Introduce yourself.
C: My name is Chauntalia Wise. I am from Atlanta, GA.
Did you transition or big chop?
C: I transitioned for 8 months (March 25, 2013-Dec 3, 2013) and then I did the BC. I chose to go natural after I bleached my hair honey blonde February 2013 and I began to see it break off. I was on YouTube and came across videos from @naturaleiicey and I fell in love with her hair, its texture, and her curls. I felt that my hair had the same potential and was also full of curls. I begin getting perms when I was only 5 years old, so I had never really seen my natural texture. I challenged myself to transition for one year originally, but I became impatient and hated the two textures. Before I deployed to Japan, I figured that would be the perfect time to BC since I wouldn’t see anyone again until my hair was much longer. I have enjoyed my journey. My ultimate goal is tailbone length. So far I have been natural for ONE year and SEVEN months. November 25th will make one year and eight months.
How would you describe your texture?
C: Honestly, I do not know the texture of my hair. I tried looking into it when I first did the BC but no one texture seems to fit my hair. My hair is not coarse; however, it isn’t fine either. My hair has always been very full and thick. It’s extremely curly; my curls are naturally very defined if I
were to put water to my hair.
Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month, and the rationale behind your various styling decisions.
C: My styling regimen over the course of a month honestly may be nothing sometimes. Lol. This is only because my hair is growing so long. Before I went natural I hated washing my hair or getting my hair done. Now I will try to wash it every two weeks and I deep condition every two weeks. I LOVE moisture, hence the reason I hate putting any type of heat to my hair. I wear a lot of protective hairstyles. So, I may cornrow it straight back, create an up-do, add braiding hair and create a protective style, or my ultimate favorite…BUNS. I use Dr. Miracle’s curl care product line. I fell in love with his deep conditioning packs and began to incorporate his regular conditioner and now his shampoo. I also use his leave-in conditioner from the same line.
What does wash day look like for you?
C: Wash day. Lol. This is the longest process. I usually start in the morning and it will currently take me up to three to five hours depending on how I style my hair. I always set a day for this and plan to go absolutely nowhere so that all of my dedication is to my hair.
Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
C: My favor go-to hairstyle is a BUN. I do different creative styles with my buns to jazz them up. I may add a jumbo braid in the front, put jumbo twists in the front, do a double bun, a low bun, or my favorite which is a high, front donut bun.
How do you combat shrinkage?
C: Let’s talk shrinkage! I love it! I grew to love it anyways. When my hair was shorter I hated it for a little while, but I wore my hair up so much that I never actually dealt with it. Now, my shrinkage is like at the perfect length if I wore to wear it out, and I just embrace it. I tell myself, “you know how long your hair is and only you know your ultimate goal/potential hair length. It won’t be this short forever.”
Tell us about your hair color!
C: I have received so many questions on what color is my hair, well the answer is, I do not know. Since I’ve been natural I have not colored my hair; however, in the light or sun or in photos it will look brown or red or shades of a reddish orange. I have no clue why my hair dyed itself but I love it. I plan to cut that off at the end of 2015. The only answer I do have for that question is that before I went natural, I bleached my hair honey blonde as stated before, and maybe my hair is still trying to revert back to that color. (even though I dyed it jet black right before I went natural).
What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require extra care and attention?
C: My ends are always going to be my problem area only because that is the secret, for me, to retain length. I DO NOT cut or trim my hair so I have to pay very close attention to my ends. I usually try to keep them tucked or put away somehow, that way my ends aren’t exposed to the harsh climates and weather changes.
What are 2 do’s for your texture?
C: My two do’s are: keep your hair moisturized and remember low maintenance. Leave your hair alone ladies. Don’t try to touch it and change your hairstyle daily.
What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
C:Two don’ts are: HEAT—stay away from it if you want to maintain your curl pattern and avoid heat damage. My second tip is if the hairstyle is uncomfortable (pulling your roots, irritating your scalp) steer clear of it.
Is there a blog/webpage or social media account where we can find you?
C: I am currently working on creating a YouTube page, other than that, currently I can be located on Instagram @wilhilmeta2 and I love answering questions!
