Introduce yourself.
Y: My Name is Yasmin Mitchell and I currently live in Queens, NY. My family is from Trinidad, however I was born in St. Croix, VI. I currently work at BET Networks and have been in the Television Advertising industry for over 15 years.
Did you transition or big chop? Share your natural hair journey with us!
Y: What motivated me go natural was “damaged hair”. I used to get my hair done at the Dominican Hair Salon every 2-3 weeks. Even though I stuck with roller sets with little to no blow drying on my hair, over time my hair just started thinning. I experienced a ton of breakage on the crown on my hair due to too much heat from the hooded/handheld blow dryer. To add fuel to the fire, I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism about 7 years ago — and one of the symptoms is thinning and shedding of the hair. I lost clumps of hair from that condition, but while I still fight the condition today my hair is healthier than it’s ever been.
It was at that point that I said it was time for a semi-big chop, which I got done at Hair Rules owned by celebrity stylist Anthony Dickey. I had them chop off about 6 inches of my hair. That was a big deal for many of my friends and family since I had long hair my whole life. When it started to grow out I remember my mother-in-law making a comment saying, “Why did you chop off your hair, it was so pretty the other way… don’t you know hair IS a woman’s beauty?”. At first I felt kinda funny about the comment, but I quickly remember that people were just accustomed to the long straight hair cascading down my back. My response was, “Beauty lies in our character not what grows out of our heads”. What they didn’t know was that it was thinning, breaking and shedding. I initially got comments like that – the “Why did you chop of all that hair?” “Don’t you know people would kill for ALL that hair?” “Girl,l you look better with long, straight hair” “What is your boss/job gonna think?” This was a memorable time for me, because it made me question what “beauty” really means and what defines beauty. I learned that making a decision to accept the hair I was born with was in fact “beauty” in itself. Acceptance of what was, what is, and what will be was my new definition of beauty. Defying the common perception of beauty by way of my mane was a powerful decision.
Going natural was one of the best decisions of my life. While challenging at times, I feel like I really know myself more today than I did prior to being natural. I get stopped in NYC constantly and it feels good to know that there are so many people from all backgrounds that love to see natural hair. I feel that I am helping to send a message across also about loving oneself just as how God created us. Being natural and being on that journey caused me to dig deep and question how conditioned I really was to society’s standards of what beauty is supposed to be and look like. My experience negates all of those preconceived notions of beauty. You wake up while on your journey, and you look in the mirror and you say, “I’m beautiful because I’m finally ALL me” – All natural! It doesn’t get any better than THIS!
How would you describe your texture?
Y: The texture of my hair is fine, but I have a lot of hair on my hair so it’s pretty thick. I would say my hair is a 3b-4c texture depending on where on my head we’re referencing.
My hair has a mind and mood of its own. While it does whatever it wants to do, it’s obedient at the same time. It can do whatever I tell it to do. I have kinky curly hair. With the right products it can do wonders. What I love most though is letting it have it’s own way. It’s unruly, rebellious and I LOVE IT! I’ve learned to embrace all aspects of my hair. The frizz, the tangles, you name it. I try my best not to worry or get caught up in the perfect curl or wave. If my hair gets frizzy I just leave it and move on with my day.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month, and the rationale behind your various styling decisions.
Y: I typically wash my hair at least once per week. I use Shea Moisture Curl & Shine conditioner to wash my hair. To style I enjoy using the Cantu Shea Butter Daily Conditioning Repair Crème for my braidouts on the first day (it’s important to use enough product to prevent frizz and to assure the braidouts/twistouts set). Days 2-6 I typically will use the Cantu Coconut Curling Crème. This product really adds moisture to my hair to assure shine and bounce without weighing it down. Oh, it smells amazing too. I also re-braid my hair, if not every night for define curls, at least every other night. I also try to wet/spritz my hair every other day to assure my hair remains moist until the next wash. I love and prefer braid outs for a very full voluminous look and feel. I also love wash and go’s where I can enjoy that quick and easy wash and wear look. For my Wash and Go’s I use the Shea Moisture products to wash with, and I like using Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk as the leave-in, and Curl Maker to style with.
Once every 2 months I like to use a homemade Apple Cider Vinegar rinse to remove any buildup from my hair shaft. For the most part though, I stick strictly to washing my hair with conditioner or conditioning hair masks only. It seems to work best for my hair. After every wash I apply Almond Oil or Coconut Oil for additional moisture. I pineapple my hair at night for the days I choose not to re-braid or twist my hair or, I will band my hair to elongate with no-pull elastic bands. I add a silk/satin scarf before bed and viola!
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
Y: My go to hair style when I do not have time are simple elegant ponytail with a full sweeping bang/pompadour in the front. Sometimes I choose to do a quick Fro-Hawk with and old twist out or wash and go.
How do you combat shrinkage?
Y: I combat shrinkage by banding my hair with no-pull elastic bands overnight to elongate my hair.
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require extra care and attention?
Y: The problem area on my head is really just at the crown, which tends to be extremely dry. Someone once said, ”when we wash our hair that is the area of our hair/head that has constant water running it; washing away all the conditioner.” The opposite is true as well. The nape of our hair usually has the curls we desire our entire head to consist of because that’s the area where the conditioner tends to settle. To solve this issue I add extra conditioner to the crown of my head before coming out of the shower without rinsing it out.
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
Y: MOISTURIZE
MOISTURIZE SOME MORE
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
Y: Forgetting to add MOISTURE
No trimming the hair at least once every 2-3 months.
Is there a blog/webpage or social media account where we can find you?
Yes, you can find me on:
YOUTUBE: Carib Curls
INSTAGRAM: Carib Curls or @nimsay8838
TWITTER: @Nimsay8838
FACEBOOK: Carib Curls
BLOG: carib.curls@blogspot.com
