MANE-ly Speaking

Greetings Lovelies!

Got another gorge gal MANE-ly Speaking hurr

Meet Tawana from my place, my home

from dung ah Yaad

aka the best place on Earth - JAMAICA!!!!

:D

She also attended my high school there so mucho points for this lady.

Grab a cuppa and read on for more after the jump.

Who are you?

I am a Strong, Loyal, Beautiful, Difficult, Stubborn, Moody, Feminine, Bold, Gentle, Private, Guarded lady blossoming into a woman.

Why did you go natural?

I was hungry for a drastic change, having just left high school and beginning university. I felt like the hairdresser was milking all my money. I was eager to see my natural hair texture again because I hadn’t seen it since I was a child. I loved how natural hair looked on the Youtube world. I was inspired by my friend Chantel. And also, I just wanted to prove to my friends that I could actually do it and I wasn’t just bluffing, lol.

Was it difficult or easy to go natural?

It was easy sometimes and difficult at other times. Easy because I started relying solely on myself to do my hair. Difficult because the transitioning process made me feel limited with the styles that I could do to my hair. I had to start doing more braiding and having my hair curly most times. This was not the easiest thing for me because I was used to wearing my hair out and straightened when I was texturized.

Do you find it a challenge to be natural in Jamaica where it seems to be looked down upon?

I don't find it challenging to be natural in Jamaica. In fact, I don't even believe it is looked down on by the majority of people here. I feel like sometimes though, certain people don't hate it but it just doesn't appeal to them for whatever reason. Maybe they've been accustomed to a particular image of hair, beauty and womanhood. Maybe it has to do with age groups, maturity, social class or just simply personal taste. But I think for the most part, a great majority of Jamaicans embrace natural hair females. I don't know, all I know is the Rasta men love it for sure, lol.

4 words to describe your mane.

Wild. Fluffy. Carefree. Untamed.

Tell us a little about your regimen.

Well I have a very simple regimen. I wash my hair every weekend. I use shampoo only once per month and I deep condition weekly. I use a cleansing conditioner and then I deep condition with another conditioner of my choice mixed with coconut oil, castor oil and honey. I do protein treatments monthly as well, with an egg, mayonnaise, coconut oil and castor oil. After I wash I use leave in conditioner and oil, then do twists or braids. I use a moisturizer and a spray bottle with a mixture of coconut oil and water, during the week to keep my hair refreshed. Sometimes I may retwist or rebraid during the week if I have the time to.

What have you learned on your natural hair journey?

I learned a lot about beauty and how it is perceived by society, which then changed my own perceptions on it and made me more open minded to it in all different forms. I learned how useful everyday household products can be. I learned that many Jamaican hairdressers do not know much about natural hair care. I learned that I cannot avoid someone asking to touch my hair daily, lol. 

 MANE-ly speaking.. 

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair. -Audrey Hepburn