Introduce yourself!
J: My name is Jonna and I’m from Newport News, VA aka Bad News.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
J: I’ve been natural for almost 5 years. I decided to stop relaxing my hair in an effort to live a healthier lifestyle and because I was inspired by other women’s natural hair and was curious what my natural hair would look like.
How would you describe your texture?
J: My curl pattern overall is tightly-coiled. Most sections would be considered 3c/4a, but there are some small areas that are 4b/c. I have medium porosity hair, so it absorbs and holds in moisture and products well. I have a medium texture, so my strands are not fine or coarse but right in the middle. My hair is very thick for the most part, except the very front/center of my head where my hair is slightly thinner than the rest.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
J: For the most part, I wear my hair in some type of bun Monday-Friday, and then I usually wear a twist-out on the weekend. For me, the bun is my version of a real wash-n-go! I generally follow the LOC method (Leave-In Conditioner + Oil + Cream Styler) for styling. I like to use creamy leave-in conditioners because for me they combine the L & the O in one step. After I apply my products, I either put my hair in a bun or twists for a twist-out. As a blogger, I’m always reviewing different styling products so I’m often using a different product every week. But here are some of my favorites: Leave-ins: EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Leave In Conditioner, Karen’s Body Beautiful Sweet Ambrosia, Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-in Conditioner, OBIA Natural Haircare Curl Moisture Cream, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Pudding Souffle, Karen’s Body Beautiful Super Duper Hydrating Hair Cream and CURLS Curl Souffle.
What does wash day look like for you?
J: I like to start by applying deep conditioner to dry hair. My go-to is EDEN BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner, but I also like the deep conditioners by Koils by Nature, Karen’s Body Beautiful, and Shea Moisture. If I have time, I will also apply my Hair Therapy Wrap, which is a self-heating wrap to help the deep conditioner penetrate. Then I will apply a medicated shampoo to my scalp while my hair is still dry and massage that into my scalp for my severe seborrheic dermatitis. I do a little finger detangling and then hop in the shower to rinse out the medicated shampoo and deep conditioner thoroughly. Next, I apply a moisturizing shampoo to my scalp and massage, then smooth from root to end as I rinse it out.
I’m liking the shampoos from Its Yours Hair Co, Beautiful Textures, EDEN BodyWorks, nuNAAT Real Me and Curls Unleashed. Next, I do an oil rinse, which involves applying oil to the hair while wet to detangle. I’ve used sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil, and my fingers glide through my hair with the greatest of ease so I can finger detangle. If I still have tangles, I apply my favorite conditioner, Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner and continue to finger detangle. I also keep shears in the shower in case I need to cut out single-strand knots and tangles. I end with a cool water final rinse. I wrap my hair in a t-shirt to absorb excess water and then start with my styling regimen.
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
J: My favorite go-to style is the bun. I like it because once it’s in a bun, there is nothing else to do except wrap with a satin scarf to keep the frizz down.
How do you combat shrinkage?
J: I wear my hair in stretched styles like twist-outs mostly and ensure my hair is completely dry before taking the twists down. If I want more stretch, I use the tension method to blow dry my hair before twisting. If I want to just define my natural curls, I sit under a hooded dryer after applying whatever curl defining products until my hair is dry to prevent shrinkage. A hand-held blow dryer can be used (with or without a diffuser) if you don’t have a hooded dryer.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
J: My problem area is my scalp. I suffer with severe seborrheic dermatitis, which results in large, unsightly flakes and scalp discoloration. The only way that I’ve found to combat it is to keep my scalp clean. So I have to cleanse my scalp more frequently than most, sometimes 2-3 times in a week depending on if I’m experiencing a major flare up. So it’s important that I do low manipulation hairstyles and use moisturizing products.
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
J: 1 – Do thoroughly detangle. 2 – Do use creamy moisturizing products.
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
J: 1 – Don’t air dry when wearing my natural curls. That equals major shrinkage, which equals major tangles. 2 – Don’t do bantu knots on wet hair. It will take days to dry.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
J: You can find me at Naturally-Glam.com where being GLAM comes Naturally!
