Naturally Fierce Feature: Angel

October 5, 2013

My name is Angel. I was born, raised and still live in Los Angeles. The hair goes where I go; the office, the gym, the dance studio, restaurants and everywhere in between.

How long have you been natural?

Almost 25 years (my whole life)! I’ve noticed that the “natural hair movement” is geared a lot towards spotlighting and encouraging those who were not always natural (understandably so) and I hear very little from those who have been.

What motivated you to stay natural?

At first, my being natural wasn’t my own choice. It was the only thing my parents would allow. As early as elementary school, I noticed that my friends had smooth, sleek, straight hair and I always had french braids, plaits, or twists. If it was down, it was big and textured. I constantly asked to have my hair straightened, and the answer was constantly no. I went to the shop and got my hair pressed for the first time in 7th grade for Easter. I thought I was going to show up to school with flowing hair down my back, and my Mom put it right back into ponytails. Since then, I can count the number of times she took me to a hair salon (that few). Each time I felt weird going for picture day or felt out of place because my hair made me look different than the other girls, my parents would say, “There’s nothing wrong with your hair, you look very pretty!” I thought they just didn’t want to give in to what I wanted, but they were instilling something in me that I appreciate so much today.

How would you describe your hair?

My hair is full and bouncy. I have tighter curls in the back and in the top and front, it’s a looser S pattern. I used to cut the front of my hair almost every time I did a wash and go, just because it didn’t look uniform with the back. Now I accept that that’s the way it grows and it gives it more personality. I embrace it. (Most consider me a 3c, it doesn’t matter to me.)

What do you love most about your hair?

It’s big and full, and being that I’m 5 feet tall and thin…it gets to be everything I’m not. I love that it tells the world, “I’m not going to look like someone I’m not and could never be to make society comfortable. Society needs to get comfortable with me. If they refuse, it’ll be their discomfort, not mine.”

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

One of the most interesting things about my journey is when other natural women feel like I don’t have a “journey” because I was always on this path. In all actuality, I was natural before YouTube tutorials, blogs, forums, Instagram and people supporting each other in this. I was natural when literally I got NO COMPLIMENTS for my hair. It’s always difficult not to fit in, especially as a kid, even more I think as a teenager and I’ve been through that. Even as an adult, I’m asked when I’m going to straighten my hair. I’m happy for young women and all women who are doing this now, that they have more resources, more products, and more support from other women to take a little of the edge off. And I’m really happy to be in such great company.

What is dating like with a curly fro?

This question makes me chuckle. I use this philosophy; If you find someone who worships pop culture and who only accepts the ideas that have been handed to him, never striving for wisdom or his own understanding…he will push those standards on you. I know now, that if Beyonce and that flowy blonde weave (as much as I love her) is a man’s standard of beauty, I will never feel valued on a physical level. I don’t seek out guys that look at that as the right and only way. It never worked with the guys with the best fades and freshest lineups (nothing against the fade), but then I met a guys with locs (and the freshest lineup lol). He can see the beauty in himself, in his people, in the things that make us uniquely us and he sees the beauty in me. Once we were about to leave for a movie and I said I didn’t really want to go because my hair was in the most massive afro. He said, “If that’s what your hair feels like doing, let it do it. Let’s go.” We actually have fun together because I’m not worried about my hair. (PREACH)

What is your hair regimen (including fav products)?

I cowash once a week (with As I am Coconut Cowash). I do a wash and go that lasts for the whole week (Curl Junkie Honey Butta Leave-in Conditioner and Pattern Pusha Gel). It holds up well during my work week and by the time the weekend comes, it’s bigger and full and I just fluff it out and make it even bigger for my weekend. Throughout the week, I’ll apply some coconut oil whenever I want. About once a month, I do a Apple Cider Vinegar rinse to remove any product buildup. I may wash my scalp (and only my scalp) with Selsun Blue Natural shampoo to maintain my scalp’s health. I do this whenever I feel I need it. There are some variations like me throwing it in a bun or twists, etc. but this is pretty much the base of it. I want to enjoy my life, in addition to have healthy hair, so I try not to become a natural hair diva (I’m sure we’ve all encountered one of those lol).

Anything you want the readers to know? Inspirational words?

Sometimes I get approached in the street by women who seem literally scared to ask me a question and sometimes it turns out it’s because someone who they’ve tried to approach before, whether in person, YouTube or on a social networking site has made them feel their question is stupid or the answer should be obvious. Let’s all remember that the purpose of returning natural is because we’ve been counted out and excluded for so long from society. This has stopped us from working out, dampened our view of our own unique beauty (I could go on). Let’s not then become the source of exclusion and become so much of a “guru” that we start to pretend like there was a time when we didn’t know the answers to the very same questions.

Where can people find you for more information?

On Instagram @Storm_monae. I’m going back and forth with my followers all the time about hair, fashion, life, society…you name it. Feel free to contact me.