Introduce yourself!
T: Tann Parker, raised in California, residing in Brooklyn.
Why did you make the decision to go natural?
T: The reason I started to wear my hair in its natural texture isn’t this moving, inspirational story… my blower dryer broke and I couldn’t do my normal hair regimen. I decided to try out wearing my hair natural and have been since May 18, 2012.
How would you describe your texture?
T: My hair is about 3c/4a. It can be a lot to deal with at times. I’ve always had a lot of hair, so detangling is the longest process. It does make it a lot easier with my hair being finer, or else detangling would be a nightmare. I am prone to shrinkage a lot quicker though, which means I have to always re-stretch before going to bed.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
T: When I first started out wearing my hair natural I was a lot more experimental with my styling because I needed to find what worked best for me, but now I’m a lot busier with school and work, so I need something fast. Now my styling regimen is braiding my hair before bed and letting it out before I leave the house. This way I don’t need to use as many products in my hair, just something to moisturize every other day. Coconut oil is a very good friend of mine!
What does wash day look like for you?
T: I wash my hair every other two weeks with a couple of wash methods. I have my co-wash, where I just wet my hair fully and put in leave-in conditioner after, my full wash day, which is where I will use shampoo, and I am excited to share that I will be testing out an Apple Cider Vinegar wash very soon!
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
T: I will always live and breath by the braid out. If I wanna get fancy I will pull out the bantu knots.
How do you combat shrinkage?
T: We are still in a battle and it keeps getting the upper hand on me. But I can restore my length by doing a nice tight braid out at night.
Tell us about your hair color?
T: I do dye my own hair and will continue to do so, but I have switched to a dye that works better with natural hair. I now use the Shea Moisture line of dyes. Previously I was a steady user of SoftSheen-Carson. I went from ‘Vivacious Red’ to “Red Hot Rhythm’. Using that hair dye I felt a layer of coating on my hair that weighted it down. I could only do it about twice a year.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
T: I’ve always had dandruff, so keeping my hair moisturized is key. Also, detangling is always hard work that I must spend a couple of hours doing if I want to get my hair 100% detangled…(and that has only been done once on account of I was getting my hair done in twists).
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
T: DO always braid or twist hair every night. DO not overuse hair products.
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
T: DON’T sleep on hair without anything protecting it. You can wake up from a nap lookin all kinds of crazy with a lopsided fro! DON’T let people touch the fro…there could be loose shed hairs in there and it will be awkward when they end up in the other person’s hand…
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
T: IG: tann_par_
Tumblr: http://only-tann.tumblr.com/
