Introduce yourself!
S: My name is Sibongile and I am a Zambian currently living in Kansas.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
S: My daughter was the main reason I decided to go natural. In late January 2010, she saw me doing a relaxer re-touch on my hair and asked if I’d do that for her hair too. From that moment on I decided to be her hair role model so she could say without hesitation, that her natural, tightly kinked hair was beautiful…as is…just like mommy’s.
How would you describe your texture?
S: Medium density of mostly fine, tightly kinked hair (4C) and I absolutely love it.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
S: Every week after I wash my hair I two strand twist it and wear them in a loose ponytail until a day before washday, when I style it however I wish. I spritz my hair lightly every two days with a moisture spritz consisting of jojoba oil, aloe vera juice and distilled water.
What does wash day look like for you?
S: For my weekly wash day, I start with sectioning off my hair into 6-8 sections. I apply Vatika Enriched Coconut Oil as my pre-poo to each section, twist, and baggy overnight. The next morning, I finger detangle as much as possible with Tresemme Naturals Conditioner if necessary. I cleanse my hair with a Bentonite or Ghassoul/Rhassoul Clay paste, which I rinse out after 15 minutes or so. I follow this up with Naptural85′s DIY Greek Yogurt Deep Conditioner for 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly. My final rinse is a kimmaytube ACV rinse (Quarter teaspoon of ACV for every 120ml/4oz of distilled water for a pH of around 4-5) to close my cuticles, as well as a final cleanse of my scalp. I moisturize with a leave in mix and seal with Naptural85′s shea butter mix.
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
S: Any Roll Tuck Pin (RTP) hairstyle. They save bad hair days, hairstyle fails and anything in-between.
How do you combat shrinkage?
S: I keep my hair stretched as much as possible. In twists, braids, etc., otherwise it would be knots and tangles galore. Every once in while though, I do wear my hair in a semi shrunken afro puff which shows some of its true shrinkage. It is very empowering to wear my hair as close to as-is with reduced risk of getting tangles. It encompasses my personal hair natural motto to accept it, embrace it, love it and work it. Once I achieve my goal length, I plan on wearing the semi shrunken afro puff more often.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
S: The hair on my crown is the finest and most susceptible to dryness, knots and breakage. I take a little extra time when detangling this area as well as moisturizing it more often.
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
S: Sectioning once you get the length. Finger detangling first before the use of a seamless wide tooth comb (if necessary).
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
S: Wash and Go’s and excessive manipulation.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
S: I am a contributor to ZedHair.com and I have a YouTube channel called ZedianChicChannel where I plan on uploading videos in the near future. I also started a natural hair support group known as Zedian Naturals on Facebook.
