{Scrts Xpsd} Landa @CurlyandLovely

Landa has a story in which many naturals can relate, we’ve tried to “go natural” a few times around, however, end up reverting back to using relaxers due to frustration and lack of support. We battle with burns, breakage, and scalp issues and ignore the fact that our hair and scalp don’t respond well to the chemicals. Landa decided she wanted a change. Today, having spent close to four years teetering in and out of her natural hair journey, Landa has taken a more proactive approach in managing her hair since receiving a “trim” in December of 2010.

So, what is Landa currently LoveN about her #natural hair:
1. No pain!!!! No chemical burns, no "new-growth struggle", no burning hair!
2. The creative freedom that I have with my hair.
3. The yummy products and the excuse to play in the kitchen and make my own!
4. How great my natural hair looks on my and how it compliments who I am
5. The money I have saved! I still go to the salon but I'm able to maintain my hair in between visits.
6. My curls! I LOVE my curl pattern! Some people struggle with defining their curls. Mine pop on their own!
7. My hair is VERY soft and doesn’t tangle up WIN & WIN!!!!!

Her hair is not the only thing she is taking more seriously! She is in the midst of revamping her entire lifestyle, mind, body and hair! Landa is an executive chef and thus food is definitely on her list of passions! In efforts to live a more healthy lifestyle, she sponsors fitness Give-aways on her blog. Her current Give-away Contest: GET RIGHT! Is sponsored by Mingz Eclectic Creations and Miss Hippie Girl Creations. Ladies, please enter her give-away by sharing your plans to GET your diet and fitness plan RIGHT!

{Would you like to be featured on LNW?}

Want to read more of Landa's story?

Did you Big Chop or Small Snips?

BIG CHOP twice! Three times if you count the hair cut I received in December instead of a trim!

What has been your motivation to continue your journey?

My healthy hair has been my motivation during this journey. I have reverted back to relaxers for a brief time and my hair revolted. In which case I figured that becoming natural was no "choice" of mine, it was something I HAD to do.

 What do you enjoy most about having unaltered hair? 

No chemical burns....seriously. Straightening my hair with chemicals was always torture for me.

Once a week I oil my scalp
with this contraption! 1:30 tops!

Describe your regimen. Discuss staple products and utensils.

© I co-wash 3x a week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday which are also workout days). I use Taliah Waajid Black Earth Products and add Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to it.

© I Deep Condition weekly with either a homemade recipe with banana baby food or I use Shea Moisture’s Deep Treatment Masque and add avocado oil.

©I shampoo my hair every other week. I do a hot oil treatment prior to doing so. I dilute my shampoo with water and  I often use Taliah Waajid for a shampoo as well.

©Afterwards I detangle with Kinky Curly Knot today and a denmann brush or wide tooth comb. And then section it and apply a mixture of Curl Clouds from SafiHairCare, KCKT, shea butter, grapeseed oil, and tea tree oil.

© I apply Kinky Curly Curling Custard as I 2 strand twist my hair into medium sized twist and let it air dry

© Daily, I spritz my hair with a evoo/water/honey mix recipe that I got from DIYHaircare.com. It's equal parts of each ingredient; however, I put less evoo and more water so that it’s not too oily and it helps to thin the honey out.
© Other attributes to my hairs health: I wear a satin bonnet or scarf every night. I take vitamins: women's multivitamin, vitamin c & b-12, & Biotin. I drink 1 gal of water daily and I workout 3 -4 times a week. Currently revamping my entering diet. Afterall, I am what I eat.  I also massage castor oil onto my edges every night.

What have been some of the set backs along your journey?

Up until a few months ago I had no natural hair support system. My mom is natural but she is very low maintenance and isn't big on hair. She actually cuts her's EVERY month to keep it at a low cut. So I didn't really have anyone to go to for encouragement for the natural hair blues. Over the past few months I have met hundreds of helpful ladies with great advice and found a hair care provider (my hairstylist) who has helped me understand my hair better. From these two factors, I now have a better relationship with "Le Boss!" (that is what another naturalista named her hair because well, its BOSSY! lol)

For more on Landa's eating regimen, check out her site!

Wash n go or a protective style gal?

How do you get this look?

PROTECTIVE STYLE! I have not the courage to try a wash 'n go yet. I usually 2 strand twist my hair on wash day and either pin my twist up into a quick style or I through on a satin bonnet then wear a wig over it for 2 days. YES! A WIG. I wear wigs AND I still consider myself natural because at the end of the day (or sometimes in the car on the way home from work;) the wig comes off and my natural hair is still curly, kinky, coily, and UNALTERED. I digress...Anywho, I leave the twisting for 2 days then rock a twist out for 1 day. I wash it that same night, re-twist and repeat the 2 days of twist and 1 day out process.

What is your stance on trimming? coloring? use of heating tools?

 

Trimming I do as needed. I do a good job at protecting my ends and my hair so I don't need them too often. I got a trim (i.e. ended up with a hair cut:/) in December '10, dusted my ends in early April and got another PROFESSIONAL trim in early June. As far as coloring, I really don’t care for it. I adore my hair color and I love my mom's peppery gray and black curls! So, when I do begin to grey I won't color my hair then either. I'm very careful with the heat. I'm not afraid of it anymore but I do use it sparingly. I don't use hood dryers, I air dry. In May was the 1st time I blew my hair out and 2nd time in June. I like having my curls stretched every now and then so I may blow it out every other month or so. If done properly I don't see it posing an issue for my hair. I haven't flat ironed my hair fully yet. THAT does scare me. When I blew my hair out last month I thought I'd be funny and flat iron one little section of my hair. At first I was shocked and amused at how quickly and smoothly it straightened. 2 seconds later I was mortified at how quickly it had straightened and quickly threw water on it and Taliah Waajid's Curly Cream to get it to curl back up. Took a min or two but it kinked back up! lol. 

Tweet Landa @CurlyandLovely

Where do you see you natural hair a year from now?  

 

A year from now? UBER HEALTHY! I'm soooo proud of the progress that my hair and I have made. I would assume by this time next year, given my hair's growth rate and factoring in trims, I should gain another 5 inches and be atleast collarbone length. But hey...whose counting?

 

Rambles and brambles...unironed creases?

Lost? Is there anything else?

 

Just want to thank LoveNWright for giving me this opportunity to discuss my journey. Thanks sis! I also want to say that ENCOURAGEMENT is something that we really need to work on in the "NH Community". Uplifting each other should be our focus, not degrading and talking each other down. ALL of us were newbies at one point or another, so be respectful of that when newer naturals come to you to ask the same questions that you were asking one, two, or however many years ago. That is all!=)