CurlyNuGrowth | it begins hair.: Beauty & The Blog

Get to know Crystal, a natural hair blogger at KinkyHairAffair.com and overall cool and sincerely honest naturalista!

Tell us a little about yourself outside of hair and blog?
I currently work in government contracting, but hopefully not for much longer! I am about to begin my last semester in grad school, where I am honing my graphic design skills. In my spare time, I do some freelancing in graphic design, watch football (RAVENS ALL DAY!), travel as much as I can, and simply try to enjoy my life.

How long have you been natural? Did you transition or do the Big Chop?
I have been natural for one year and two months. I attempted to transition until I completely grew out my relaxer, but that definitely didn't happen. I could only make it five months before big chopping. And this is the pleasant version of my transitioning story LOL.

Have you experienced any criticism since being natural? If so, how did you handle it?
Not really. When my hair was shorter, I'd get the occasional comparison to Florida Evans or nappy head joke, but it honestly didn't bother me. If you knew my friends, you'd expect that, and I did! Now, folks love my hair and wanna be like me! LOL

What is your hair type/curl pattern and your current regimen?
I have no idea what my hair type is. I just know I have very tightly curled/coiled hair on the back and sides on my head. Also, my hair is loosely curled in my crown area, and THICK all over. Right now, I am washing my hair and doing deep conditioning treatments once a week. I do protective styling to carry me through the week without manipulating my hair at all (I do moisturize my hair twice daily though). I have also begun incorporating keratin protein treatments in my hair regimen every six weeks to strengthen my hair. Very important!

What is your biggest challenge with your hair?
Detangling is a beast! I either have to pre-poo and detangle prior to washing my hair in sections, which I rarely feel like doing, or use a leave-in with crazy slip to detangle my hair after washing.

What are you staple or "go-to" products? Why?
I am currently in LOVE with Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Shampoo, Deep Conditioner, and Hair Milk as a daily moisturizer. As far as stylers go, I am currently trying out different products, but the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque is my staple for the bomb twist-out (and I know that's not what it is intended for, but it works for me!). I do have a lot of products I have not yet tried, so my staple styler could possibly change in a couple weeks.

What product(s) have you tried in your natural hair that you would NOT recommend?
Any product that has mineral oil and petrolatum. Trust me, I am not one who "has" to use products with all natural ingredients, but my hair is definitely not a fan of mineral oil and petrolatum because they leave Lovita (my hair) feeling DRY. That's not cool...

What is unique about your blog KinkyHairAffair.com?
Kinky Hair Affair is my natural hair diary. Any and everything I do to and use in my hair is documented on my blog. As I share my natural hair journey, I find that I am also inspiring my readers to embrace their natural hair, big chop, try out a new product they didn't think would work for them, and to try new hairstyles. Since I don't like to hog the spotlight, I do have a section called "Kinky Girls", where I feature other natural women who share their natural hair journeys. My readers can also get their Hair Porn fix by searching my collection of natural hair that I love. I have also added another segment to my blog, entitled "Transitioning Files". To briefly explain, my teenage niece has randomly decided to embrace her natural hair. Being the supportive aunt that I am, I have volunteered to help her transition to natural. My readers can now follow her transitioning journey, and possibly my headache, in this section of my blog. Kinky Hair Affair has a little something for everyone, and it's only going to get better!

Who are some of your favorite Bloggers, YouTubers, or website to follow?
When I big chopped, I stalked Nikki Mae, Ms. V Charles, and CharyJay's YouTube Channels. I also frequented Black Girl Long Hair, and I was a major fan of the Curly Nikki forums. These resources were all very helpful in providing guidance on how to maintain my natural hair in the initial stages of my journey. Now, that I have started blogging, I read a lot of different blogs from bloggers who aren't as well known as the ladies I mentioned earlier. I'm really feeling these blogs because the bloggers provide a fresh view on the ups and downs of their natural hair journeys. Not to mention, I feel like I can identify more with these bloggers and their experiences.

Anything else you'd like to share?
Well since you asked, let me throw in two more cents... Embracing YOUR own natural hair will make your life a lot easier. Real talk.

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