Masque, SheScentitMoisture Riche Masque, or Darcy’s Botanicals DC and used my Hot Head Deep Conditioning Cap while I hang out on YouTube. I then detangle, apply a moisture infused leave in (I’m loving Shea Moisture Superfruit conditioner), seal with a butter blend such as Naturalsis72’s Sweet Coconut butter or a butter from Tasti Kiss Essentials (soon to be relaunched as Flawlessly Freckled). Lastly I use a gel to twist or style my wash and go such as Uncle Funky’sDaughter Curly Magic or Wetline Xtreme gel and voila! Oh, and using a good amount of product works really well for me, I find that since it’s so dry that saturating it with product keeps it moisturized longer, my curls smoother, and more manageable.

10. What has been your experience with dating and the workplace when it comes to your natural hair?

When I first went natural I used to wonder a bit what guys thought about my hair and if they would prefer it straight, but as I’ve gotten older and gotten a lot more comfortable with my hair and myself in general I have much more of a “take the whole package” approach, if a guy wants me that includes my hair in all its curly glory! Same applies to work, I’ve gone to interviews with twists, coils, wash and gos, you name it.

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

I have so many! I’m on YouTube ALL the time, some of my favorite YouTubers are CurlyGirlJess, MahoganyCurls,MakeupVixen, Mo Knows Hair, naturalme4c, Naptual85, Brandi Lofton, and so many others. As far as blogs and websites I love maneobjective.com and bglhonline.

12. Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?

Have fun with your hair at ALL stages and choose what’s best for you. That includes how you decide to go natural as well as what products and techniques work for you. It’s a learning process, and there will be some days when your hair has a totally different agenda than you do, but just know it’s temporary, don’t get discouraged (or in my case get a texturizer that you’ll regret after two seconds lol) and your hair will snap back before you know it. It’s a journey, and that comes with some bumps along the way. Just do what’s right for you and your hair!

13. Where can people find you for more information?

I’m Ashkins Curls on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook! I’m always on Instagram and making videos on YT and love talking about products, tutorials, doing the occasional haul, and posting those things and a little bit of everything else especially on Insta.