Mwando
Where in Africa are you from?
I am from Ndola, Copperbelt, Zambia.
Where are you currently based?
I currently live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
When did you decide to go natural?
I decided to go natural in 2008. My hair was a mess at the time. I had a spot at the back of my head that kept breaking off even when the rest of my hair was doing well. I later found out that my hair texture at the back of my head is totally different, it is much silkier and thinner, I believe the relaxer was just too strong for it and caused major damage.
I saw some beautiful heads of natural hair online and made the decision to big chop without transitioning. Best hair decision I have ever made though I didn’t realize that right away.
What has been your experience having natural hair so far?
The first few months of being natural were hard, I am not even gonna lie. I was so focused on my hair that I spent hours trying to figure out what to do with it or if I should stay natural, texlax or relax. At some point I even made the decision to relax and went as far as spending hours doing some research as to what would be the best relaxer to use.
Thankfully, through the support of some hair buddies, I never went through with it.
I learned in those fews months that “A watched pot never boils”. I needed to stop watching my hair grow. I needed to just take care of it and let it do its thing. I also learned to be patient, when you don’t see the results right away, don’t give up. Have a creative imagination, imagine your hair at 6 months, 12months etc. Get excited about your journey.
As I started to accept my hair and give it what it needed, I also started having fun with it. I created cute styles and accessorized. I shared pictures with others and through the compliments, I was encouraged to keep going. Sharing with others not only motivates them, but it helps me to stay on track.
I love my hair, It is a huge part of me now and because of the love, the pride and the confidence I show with my hair, others have no option but to not say anything negative about it. The versatility of natural hair is amazing, you pretty much can rock it however you want. The possibilities are endless.
What is your hair regimen?
I switch up my regimen here and there from time to time, but in general it looks like this:
I always work with sections of 4 or 6 from start to finish.
1. prepoo and detangle with oil or conditioner – coconut oil or Aubrey organics GPB
2. I then apply my ACV and water mixture to my scalp and massage that in to lift the build up from my scalp
3. Shampoo with Giovanni tea tree triple treat or with Curls cleansing cream
4. Deep condition with AO Honeysuckle rose/ Shescentit banana brulee/ Oyin honey hemp/ Shescentit avocado conditioner
5. Use KCKT leave-in or the Kimmaytube mix
6. Braid my hair up for a braid out or blowdry then braid it up
7. Moisturize as needed through the week with Qhemet Amla and olive heavy cream/ Burdock root butter cream or water and seal with coconut oil .
How did you achieve the hairstyle in these pictures/videos?
Day one Hair: Braid out style done on tension blow-out hair. My braid outs are normally done with Qhemet products. I used a variety of them, from Amla heavy cream to aethiopika. Its just whatever I feel like using that day. Qhemet is definitely a stable for me.
Day two Hair: Also done on tension blow-out hair, gathered hair to the front, put on the headband, twisted and pinned the front to cover the headband.
Day three hair: Tension blow-out hair, separated the hair into four parts, created three ponytails in the back and pinned the hair down to create the rolls. Swooped and pinned the front to create a pompadour.
Day four hair: The back is a braid out and the front is a flexi-rod set. Rolled and tucked the back and separated the front curls for volume.
Day five: Is a braidout. Created a fro-hawk just by adding bobby pins to the sides, then I decided to turn it into an ups by just tucking and pinning the hair.
My updos are always done with side combs or with bobby pins as you can see in the pictures. The front is in big loose twists and pinned up.
When I blow out my hair or straighten it, I always use a heat protectant. I use either sabino moisture block or Fantasia IC.
Any future plans/dreams for your hair?
I don’t think I have any special plans for the future for my hair. I think waist length would be good to achieve though I am not as focused on that as I am on the overall health of my hair. As my hair gets longer, I find that taking good hair of it is even more essential. The ends get more fragile since they are the oldest part of the hair and also the longer it gets the more tangled. Taking time to detangle and to moisturize and seal the ends is essential. Deep conditioning is a must too.
Any advice to those considering going natural?
Go for it!, do it in a way that’s most comfortable for you (BC or transition), remember your hair may not look like the person next to you, so love your hair as it is and learn how to take care of it as it is. Don’t watch your hair grow, have fun with it and find some people that you can motivate and can also motivate you.
Where can people find you online?
I don’t have a blog…yet…. and haven’t posted any youtube videos….yet. I am working on it though so stay tuned 
