Curls R Us: Nkirote is Ab Fab!

Whenever I’m asked how long I’ve been natural I don’t quite know what to say because the truth is I have no clue.  

I come from a very pro-natural family so when I was younger I had natural hair but mostly kept it short. This was until a friend of my parents took me to get a relaxer. (Fyi if anyone tries this on my kids I will kill you with my bare hands!!).
I retouched it maybe once or twice after that but stopped because I’ve always loved thick curly natural hair and hated how relaxed hair felt on my head. I transitioned but like most Nairobi natural used quite a bit of heat on my hair that used to result in breakage but the tomboy in me didn’t really care and figured it would always grow. About half a year after I moved to a high humidity city (Mombasa), I figured using heat was pointless in the humidity and then I started taking care of my hair properly. This was I guess the point I became a proper “fist in the air, back to the motherland” natural. J This was a bit more recent than two years ago and my hair has really flourished since.

Are You A Kink Or A Curl

Depends on the weather and manipulation but I’m mostly a curl. My hair has different hair types and hair densities in different places.  I’m not a big fan of hair typing, but most of my head is 4a with a few places having 3c and 4b hair. It may not seem like it but I actually have fine hair, which means I have to try being gentle and that’s one of the reasons I do my own hair and never go to salons. I have massive shrinkage like all other naturals. When stretched, my hair is nearly waist length but it shrinks to hilarious proportions

Regimen:

sleepy eyes!

I am the queen of lazy naturals and I keep it simple with my hair. I am a working mother of two children so I barely get time to do my hair. In addition, I have quite a bit of hair and I don’t like it all over my face especially in this humidity and heat because it feels like an oven.

I have a major wash day every two to four weeks. It depends on need. I barely apply anything on my hair so it doesn’t get product build up. In between washes I dry detangle weekly with my oil mixture (extra virgin olive oil, castor oil and coconut oil) and shea butter. It’s in a braided bun the rest of the time. I make one braid and make a bun/ Bantu knot with it.

During my wash day I shampoo (I use sulphate free shampoo from healthy U, usually Jasons), then I condition using tresseme naturals conditioner and do some finger detangling during this point. Finally I apply leave-in conditioner (this depends on availability; alba botanica from healthy U, Giovanni direct leave-in  or kinky curly knot today when someone is coming in from the US. My hair loves very thick and creamy leave-ins. I recently purchased a bottle of carol’s daughter’s Hair milk though, but it’s lighter than what I’m used to. I got it from Purple Earth foods in Riara.) After the leave-in I seal with my oil mixture and shea butter. I get the virgin oils from nakumatt and the whipped shea butter from healthy U. After leave-in and oil/ shea butter is when I do my thorough detangling in sections. I part into two sections then sub-divide as needed.  I thoroughly finger detangle then use a wide toothed comb. I just started using a denman wide-toothed comb with two rows of teeth. I love it.

I have no specific reason for not using brushes, gel, and styling products. I just don’t see the need to.

How I Wear My Hair:

Buns! Next question! 

Seriously though, I usually just bun it. No time and energy for anything else. When I delivered my second born I had four cornrows for delivery and during the first month. Then back to buns. That’s it.

Nearly a year ago I made medium sized braids with my hair, no extensions, and they took me three days to take out! Three days! So I’m not doing that for a while. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Would I change my hair e.g cut it, relax it, loc it? 

Unless something changes, no. Maybe style it more in the future if I get time, but I don’t know. Would definitely never relax it, and doubt I’d loc it because I like loose hair and its versatility. Sometimes during an annoying detangling session I think of cutting it but don’t think I would yet. I find long hair and short hair easier to handle for me, it’s that middle length that’s more work, so I’d cut it if I didn’t intend on growing it out again, but don’t think I will.

I did wear a weave for my wedding. First and last time. Not a fan. I ended up doing it because all the hair stylists wanted to relax my hair, add glue, blah blah blah, and do all sorts of madness to it so I put a weave and told them they can do whatever madness they want to it and after they’re done I take it out. Glad to see there are more hair dressers and stylists open to natural hair nowadays.