Naturally Fierce Feature: Alicia

My name is Alicia Lee-Bungy. I am currently completing my PhD in Community Leadership at Alvernia University. My focus and dissertation will be on motivation; to that end I began a business Alicia Bungy Enterprises (ABE). ABE is dedicated to self-efficacy, self-empowerment, and motivation. I speak to groups about goal setting and creating a plan to reach their goals. I am working on a YouTube channel that motivates and encourages people.

Because my business will have me in the public eye, I was looking for an image that would allow me to be confident and embrace who I am. I was looking for fashion and natural hairstyles online and found an entire natural hair community.

How long have you been natural?

I have basically been natural all my life. Meaning I wouldn’t get perms. However, I did not embrace my natural hair and wear it out. I would fry it with the blow dryer, flat irons, and all sorts or heat. Or I would plop a wig on top of my beautiful natural hair and hide it from the world. I never really appreciated the hair that I was blessed with. I cut off the heat damage although I wanted to retain my length because what good was it to have hair if it wasn’t healthy.

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

I have chopped my hair off more times than I can count. My last big chop was because my mom had a brain tumor. My mom was upset that they were chopping off her hair, so I cut mine also so she would be alone. She felt better about it. Again I didn’t appreciate my hair so I let it grow back but again wore wigs, and used heat to straighten it. My hair was always thick and curly. Years of heat damage and torture changed the texture of my hair. It was thinning in some areas and I developed this cradle cap type of dandruff. So I would wash my hair more and more to get rid of the dandruff (sometimes daily) then straighten and use heat, heat, and more heat. The dandruff problem continued to get worse. I never realized what the problem was until recently, when I stopped using shampoo.

During the awkward stages when my hair was growing back I wore half wigs. Then my hair broke off in the front from the teasing and manipulation, so I went to full wigs. I was not taking care of my real hair underneath the wigs, so it all was damaged and dry.

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

Since I began taking care of my natural hair, it has grown fuller, thicker, and healthier. I cut off most of the heat damage and it seems to be making its way back to the natural state that I had as a child. I used to look at my grandmother and wonder why she always had plaits in her hair. She would wash her hair, oil her hair and then keep it in plaits. But she had the most beautiful head of hair I had ever seen. Now I understand. Looking back at it now I can say she would always take care of her hair and mine. She kept me in plaits and pigtails until I was a teenager.

I have not yet reached my hair goal. But I am enjoying the journey. I like trying new products and even at times making my own. I have become more confident and like my hair and have grown to appreciate my hair now. This is the first time I have ever said that I love my hair and really meant it. I love taking down a braidout or twistout and seeing the results. Every time it amazes me. Every time it is different. I have NEVER had the same hairstyle twice in this journey. But I have also never had a bad hair day. If my hair didn’t dry, so what, it is mine. If my hair is full of frizz, so what, rocking the frizz. It is my hair and it is beautiful and I love it. This is the first time in my life when I don’t care what others think of my hair and how I look. I find that no matter what I am wearing my hair brings out the outfit.

My confidence level has soared.

What are some of your favorite transitioning hairstyles?

I rarely wash and go. The fact of the matter is that wash and gos leave my hair more tangled and more apt to break off during the detangling process. I wear braid outs and twist outs most often. I use rollers on the ends or perm rods. Here is my deep dark secret. I have to twist or braid every night. It takes about 15 minutes. But I am one of those people that cannot keep my hands out of my hair. I have to twist or braid at night otherwise I will look horrible in the morning.My first braid out was a hot mess. I didn’t moisturize my hair, didn’t use any product at all. I didn’t even know what a braid out was. But I rocked it with pride. My first twist out was because my friend sent me a YouTube video. I wanted to see more so I searched the web and found several naturals explaining their hair care regimes. I fell in love. I became obsessed with naturals. I wanted to learn everything I could about my hair; so I googled and researched. I tried several methods and products until I found what worked for my hair.

Any memorable reactions from family or others?

Reaction from strangers

· Strangers want to play in my hair

· I have been asked what hair I used (as in weave) or if my hair is a wig

· I have been asked if I am mixed and if so with what. For the record my mother and father are both African-American (My dad may have Indian in his family lol)

· I went to the hair store and was buying a new pick. In the aisle was an older woman taking direction from her daughter or niece. She was buying a padded brush. I suggested she may want to buy a denman brush because it will lessen the likelihood of having bacteria or mold under the cushion. Her companion said she didn’t like that type of brush. The older woman then replied, “yeah, but look at her hair and look at yours.”

· One of the people in my PhD cohort told me that this was the best my hair ever looked and to never change it again

My family reaction

· My mother and god-mom were blown away by my hair. My god-mom told me every day it looks more and more beautiful

· My cousin that introduced me to wigs told me that she thought my hair was a wig when she saw the photos of me on Facebook.

· Everyone in my family said to me but you have “that type of hair.” Anyone regardless of hair texture can take care of their natural hair. All it takes is patience and trial and error.

I am a single woman so I date from time to time. Here are some of my dating stories good and bad

· One man that I went on a date with asked me why I won’t straighten my hair. Needless to say we never had another date after that!

· I went to a man’s house once and a week later he said he was still finding my hair in the bathroom and living room. Oh well

· Many men of other ethnicities want to date me and find me exotic. (Imagine that!)

· I find that men with natural hair and locs want to date me more often since I became natural

What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?

Favorite products

Cantu shea butter leave-in conditioner

Canatu argan oil leave-in conditioner

Crème of nature argan oil products

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner

Elasta QP Olive oil and mango butter moisturizer

Home-made concoction of Raw shea butter, Raw Mango butter, Argan oil

Water bottle has water, conditioner, and essential oils

Regimen

Shampoo every six weeks

Protein treatment every 6 weeks

Cowash weekly

Deep condition weekly

Nightly routine

Spray each section with mixture dampen hair do not soak the hair

Add leave in

Seal with mango, shea, oil mixture

Braid or twist wet hair (nightly moisturize and retwist or braid)

Wrap my hair with a sateen scarf or bonnet

*I do not pre-poo

**I never have second day hair.

***I want to use the curly girl method but have not tried it yet

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

Favorite vloggers:

Naturalneiicey

Longhairdontcarellc

Tarenguy

Jennwiththebighair

Vannie3000

Aliciajames

Mahoganycurls

Courtneynaturalhair

Hair Crushes:

Lisa Nicole Carson

Karyn Parson

Lisa Nichols (she is my hero) – She has the career I want and she too finally embraced her natural self

Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?

Having long hair is not the final goal! Having healthy natural hair is the goal. Embrace the shrinkage and the frizz. Shrinkage means that you have your natural hair pattern. Shrinkage doesn’t mean that people don’t realize how long you hair really is. Everyone that knows curly hair knows that you hair is twice as long as it appears.

Find the hair-care regimen that works for your hair. Try new things and new styles.

Where can people find you for more information?

Twitter: @alicialeebungy

Facebook: Alicia Lee

Instagram: @leesz4

aliciabungy@gmail.com

PO BOX 30081

Elkins Park, Pa 19027