Naturally Fierce Feature: Danielle

My name is Danielle Desiree. My family is from Guyana, South America and I currently reside in Houston, TX.

How long have you been natural? I’ve been natural for a little over 5 years

What motivated you to transition? Were you a transitioner or a Big Chopper& why? I actually went natural by an accident. I was in college and I wore hair extensions throughout most of my collegiate career. I wore weave consistently for about 8 months and when I finally allowed my hair to breathe I had a whole bunch of new growth so I decided to wear it like that. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made with my hair.

How would you describe your hair? I would describe my hair has predominately 4c with some 4b patches. My hair is porous, fine, and plentiful! What do you love most about your hair? I love how versatile my hair is. I love how I can just place random bobby pins in my hair and a style is born! What has been the most memorable part of your journey?Has it been easy or difficult or both?! My hair journey started out on a positive note. Admittedly, when I first started to wear my natural hair I was so nervous. I didn’t really know what to do with my hair or how to handle it. I was very intimidated. To add to my own anxiety, I didn’t really know how others would react to my hair either. The same week I took out my extensions, an associate of mine asked me to participate in a photo shoot. I was so nervous! I told him I was natural and didn’t have any extensions in my hair. He told me not to worry and show up because the makeup artist would take care of everything. So I showed up that day and the makeup artist threw my hair in a fro-hawk with relative ease. We took a few pictures and I left. The image from that shoot went viral and I began seeing that image in many natural hair blogs and beauty salons. People were complimenting my hair online and in person. It really felt good to receive such a positive response on a decision I made. I was able to own my hair with confidence from the beginning of my hair journey and I am so grateful for that. What are  some of your favorite  hairstyles? I love buns! What have your experiences been as a ‘natural?’ Any memorable reactions from family or others? Overall, my hair journey has been quite a positive experience. Women and men all over are becoming more comfortable with their own hair and it’s so beautiful to see people accepting themselves more. Being natural is actually making women, especially black women more unified than before and that is awesome! I love talking to people in random places about hair products and regimens. I’ve met more people because of being natural and some of those same people have become such an essential part of my life today. Companies are starting to cater more to the naturals and one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had was being asked to be a signature model for As I Am. I’ve made some magazine and commercial appearances and it has been so much fun. I can’t wait to see what’s next for me! What is your hair regimen (including fav products)? I like to keep my hair regimen simple. It doesn’t have to be difficult at all. I wash my hair every 2 weeks and deep condition each time. I usually co-wash and I’ll clarify my hair with a shampoo every once in a while. After I deep condition my hair, I use coconut oil and water to complete my twist out. I wear my hair in twists or a loose bun most of the time (because I work a lot), but when it’s time to look fly I undo my twists or bun and let the beast roam free. There are so many great products out there, but I typically stick to a very basic regimen consisting of natural oils and butters. Keep it simple. Keep it sane.