Friday Hair Queen

Hey all,

This weeks feature is my cuz the gorgeous Patricia Kihoro, who also happens to be my hair crush...here is her natural hair journey to date..Enjoy

1.       When did you decide to go natural? / How did you go natural? Transition or Big Chop?

I have shaved my head and gone natural more times than I can remember but the last time I did was in January 2010 and it was completely unintentional. I had gone to Mombasa for a while with my hair braided into tiny twists and I swam in the sea and rolled around in the sand and had a great time. But, when I got back to Nairobi and took my braids out, my hair was a HOT MESS, tangled into a mass of kinks and ropes. I decided to shampoo and condition it before detangling, but that just made it worse, so I went to the bathroom mirror, frustrated, with a pair of scissors, and did something I had done many times; I chopped it all off. I was going to texturize it again, as I had done a few times before, and do my usual ‘whatever’ regimen but then I bumped into some really cool naturals, the girls from Kurly Kichana, and started reading a lot of natural hair blogs. Since then, my hair hasn’t been the same.

2.       What reaction did you get from family and friends?

Close friends and family didn’t even flinch because I’d BC’d and changed my look so many times. Fans and new friends were a bit shocked, though, asking if I’d cut my hair so that I could go the “Afro-Fusion” route. But they’ve gotten the hang of it, and most people say I should stick with short, natural hair for the rest of my life. 


3.       What’s your maintenance routine?

Initially I was co-washing a lot, and rocking wash n go’s but now with my hair longer I’m doing more twist outs and braid outs, deep conditioning when I can, and moisturizing and sealing every other day. It really just happens when I find the time, which is not very often nowadays. I must admit, I neglect my hair quite a bit. I also braid it, and cornrow it once in a while, just to keep it under wraps for a bit. I straightened it out for the first time this week since I BC’ed two and a half years ago and as much as it feels weird to have hair blowing in my face, I’m glad it’s so thick and healthy and has grown so much.

4.       What products do you always use?

Water, Kiss My Face Saponified Olive Oil and Honey Bar to wash my hair with, it really gets the job done and has absolutely no chemicals, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner, Suave Green Apple or Coconut Conditioner, Nupur Henna, Coconut Oil and Raw Shea Butter.

5.       What is your hair goal?

A Big Ass Afro. I was recently very tempted to get a much shorter hair cut because I was really missing my TWA(Teeny Weeny Afro) but a recent mild blow out showed me just how big my afro has grown, and it’s motivated me to keep growing it. I will also stop chopping it off in the name of trims as often as I do.