My Natural Hair Community Interview!
Hey Guys,
I just wanted to share the interview that I did for the Natural Hair Community website a few days ago! Also, be sure to show your support and check out the other hair features posted on the website!
Have a great weekend guys, and tons of love as always for the support!
:-)
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Sophia On Growing Up Mixed In a Mixed Up World
MARCH 10, 2011
BY JAEL
First Name?
Sophia
How can we connect with you on Twitter, Facebook, Blog, other websites or social networks?
You can connect with me on my personal blog entitled Kiffe Coco at www.kiffecoco.com, Facebook under Kiffe Coco and YouTube at www.youtube.com/kiffeococo. I don’t think I’ll ever evolve to Twitter…I feel I’m too old-school on that social network front and am still slightly confused on how it works.
What state are you from?
I am from New York.
What do you do for a living?
I am one of those 20-somethings who hasn’t quite figured out their dream “career” yet, and I am literally working on a zillion different projects to get through the day. But I am passionate about visual art such as painting and photography, writing and learning from other people and cultures.
How did you become interested in natural hair?
It all began four years ago by me researching how to take better care of my hair, including researching natural products better suited for curly hair. I literally began my search by typing in “biracial/ curly hair” in the search bar and the rest is history.
How long have you been natural?
I have been natural my entire life but killed my hair literally by using incorrect products, heat and coloring.
Tell us your hair story:
My hair story reflects very much on my background of growing up mixed in a mixed up world. During each major phase of my life, I carried a different view of my hair: As a child my hair was natural and my mother forbade my sister and I to ever put chemicals in it. I came to a point where I begged my mom to get my hair pressed because, deep inside, I wanted to be able to flip my hair over my shoulders too, like the other girls in my class. My mom finally gave in and took me a West Indian beauty parlor. After the trials and tribulations of being extremely “tender -headed” I was bestowed with my beautiful press and curl. The prior pain of having my scalp burnt by a hot comb vanished, because now, I too, was able to toss and flip my hair. High school rolled around and so I felt I had more freedom to experiment with my hair. I was pretty consistent on my choice of hair colors since I mostly stuck to black, browns and honey blonds, minus the time my entire head was highlighted haystack yellow – it was too awful. However, my frequent hair coloring combined with frequent straightening and terrible choices in hair products took a toll on the health of my hair. Ironically enough, while I enjoyed the look of my hair straight, when I did wear my hair curly, it had to be huge. My look was pretty polarized. I graduated high school and went on to attend university in New England at a predominately white school. During that first year, my idea of my hair and myself were completely screwed up. My hair was degraded and exotified, leaving me feeling less than confident about who I was. I essentially hid a huge attribute of who I was by wearing my hair back that first year, being that there was a lack of beauty salons dealing with my “type” of hair, as it was previously pointed out to me. It wasn’t too long after that I realized I was consuming and subscribing to a very unhealthy beauty ideal. I guess the real start of my hair journey was finding a positive support network who encouraged not being afraid to show and enjoy the real you.
Discuss how you transitioned from relaxed hair to natural hair.
I did not go through the classical process of transitioning, but I transitioned, in a sense, by stopping the use of heat and color, and ridding myself of all the damage caused by heat and coloring when the time came.
Do you remember the first time you started appreciating your natural texture?
I first started to truly appreciate my texture during the last few years of college, however I really started to understand how to care for my hair my senior year of college.
What hair styles do you wear most often?
I like very simple styles such as a braid-out or a twist-out with a part in the middle, or my “Frida Kahlo” hairstyle, done by pinning up two braids. A tutorial on that style will be coming very soon!
How has your mindset changed from your zero hour (the beginning) until now?
My mindset has changed by growing older, learning from others and experiencing life. I would not have the mindset that I have today if it weren’t for all of the negatives experiences I faced.
Discuss what natural hair means to you?
Natural hair means appreciating the person I am in my own unique way. I think the idea of becoming natural is a very personal choice and for many, not an easy process. I think the most important thing to do is to maintain a healthy mind-set and remain confidant in who you are–whether you are wearing an afro, a weave or a perm. I think it is very important to understand and to be aware of the social reasons behind beauty choices, especially for women of color.
What are your staple products?
Vatika oil and Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner as a leave-in.
If you could only use one hair product for the next 12 months. Which product would you choose?
VATIKA OIL!
How much do you spend per month on products?
I spend a maximum of $20 depending on what I need of course. I’m cheap!
What advice can you give to other naturals in Natural Hair Community that has been extremely helpful to you?
The best, and I guess sort of cliché, advice I can give is to have tons of PATIENCE. I think natural hair can sometimes be mistakenly categorized as synonymous with low-maintenance. It requires a lot, if not more, work and dedication than other styles. Find a routine that works for you and stick with it! Oh, and all hair is not created equal – what might work for one person might not work for you—and that’s okay!
Do you think you will ever return to a relaxer? Why or why not?
No!
Have you ever been discriminated against because or your natural hair?
Absolutely – too many times to count.
What’s the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked about your hair?
A question that I’ve been asked many times is “How do you get your hair like that?” All I can say is I don’t know it just grows out of my head this way. Oh, and I think it’s so funny how disgusted/surprised somepeople are when they discover that I don’t wash my hair everyday. Oh, and my hair being compared to pubic hair was pretty outrageous.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with the Natural Hair Community?
Be the creators and the muse of your own beauty. There is nothing more beautiful than that.
Check It Out!
Hey Guys,
I just wanted to let you all know that my "Hair Story" is featured on Going-Natural.com! They, of course, feature other beautiful naturals and their inspiring stories of their decision. Interestingly, the owner of the site, originally from Suriname, wrote the first Dutch-language book on natural African hair care. Very interesting.
I will post the interview below because you need to be a paying member of the site in order to view the Hair Stories section. So, if you are a member, awesome! If not, no worries, check out my story below:
When, why how did you go natural?
I have been natural all of my life, but I was not taking the best care of my hair (with frequent coloring, straightening and the use of drying hair products). I started to research how to care for curly hair, in particular, biracial hair. I learned that certain hair care products geared towards “ethnic” hair contained extremely harsh and drying chemicals that definitely proved not to be beneficial to the overall health of my hair. The first step to my journey was making a complete change in my usual products, by choosing products that contained friendlier ingredients. By making this small change, my hair dramatically improved in its health.
What was the hardest part of your journey?
And the best part?
The hardest part of my journey was when I did my own version of the “Big Chop,” getting rid of all the color treated and heat damaged pieces, which left my then bra-strap length hair to ear length. It was a big transition for me to learn how to love my hair at its new length. Frankly, I had a very hard time. I basically hated my hair short, so I retreated to putting my hair back, in the beginning. However, thanks to my continued research of different styling methods, I learned to diversify my look and have fun with it by adding accessories.
The best part of this journey has been the continued education of my hair and of our hair as a community. I love how our hair possesses a complex beauty that continues to teach and inspire me everyday. And I love watching it grow!
What did your hair journey teach you?
My hair journey has taught me first to be patient. It takes a lot of work to maintain healthy and happy hair. It has also taught me to be proud in my own skin and to love all the multi-faceted personalities of my hair.
Describe your worse hairdo and your best hairdo and please include a picture if you can.
A pretty bad hairdo was when I got a very bad haircut in Paris. I wanted long layers but it came out an uneven, stringy mess. My best hair is when I literally leave it alone.
Looking back, has your perception of your hair or black hair in general changed? Please elaborate.
My view of my own hair has changed in that I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. I feel the most confident when I have my hair big and wild. It is my lion’s mane. I think the beauty of black hair is the diversity of it. It can be manipulated in so many ways. But however we decided to celebrate our crown of glory, there is nothing more inspiring and positive than to see a confident and proud sister rocking her natural hair.
What is your favorite hairstyle?
Part in the middle or part on the side, big and out.
Can you please finish the following sentence: I love my hair because?
I love my hair because it comes with big personality!
Check out my Interview on CurlyNikki!
Hey guys! Welcome back from the weekend! I'm so excited to announce that I've been interviewed for CurlyNikki (I am so excited and truly honored!)! Check it out here: http://www.curlynikki.com/2010/07/kiffe-coco-naturally-glam-hair-idol.html. Ms. Nikki, as well as all you other beautiful naturals, have been such an inspiration for me, and in the creation of this site.
A Special Welcome:
I would like to welcome everyone who may be coming to this site for the first time! This site (which came into the world in October 2009) was created with hair in mind, but now it has evolved into something that not only encompasses hair, but other interests as well such as photography, art, music, travel, etc... So, if I had to define this blog by anything, I guess you could call is a lifestyle blog. Thanks for visiting!
A Special Welcome:
I would like to welcome everyone who may be coming to this site for the first time! This site (which came into the world in October 2009) was created with hair in mind, but now it has evolved into something that not only encompasses hair, but other interests as well such as photography, art, music, travel, etc... So, if I had to define this blog by anything, I guess you could call is a lifestyle blog. Thanks for visiting!