Naturally Fierce Feature: Angela aka “Scarfia”

My Name is Angela “Scarfia” Brown, a multiracial 26 year old chasing her dreams in NYC! I am currently working part time at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and running my business Scarfia Designs, an accessories company creating unique and fabulous pieces for a diversity of woman! Raised in Rochester, NY by my Italian American mother, my hair growing up was a lot of trial and error. My mother wasn’t skilled in the hair department and I spent a lot of days with a frizzy fro! As you can imagine, I began to dislike the frizz, and wanted straight hair so badly! My mother never let me get a perm (blessing in disguise), so as soon as I hit middle school I began to resort to the iron. Not a flat iron, a clothing iron. This then turned into the hot comb, having me in the kitchen by the stove every morning before school! Then eventually I began to use a flat iron, and the straight hair look was my thing. I never wore my hair curly until freshmen year in college, and even then I wasn’t completely “natural”. I would still use a small curling iron to tighten up some unruly curls which were basically damaged because of all the heat they were exposed too.

I have always been natural; I didn’t become completely “natural” until about 6 months ago. My definition of natural is not just the separation of chemical treatments on the hair. My definition of natural is the complete acceptance of your hair in its natural state, and incorporating natural hair styling products and techniques! In April of 2013, I began to wear my hair curly every day and only using natural shampoo and conditioners. I also began to treat my hair 2-4 times of week with natural oils and leaving it in a braided ponytail. During these 6 months, I had the opportunity to realize how great hair can be natural! It only made me wish I appreciated my natural curls when I was younger!

 

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

My motivation to become natural was actually from a personal weight loss journey I ventured on in August 2012. In August 2012 I began a 30 day cleanse only eating raw fruits and vegetable and organic milk! This cleanse not only helped me lose weight, but It made me feel amazing on the inside! After the 30 days, my diet completely changed! I became a vegetarian and also purchased more organic fruits and vegetables. Growing my hair long and curly was always a personal goal of mine. Throw out the rest of 2012, I realized how much hair growth and how healthy my hair was looking just from my new diet! This made me think that if natural on the inside means better results on the outside, then imagine how much better if I was natural on the inside and outside!  This is how my natural transition began!

How would you describe your hair?

Like every curly hair girl, I would describe it as moody! I never know what mood my hair is going to be in! Sometimes my almost waist length curly hair is huge and has a lot of volume! Sometimes is has very defined and spiral curls, but a lot shorter and not as much volume. I never know how my hair is going to react so I always come prepared for its mood swings with scrunches and bobby pins in my bag!

What do you love most about your hair? Have you always embraced your curls?

I love the volume of my curls the most! I think is one thing to have defined curls, but is is another to have a huge mass of defined curls! One of my new personal mottos is “It can always be bigger!” This has to do with your ideas, goals, and dreams, but it truly fits with my big hair as well!

My most memorable part of my hair journey is when I used to have really long hair. When it was straight it was almost to my butt! Of course this is when I was in high school and did not appreciate my curls. I used to watch a lot of fashion shows and read a lot of magazines. Somehow, I found out about using a razor on the end of your hair and how that was the new it style! So I one day took a razor to the end of my butt length long hair, AND IT WAS DEF CUTE!!!! But, I was also still using my hot comb, fresh off the stove burners to straighten my hair. Over the next few months, people would ask me did I cut my hair, I would always say no and I thought it was weird. It took me until about when my hair reached my just below my shoulders that I realized it was breaking off because of how damaged it was! I will never forget this because I am struggling to achieve that length again! And I now only want to wear it curly once it is there! This taught me a huge lesson of appreciated what you have and who you are! As soon as you try to be someone else, you only will want to be who you already were. #LessonLearned

What are some of your favorite hairstyles?
My favorite hairstyles are down and curly, tight bun on the top of my head, single braid in a ponytail, and curly and pulled back with bobby pins. These are the main hair styles I will always have!

People LOVE my hair curly!!! I mean LOVE! My family barely sees it curly and the friends and random strangers can’t get enough of it! This is not new though. I always knew people liked my hair curly better; it was always my personal preference to leave it straight! I understand it was years of growing up with the mindset that straight hair is better. But not that I am older and truly am becoming comfortable in my own skin and showcasing my own ideas, having my natural curly hair out and blocking people from seeing  from behind me is a style I am beginning to own and love!

What is your hair regimen (including fav products)? The curl Process: Every curl type has a different process. Each curly hair girl must try different things until they found what works for them! Here is my process!
Starts in the shower! I wash my hair with Natural Shampoo and conditioners! My favorite brand is Aubrey Organics!  I usually add conditioner while it is wet and curly (I never brush or comb through it when it is dry), and take a paddle brush and detangle gently. Once it is detangled, I wash with shampoo and rinse. Then I follow that with a conditioner wash and then rinse.  When I am done showering, I get out and run my fingers through my hair to make sure the curls are separated. I do this while my head is upside down. I take a towel and gentle pat dry my hair. No rubbing of the towel in any direction, this keeps the curls from getting frizzy. I then take only a little bit of suave Mousse about a palm full and put it in the hair. Some on the top, then  flip my head upside down to put some in the back and then scrunch the remainder in the rest of my hair while it is upside down. I usually leave that sitting in my hair for about 20-25 minutes while I finish doing my makeup and getting dressed. I then take a blow dryer with a diffuser attached and blow dry my hair until it is completely dry.

*Sometimes, I just let it dry wet after the mousse stage.

 

Weekly process: I only where my hair curly about 3-5 days out the week. The rest of the week I wash my hair and add natural oils in it and then braid it in a single braid. Natural oils I use are coconut oil, Argan oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and olive oil. This works great and has really helps reduce natural shedding and has help with growth and conditioning.

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

I don’t actually have to many! I tend to just do my own thing! But I am beginning to become a Instagram curl addict! I love seeing and liking curly hair pictures and following the natural hair pages! My favorite so far is CURLBOX of course!!! They truly showcase all angles of curly/natural hair including product, high fashion, and my favorite is real and natural people on their own personal journeys!

I think everyone should really begin to look into who they really are. People spend the majority of their younger years being unconsciously told what is best for them. It takes a while before people begin to realize that it is truly their own decision to choose their path and make their own choices. I think once people find out exactly who they are, and exactly what they want to do, these decisions will be simple and common sense! Then they will be able to appreciate who they really are, and feel more comfortable about being their self! And of course remember, “It can ALWAYS be BIGGER!”

Where can people find you for more information?

All my social media names are @Angelascarfia !!!  Or send me an e-mail at angela@scarfia.com!