Nowadays, Afro has become a very popular trend. Most women are doing the big chop and going natural. Some years back that was not the case. I for one, would have never imagined going natural someday. Just the thought of the pain… nah! I didn’t think it was worth it. But as I embarked on the journey to self discovery, I began to love my skin more alongside my hair. I started taking care of my hair using the best hair tips I got from some of the peculiar hair influencers on this post.

There’s still some stigma as concerns afro but thanks to World Afro day, which is celebrated on 15th September every year, many ladies like me are being encouraged to rock our afro because it is who we are. So I reached out to some peculiar hair influencers who have been consistent to hear how they do it. I hope as you read you get inspired to finally do the big chop if you’ve been planning to. But if you have afro, get a pen and paper and be ready to jot things down.

Besttsii

Speaking of crownsssss! two and a half year natural and counting… Check out her blog at The Hairtress for more hair inspo.

#1: Why did you decide to go natural?

Besttsii: Using relaxers burnt my scalp every time. Then this one time I had a really bad relaxer experience and that was the last scalp burn I could take. I decided to stop using relaxers and perms. At first, my aim was to give my hair some time to recover from my previous relaxer since it burned my hair so bad and gave me bald spots in some places but later I fell in love with my natural hair and I didn’t want to go back to relaxing.

#2: what motivates you despite the hair challenge?

Besttsii: Honestly, I really love that natural hair can do different things, it’s very versatile. it can look really short today, but form a huge afro the next day. I can style it curly, straight or wavy and still revert to an afro . I didnt have that freedom with relaxed hair and my hair wasn’t this voluminous so i’d rather be natural. Going natural for me was like a journey to self discovery, it’s amazing how much learning you receive in the process.

#3: what hair tip works best for you?

Besttsii: Always do protective styles and stretch your hair before styling. It’s a game-changer for me because it keeps my ends from tangling up and breaking off, so am able to retain as much length as possible.  With how rough many Cameroonian hair stylists can be, It’s better to take precautions before any hair appointments. I always opt for heatless ways to stretch my hair so a simple banding method ( locally known as “long long”) or braid-out before any saloon visit goes a long way. Your stylist will no longer frown when she sees you coming and you won’t have to bother much about your ends breaking off during the braiding/styling process.

#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?

Besttsii: Be patient and love your hair texture. Your hair won’t get long overnight, but it’s growing. Natural hair takes a lot of care and maintenance, there’ll be a lot of setbacks too but being patient long enough to see results is the only way to reach your hair goal.

The mampey with locs (4 year natural)

You’d be amazed at what her locs can do. She knows how to play with them. One day it might look like the locs are down( probably if she’s wearing a wig or having braids on) but the next day , BOOM! there they are, healthier than ever before.

#1: Why did you decide to keep locs?

Mampey : I found them beautiful. I’m a believer in the beauty of the African woman and locs are a means of keeping my hair natural, and at the same time ‘not regular’. Locs are quite unique.

#2: What motivates you despite the hair struggles ?

TMWL: My loc journey is one of self discovery. I have a personal attachment to each and every loc on my head. They’ve thought me a lot about myself. So I treat them like my babies. That alone, is more than enough motivation.

#3: Which hair tips works best for you?

TMWL: water!!!! Our kinky afro hair tends to get quite dry. Water seals in moisture and prevents breakage.

#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?

TMWL: Find what works for you and stick to it. Also, be dynamic with your hair. It’s beautiful. Play with it, show if off!

Pricekylon

You need to see the way people look at her in public with so much awe. It’s been almost 2 years, no mesh, no ‘gref’, no wig… just locs!

#1: Why did you decide to keep locs?

Price:It expresses my personality. It makes me express myself freely and live an adjustable budget unlike other hairstyles. It makes me feel unique… lol.

#2: What motivates you despite the hair struggles ?

Price: Looking at my anciens like Bob Marley, I believe if he could get to that level successfully, then I’m no different. I also look at loc pages on IG and Youtube.

#3: Which hair tips works best for you?

Price: I wash my hair once a week with a good shampoo and vinegar, keeping it moist.

#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?

Price: Let your motivation be real. Be intentional!

Hope this inspired you one way or the other. When I decided to keep afro, someone told me I won’t be able and will give up. If you know someone who believes afro doesn’t grow or that it doesn’t last, please do well to share this post with them. I believe with determination you can do anything.

I would love to hear from you too, what are your best hair tips? We’re in the week of World Afro Day, inspire someone with your story by leaving a comment below.

Stay tuned for a part 2!

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a protective style, check out my post on 5 protective styles for women of color