Introduce yourself!
D: My name is Débora, I’m 23 years old and I’m from São Paulo/Brazil.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
D: I’ve been natural since 2012. I started my transition in July 2012 and continued for 14 months, until just after my wedding on August 18, 2013. I didn’t wanna have short hair. I had dreamed of wearing a big bun or a topknot! So I waited from July 2012 to September 2013 (one month after my wedding) to do the BIG CHOP. It was 14 months of pure anxiety!
I decided to return to natural hair first of all because I was very tired of burning my scalp, and second because I didn’t know my own hair. My mom started relaxing my hair when I was only 7 years old. So since this age, I have always retouched my roots. I thought that doing this was normal. I didn’t see anybody with natural hair. Nobody said to me that natural hair is beautiful. So after 15 years of torture and low esteem I discovered on the internet a lot of BEAUTIFUL girls with natural hair! They shared their journey, tips, natural hairstyles, words of confidence…so this got my attention. From there, I started my own natural hair journey.
How would you describe your texture?
D: I would describe it as 4A! It’s very coily and the curl pattern is like an “S”. But the curls are looser in the back of my head and the top (crown) is more porous and dry.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
D: I wash my hair no more than twice per week then just wait for it to dry naturally. I don’t have a styling regimen as of yet since this will be my first year with all my hair natural. I’m discovering this month (fall/winter) that protective styles are very good. So I’m trying this, but most of the time I wear a wash and and go, puff, side puff or mohican.
What does wash day look like for you?
D: The wash day for me is very simple. I don’t do anything different. Since January I’ve been using Head and Shoulders Shampoo with Eucalyptus, Palmolive Cachos Control with Aloe, Pantene, and Dove Shampoo. After washing I use my favorite conditioner from Skala Jaborandi to moisturize and help detangle. I detangle my hair with my fingers, and only detangle on wash day. After doing this, depending on the day, I just apply a leave-in like Capicilin Volume Reducer that is similar to flaxseed gel, Seda Keraforce Original Curl Activator, or I moisturize my hair with Seda Keraforce Original Treatment Cream or a homemade moisturizer with cornstarch, natural oils and cream. This product regimen changes once per month. Sometimes I change the leave-in or the moisturizer, but most of time I like to use homemade recipes.
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
D: When I don’t have too much time or when my hair isn’t in a good mood, I wear a puff or a side puff.
How do you combat shrinkage?
D: This is something that I definitely don’t worry about.
Tell us about your hair color?
D: My natural color is dark brown, but I did some blond highlights. I went to a professional. She blew out my hair then put on a highlighting cap. The color didn’t change my hair texture, but to prevent any dryness I moisturize more than usual.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
D: I take extra care in my crown area because it is very dry. I always apply more cream and oils in this part, and I try to define the curls in this area with my fingers.
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
D: Moisturizing and finger detangling.
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
D: Anything that has a very high temperature like a flat iron, and don’t sleep with wet hair!
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
D: Of course!
My Natural Hair Blog: http://deboraninja.com.br/
Instagram: @debora_ninja
Tumblr: http://deboraninja.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @debora_cunha
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlSKF7_zCeb5eKUJot6ulA
My Facebook Page: https://pt-br.facebook.com/deboraninjaoficial
My Facebook Personal Profile: https://www.facebook.com/debora.cunha.524
Google+: Débora Cunha
