Naturally Fierce Feature: LaToya

1. Tell me a little about yourself and your hair journey. (Name, where you’re from, etc)
My name is LaToya. I am brown girl from Boston loving the hair that God and her mummy gave her. I was a fro-rocking diva for 6 years and then I started locking my hair. I have been locked for 4 years as of April.

2. How long have you been natural?
I have been natural since spring of 2004.

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

I went natural after I saw a girl with two strand twists and fell in love with the style. I asked her where she got hers done and went to the salon. When the stylist asked if I wanted to cut off my processed ends, I said yes and have been natural ever since.

4. How would you describe your hair?
My hair is complicated and beautiful. I have long locs and shorts ones. I have locs with curly ends and some that are rounded. They are black, brown, and blonde.

5. What do you love most about your hair?
I love the different textures. It is rough in some places, smooth in some places, and curly in others. It is not easily defined.

6. What has been the most memorable part of your journey?Has it been easy, difficult, or both?!
The most memorable part of my journey was the beginning stages of my locs. It was cute at first because I would get them styled when I got them retwisted. But then I started let it hang free and I got to see it fuzz and start to lock. It was an interesting process but also hard. I called that phase the ugly phase. My hair just wouldn’t behave during those “ugly” times. I cried a few times because I felt like my hair was working against me, but eventually I got over it and learned to embrace all the stages of my loc journey.

7. What are (or were) some of your favorite transitioning hairstyles or current dos?
I loved getting kinky twists. It was my favorite transitioning hairstyle. I wore them for a year before my big chop.

8. What have your experiences been as a ‘natural?’ Any memorable reactions from family or others?
Once I went natural, I realized that guys were checking me out more. I felt freer and more comfortable in my skin. I didn’t have to worry about getting my hair wet or messing up a style. I could just go and enjoy myself.

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

I used to use a lot of Carol’s Daughter products before I locked my hair. Now I use Shea Moisture, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, and Jamaican Mango and Lime products. I retwist my hair once a month because I do not want to thin out my locs. And I try to do a cleaning of my locs with Apple Cider Vinegar every 3 months to get rid of buildup and lint.

10. What are some of your favorite natural hair websites,YouTuber’s, or blogs?
My favorite Youtubers are Chescalocs and the Bronzegoddess. They have great loc videos.

11. Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?
It doesn’t really matter if you are natural or rock a perm. It is about loving yourself and embracing your beauty.

“I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”– Maya Angelou “Still I Rise”

“It doesn’t matter how far you might rise…At some point, you are bound to stumble. … And when you do, remember this: there is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.”  -Oprah Winfrey

12. Where can people find you for more information?
My twitter is luvbeing_toyat.

My instagram is latoyat.

And my youtube channel is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC19NoBNrvkwHSH2HhkZ7Etw