Ask CurlyNikki

Actress, comedian, producer and writer Kim Wayans is On the Couch with CurlyNikki! A talented member of the famous Wayans clan, Kim shined on “A Different World,” and delivered uncanny impressions on Fox Network’s ”In Living Color.” She’s also appeared on the big screen with roles  in “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Juice in the Hood” and “Juwanna Man,” to name a few.

But today we’re here to take a closer look at them celebrity curls! Ladies, I present to you, Kim Wayans! Enjoy!

CN: It was so amazing to connect with you on Twitter! I’ve been a fan since Miss Benita!

Kim: Thanks Nikki! I love your website. I read your celebrity interviews and have learned so much about working my natural hair from CurlyNikki.com. It’s really a tremendous resource, and whenever I run into a sister with her natural hair, I’m always sure to tell her, “Be sure to go to CurlyNikki.com!”

I was just talking to a woman in New York that wants to transition, she’s scared, but she wants to, and I told her, “You need to get on CurlyNikki.com and read the stories of women who made the transition because it’s going to inspire you and give you the courage to go on and lop that off and start from scratch!”

CN:Wow! Thanks Kim! That’s such an amazing compliment. I’m happy that you find the info helpful and I’m very grateful for the free pub! 

Kim: It’s an amazing website. My girlfriend Robin Robinson, a die hard CurlyNikki fan, turned me onto it. I had to mention her ’cause she’d be on me if I didn’t!

CN: Your natural hair is some of the most luscious I’ve ever seen atop a celebrity head. Give me your story!

Kim: I’ve never had a perm. My mom didn’t have that — we all wanted one of course, because everybody wanted the hair that swung, and this didn’t swing [Laughs]. She was very much about loving your natural hair and said to all of us girls that when you turn 18, you can do whatever you want with your hair, but right now, in this household, there’s gonna be no perming. So we just had to tie sweaters on our head and swing those from side to side [Laughs].

So I never got a perm and when I left home, I never really wanted one. I would hot comb my hair or wear braids because I really didn’t know what to do with my natural hair. I just knew that I didn’t want to put chemicals in it.

Like back in the day on “In Living Color” and “A Different World,” I wore it pressed and then I graduated to braided styles and wore that for many years. And when I got tired of the braids falling out in the swimming pool [Laughter] — you know, you’re thinking you’re all cute and everything, and then an extension falls out — I looked up and my hair was floating in the pool! A guy was like, “Excuse me miss, I think this is your hair!”

So that, plus I was just ready for a change. I didn’t want to be a slave to the braids anymore. I just got the urge. I wanted to rock my natural hair without the braids, without anything.

CN: What’s your current routine? How do you achieve that luxurious curly fro?

Kim: I do my hair once a week. I don’t use shampoo anymore, that’s something I learned from your website. I use DevaCurl No Poo and I find that to be really amazing because it doesn’t strip your natural moisture and oils. It works well because it keeps my hair feeling very moist. I also learned that I shouldn’t be yanking a comb through this bush and that I should be using my fingers as much as possible.

I’m so happy to be talking to you because I’ve benefited so greatly from your website. It’s just a gem. I can’t sing your praises enough. As a culture, we don’t learn how to do our hair and that’s why there’s such an aversion to wearing it. That’s why so many women are like, “I don’t know what to do with it and therefore I perm, or therefore I braid, because I don’t know what to do with my own hair.”

We don’t grow up learning how to do our hair, we grow up learning how to do somebody else’s hair — Caucasian hair. Those little combs and brushes don’t work on this. So you find yourself yanking out your hair and having such a difficult time, and when you learn, you learn that your hair is different and requires different treatment. And when you grasp that and get the proper tools to do YOUR hair, it become a breeze. It becomes fun and not a huge hassle.

CN: It’s a re-education.

Kim: It is! It’s a total re-education. So back to my routine, now I have a Ouidad Comb. I first use my fingers and go through my hair and separate it into about 5 large braids. And then I saturate my hair with a conditioner, put my little plastic cap on and let that sit in my hair for a couple of hours.

If I have errands to run, I’ll slap on baseball cap so I can run around. I let that percolate up there for a few hours and if I have the time, I’ll even leave it in over night and then the next day wash out each braid, cleanse with Deva NoPoo using luke warm water, and do a final cold water rinse — something else I learned from your site.

I pat dry each section with a towel and gently remove excess water. Then I take virgin coconut oil with some jojoba oil and a little raw Shea butter and mix that together and put that on each section, re-braid back into the big 5 braids, put on my satin cap and then I go to sleep to let it dry overnight.

I also sleep on a satin pillow case, which is something I didn’t know about growing up. It’s something else I learned from you, and it just makes such a difference. You wonder, “Why is my hair dry all the time? All the oils and moisture I put in it…” and then you realize the pillowcase is more moisturized than your hair and that’s crazy! So that satin pillow case really helps a lot.

The next day I let the braids out, lightly take my fingers and work it a little bit and let it do its thing for the rest of the week.

I LOVE VH1′s “Basketball Wives!” I sit and watch in amusement and sometimes horror as these ladies go about their day to day lives dodging gossip and accusation like bullets. Anyway, one afternoon while tuning in to the first episode of “Basketball Wives LA,” I caught a glimpse of a stunning bronzed woman with blond locs, piercing eyes and the most luminescent complexion I’d ever seen. It looked like she literally glowed! I was taken by her style and her “I am too grown and too fabulous for the cattiness and the fighting” attitude. She became my favorite, but then she wasn’t in any more episodes!

Last week, I got the opportunity to interview Tanya Young Williams and found her to be just as delightful as I imagined. We talked about her projects, her charity works and projects, her hair, and her time on the show. Read on!

Tanya Young Williams On the Couch

About being the celebrity spokesperson for the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

I had the opportunity to go on the CBS Early Show and actually offered commentary on Mel Gibson and his alleged domestic violence. Having a history of dealing with domestic violence, the producer said, “You really should align yourself with the National Domestic Violence Hotline so that your voice and message can empower others.”

After a year and a half of communication, they asked me if I would be a celebrity spokesperson. I felt that would be the greatest opportunity because the more people you can help with your story, the more lives you can possibly save and the more family dynamics can be improved.

Her advice for women who may be in abusive relationship:

Tanya with daughters Tryumph and Whizdom.

If you’re in a situation where a person makes you feel less than yourself, that’s not good. Love doesn’t hurt. If you are in an abusive relationship, it’s important that you have a friend that you can trust completely to talk to. It’s important to have that support system and someone that you can talk to and be 100 percent comfortable with. Also, you have got to have an exit strategy. Where can you go if things get very bad? Is there a safe place for the children? Do you have any money put away? Everything is about strategy when you are ready to get out of an abusive relationship. Also, call the National Domestic Violence Abuse Hotline for help. The number is 1-800-799-SAFE.

About her book, “I’m Tired! Carry Your Own S#!t (Oops, I Mean Bags) A 7 Day Journey to Peace, Passion and Purpose”:

It’s a self help book for people who have been carrying other peoples baggage for so long, that they have forgotten about their own passions and their own purpose. It’s a workbook and an easy read. You actually go through seven days of asking yourself questions that you’ve probably forgotten the answers to: Who were you when you were happy? Who were you when you weren’t stressing and carrying other peoples baggage? Essentially, what baggage are you carrying that doesn’t belong to yourself? This workbook is very dear to me, I am very passionate about it and anyone who has read it and has responded to me has said that it has helped change their life. I believe that each of us was created for a specific/unique purpose, and the goal of this book is to allow you to tap back into your God given purpose for your life. Love yourself enough to buy the book because it will change your life.

About her hair journey:

I’ve actually been natural for many, many years, but have worn my hair in the dreads style for eight years. My hair before that was just wavy. During the early 80s, I was an athlete and I was getting it wrapped. But you know what that’s like, I’d get my hair wrapped, and the second I’d run up and down the floor, I would perspire and my hair would revert to being wavy again!

At some point, I believe I was in college, I said, “You know what, I can’t do this anymore.” At the end of the day, I couldn’t keep my hair the way I wanted it to look, so I had to change and say, “Enough with the wrapping.” The thing is, I didn’t want to have a perm, and there was a period of time where people were doing a thing called texturizing. I would texturize it to make it straight, and then I would wrap it and I thought it looked fabulous! But, if it rained, or I perspired, I was done, so two and a half hours in the salon was wasted!

About her locs:

It wasn’t easy! My hair is naturally wavy and curly, so me wanting to have locs was not easy, but it’s still something I like! Because my hair was thinner, when I started twisting it, it became heavier and took on a fuller look. It’s just something I like! I use Aubrey Organics products as well as Kiehl’s Care products. Another thing that I do is apply vitamin E to my scalp.

About her daughters (Tryumph 8 and Whizdom 7) and how she cares for their natural curls:

Tryumph and Whizdom.

Both of my daughters have wavy/curly hair like mine. I am very fortunate to have two very good girls, but the only time we don’t get along is in the morning when I’m combing their hair [laughs]. “Mommy, are you hurting us on purpose? No, I’m just combing through your curls!”

When I was younger, my mother would put Johnson and Johnson No More Tangles in a jar with this very heavy cream called Baby Cream, and she’d shake it up! So of course, years later, we’re laughing like, “She was making Carefree Curl Moisturizer before it even came out!” But as moms, you continue to test and see what works in your childrens’ hair. I laugh because my mother did it when we were little, and that was just what mothers do. Even with my two girl’s hair, I’ve gone through so many different products to find out what works best for them. It’s really tough to find products for children’s hair that is curly, not coarse.

My favorite product to use is Aubrey Organics B5 Design Gel. I am trying to find other products though. I have been having a difficult time finding things that will not weigh down their hair — others are too fragrant. Maybe your readers will have some suggestions!

On that gorgeous glow and fit physique:

[laughs] As for that “glow” that everyone says I have, I feel that it’s just the spirit of God that’s inside me. I don’t eat red meat and stay away from sweets, though I love Champagne [laughs]. For exercise, believe it or not, I don’t have time to visit the gym! When I play with my girls, that’s when I exercise. I put them on my legs and do leg lifts and lift them up. They think it’s fun, and I stay toned!

On what she expected when she joined the cast of the “Basketball Wives of LA”:

When I met the producers, we talked about focusing on the lives of basketball wives as moms and business women. Though it’s glamorous, there’s more to being a basketball wife.

On whether or not she was accurately portrayed on the show:

I actually only watched the first show and haven’t watched since, so I honestly don’t know how I was portrayed.

On her absence from the reunion show and whose idea was it for her to not be included:

Both myself and VH1 decided that it would be best if I was not a part of the reunion. It was a mutual and amicable decision.

Do you communicate with anyone from the show?

I talk to Jackie about business and I also talk to Imani on Twitter.

On whether she’ll be returning for another season:

No, I have other projects going on right now. I am a Legal analyst for KTLA, write for the Huffington Post, and am a Celebrity Spokesperson for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. It was in the best interest of all involved that I did not return.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be bummed, though dolls! Even though she won’t be returning to the BBWLA cast, she promises that she’ll be back on the small screen in due time! At the end of our interview, I promised Ms. Tanya that I would send out an APB on product recommendations for her two beautiful daughters. They need products that will moisturize, but not weight down the hair. Also, what products would you all recommend for effective detangling?

Atlanta based celebrity stylist and TV personality, Derek J put a well-clad foot in his mouth on the recently aired ‘good hair’ episode of Dr. Drew’s Life Changers. Shortly thereafter, distressed, confused and seeking clarity, he shined the proverbial CurlyNikki Signal into the night sky asking for deliverance from the incessant stream of hate mail. #TeamNatural roll deep as a mug.

Appreciative of his willingness to keep it real and genuine desire to be educated on the matter, I gave Derek some dedicated time On the Couch to gain some insight. Will he get his redemption? Read on!

Derek J Gets Started on His Homework

CurlyNikki: Okay, so what happened?

Derek J: First of all, I didn’t think that that statement would’ve caused what it caused. The conversation with Dr. Drew was about natural hair versus relaxed hair and weaves. In the beginning of the interview, I encouraged my client to go natural because I know that many women don’t know what their natural hair looks like. But later during the conversation, I did make the statement that some women need relaxers.

CN: What the hell Derek J?!

DJ: I didn’t mean relaxed bone straight. I meant to calm down frizz.

CN: Right. You know this is not helping your case…

DJ: Some people may want a looser curl or things of that nature. You would need some kind of chemical assistance to work that look.

CN: Uh — no, boo boo. We have tons, TONS of options outside of chemicals. But, put a pin in that. Do you think that most women desire looser curls?

DJ: Yes, not most women, but some do. I’ve seen women that want to go natural, but turn to weaves first to get the look they’re going for. They say, “Oh my hair’s too short to wear natural,” or “It’s too this or that to wear natural.” So they get a weave to get that natural look that they want to have. If that’s the look you’re going for and your hair doesn’t do that, then chemicals or a weave is needed to make it happen.

CN: So you’re saying there ain’t enough curly pudding in the world?

DJ: [Laughter]

CN: And what is “that look?” “The Joan Clayton” from Girlfriend’s?

DJ: Yep. Exactly. Some women need a relaxer or chemical assistance to achieve that look.

CN: That look… are we talking, “easily managed hair,” or the taboo, “good hair?”

DJ: No [Laughter]. Good hair is basically what you think it is and what you’re trying to go for.

CN: That’s so PC!

DJ: [Laughter] Before I answer that question, I want to say that I also didn’t know that the word “manageable” is a bad word in the natural hair community. I don’t know all this stuff! [Laughter] I’m learning though. Anyway, good hair is what works for you. What’s good for me might not be what’s good for you. It’s frustrating because this shouldn’t even be the topic of conversation. We have a whole lot of other issues for Black folks to worry about instead of whether someone wants to relax their hair or not. Or if somebody wants to achieve a looser texture curl than what they have naturally.

God gave you natural hair, but if you want to go that hard on it, then it shouldn’t just stop at your hair. Don’t get your eye brows arched, stop shaving your legs, stop shaving under your arms, don’t wear a bra. If you want to accept what God gave you, do it then, but you can’t just stop at your head.

CN: Would you have seen anything wrong with what you said had it not been brought to your attention — repeatedly?

DJ: I didn’t think twice. When I spoke to other stylists and a few natural haired friends, they agreed, so I didn’t think that there was anything wrong with the statement. I didn’t say all women, I said some. They took it as if I’d said it’s all women and that I look down on natural hair and that’s not what I was saying.

Derek J’s Uh-oh Moment

The rest of CurlyNikki’s exclusive interview continues on the next page.

Real Housewives of Atlanta diva, Shereè, is On the Couch, and guess what?! She’s #teamnatural! *raises roof* We played 20 questions! Enjoy!

20 Questions with Shereè Whitfield

CN: “Who gon check me boo?” Best housewife line ever. Where are the t-shirts?

Sheree: I had t-shirts! I need to put them back out! They’ll be on the website soon, absolutely. They’re coming back out.

Relaxed or natural?

I am natural. Been natural for seven years. I use Miss Jessies Curly Buttercream, Moroccan Oil, Pureology and Phyto.

Where do you get those fly weaves?

Thank you so much! I’m actually creating a hair line. I shouldn’t even be talking about this right now, but I’m partnering with the girl who has been providing me with my hair. It’s really good hair, no chemicals or anything on it which makes it easy for any stylist to work with.

If “Real Housewives of Atlanta” was “Survivor,” who do you think would get voted off the island first?

I would say NeNe.

On last night’s show you said, “Donald Trump recruited NeNe for Celebrity Apprentice because they needed an irate, crazy bitch, and that’s what they got.” How do you really feel about Nene?

Do I even need to tell you? [Laughter] I just feel that, I’m happy for anybody that’s doing their thing and taking their success to a whole ‘nother level — that’s wonderful. But, in that process, you can not look down on people. My motto is this, the same people you look down on going up, are the same people you’ll be looking up to when you’re coming back down. You can’t do that. You still have to remember where you came from and be humble. And I just feel like she’s not that way.

Of all the new business ventures this season, which one do you think is the most viable?

They say sex sells and I think Kandi will do good in that business. The sex toy market is not going anywhere. I think Phaedra’s venture into the funeral home business will do well too – people will always need that service, unfortunately.

Which girls from the cast do you kick it with off camera?

I’d have to say Kim.

Have you ever done anything on the show that you regretted after seeing it?

Absolutely. This season, going into the courtroom with my ex for child support, I was told that the cameras wouldn’t have access. So the day of, I ‘m thinking they were just going to watch me go up the court room stairs, but they actually came inside. I really didn’t want my kids seeing that on TV — me and their father in court.

What’s your favorite drink? 

It’s a new vodka called Vuqo. It’s fabulous! It’s made from coconut. I mix that with pineapple juice and a splash of cranberry.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, with whom would it be?

Oprah.

Mac or PC?

Mac.

If you were a Disney princess which one would you be?

Cinderella.

What’s the last book you read?

“The Help.”

If you weren’t on RHOA, what would you be doing?

I think I’d be doing something in health and fitness.

Biggest pet peeve?

I like action. I don’t like when people talk a lot, like when people say they can do XYZ, that’s pretty much all they’re doing is just talking. Show me.

On a typical day, what do you eat?

At breakfast, I’ll have egg whites, veggies in it, either chicken or turkey sausage and some fruit. At lunch, I’ll have some fish, veggies or a salad. I’ll have a frozen shake in between and I do like snacks, so I snack a bit between meals. And finally, at dinner, I’ll have chicken and veggies.

I try to stay away from a lot of carbs like white breads and potatoes and things like that. I love sweets, like maybe a cookie or a small piece of cake, that’s how I get my carbs in, my bad carbs.

Exercise routine?

Oh my gosh. You gotta come exercise with me! At least three days a week I do a kettlebell class. I may spin three times a week. I may add in a kick boxing class and then I try to walk the park at least two or three times a week.

That’s my me time. A lot of people don’t take that time, but we all need it. That’s my time for me, every morning, at the gym. It’s not just about being healthy, it makes me feel good and jump starts my day.

How goes the acting?

It’s going. I’ve received quite a few scripts for plays, people wanting me to read. But, with the taping, I had a lot going on, so I couldn’t really do it. So now I’m actually about to get back out there, and I have an acting coach that I’ll be starting with. I’ll see where it goes.

Did you ever hear anything else from Dr. Tiy-E Muhammad?

He called me one more time to apologize because it ended kind of nasty. So, we got that out of the way and I have not talked to him again.

Since him, have you found prospects that are worthy of your time?

I’m out in the dating world, but I haven’t found that Mister Right that makes me want to settle down. No one has swept me off my feet. It’s hard to find that guy in Atlanta.

Final Thoughts

Are you watching? What did you think of episode one of the new season??

Yesterday, my harassment persistent correspondence with Macy Gray’s “people” finally paid off. Nearly two years after my first request, she’s finally On the Couch. Score one!

This Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and actress represents the natural hair vanguard. Rocking her natural coif from day one, she’s appeared in a number of movies including “Training Day,” “Spider-Man,” “Scary Movie 3,” “Lackawanna Blues,” “Idlewild” and “For Colored Girls.” Read on to learn about her hair care routine, favorite products and thoughts on the natural hair movement.

What’s your hair story?

I’ve had it relaxed. I’ve had a weave and all that, but I always come back to my natural hair because it’s my hair and I like it. I like the way it feels, especially when I don’t have a bunch of stuff in it. I’m not a “get up two hours early to do my hair” kind of girl. So it just works for my lifestyle. I have really, really thick hair, and it can be a lot of work, but I wear it.

You seem very comfortable with your hair. What about the industry?

Ever since I got popular, a lot of people have told me to change my hair up, straighten it out, or suggested that I change my look. I’ve tried it, but I always go back to my afro. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not keeping up with myself [laughter], like, maybe I should do something different now, but I always feel funny in something like a press and curl.

I got a weave for the first time back in 2007 for my big album release. It was for the red carpet. I had it done on a weekend, and it took eight hours. It was out before the end of the week. No lie. I just hated it. Every time I touched my head I felt like crying. I guess I just didn’t like touching my head and feeling hair that wasn’t mine. During that time I tried press and curls and wigs as well, but I always went back to my afro. I don’t mind wigs, I think wigs are fun, but I don’t wear them that often.

That’s probably the last time I’ll do something to my hair.

What’s your current styling routine and favorite products?

Redken is great. They have heavy cream called Smooth Down Butter Treat. It’s really good for Black hair. I’ll condition it in that for about 10 minutes. Then I might use American Crew Citrus Mint Gel. I love it because it’s not flaky and doesn’t contain alcohol. So I’ll use that and I’ll do medium sized voodoo knots, about 15, and let it dry, and it’ll be very curly. If you let it air dry it can take all day, so sometimes I sit under the dryer for an hour and a half. It comes out great and it stays for a few days. Braiding it is a lot quicker though — cornrows. The curls are a lot different, and I like that look too.

For wash and wear, I use Paul Mitchell Instant Moisturizer. It puts a really nice sheen on my hair. I also love Doogro because it doesn’t smell and it doesn’t make my hair greasy. I only use it on my scalp and a little on my ends.

I don’t do anything at night, I just sleep on it.

Do you color?

I color my hair a lot. It’s colored right now. I get it done professionally and I don’t even know what they use.

Notice any differences in your color treated hair?

It’s a lot dryer. You have to really keep it moisturized when you put color in it, but I think that’s anybody’s hair. It comes with the territory.

The best thing about being natural?

It’s beautiful. It’s you. You’re cool with what you got. When I see people that have natural hair, that’s what I think of them.

As women, we’re so socialized. We have to look a certain way and do all these things to ourselves. So I think you have to have very big balls to just be yourself. Black hair is very beautiful — it’s incredible. No one else has it but us. What’s more amazing than that?

What do you think about this natural hair revolution? Lots of people are going natural and staying that way!

I think it’s awesome and speaks to the fact that we’re all evolving, which is a big deal for a woman. We have so many rules from birth; keep your legs closed, don’t fart in public — guys do all of that. So I think when you get to the point where you’re okay with what you have and you follow your own rules, I think that’s an enormous step just for yourself, personally.

What are you working on?

My album is coming out in March and I just did a movie called “PaperBoy,” but I don’t know when it’s coming out. Check me out on my website, Facebook and Twitter!

One year into her healthy hair journey, Kimberly Elise, the acclaimed actress best known for her roles in “Set It Off,” “John Q,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” and “For Colored Girls,” talked with CurlyNikki about how natural hair has changed her life. Kim pre-poos and utilizes protective styles, and is now a member of the natural hair community, even calling sites like CurlyNikki, the Natural Hair University!

Embracing Your Curls at Any Age!

CurlyNikki: Your hair is stunning, so thick and healthy. Have you always been natural?

Kimberly Elise: I had my last relaxer in the early 2000s. I grew up with the pressing comb, had a Jheri curl and then I started relaxers. I have a very sensitive scalp and no matter what I did, they always burned. My hair wasn’t happy and didn’t do well. I just stopped at a certain point, and my last one was probably in 2000 or 2001. I reverted to using the pressing comb, then I tried braids, sort of leaving it alone, and I found that that made it really grow.

Then, just last summer, I thought I’d try something a little different. I had heard about the keratin thing and I understood it to be a temporary process — something you could put in and wash out in like two months. I thought it would be a nice change. Well, it didn’t wash out and my curls were gone. It was really upsetting. I pulled back again, put it in and braids to let it grow, and recently cut off about 6 inches — all the keratin. Now I finally have my curls back.

It’s been almost a year of letting it regrow itself. That’s where I am now. My curls are back, and honestly, I didn’t know a whole lot about how to take care of my natural hair until this last year. I learned so much on your site. I don’t even know how I stumbled across it. It’s, like, so educational — a university for natural hair.

I’ve also learned so much from Youtube, everyone from CurlyChronicles, Naptural85 to NaturalChica and Kimmaytube. I so love and appreciate the community and I’ve learned what my hair does, what it is, and how it thrives in a way that I really never understood before. I felt like I’d been given a key to a secret room and all the answers are in that room. It’s very empowering because you really are in your own little world trying to figure it out. To find this whole community of support and education and sharing information — it was refreshing.

CN: I see that you’ve been wearing your natural hair on the red carpet quite a bit. How has it been received?

KE: I’m extremely protective of my hair, so I don’t let them use it. In my last movie, they wanted to style my hair, and I said no. I’ll do wigs, but I don’t want the stress on my strands. There are too many people who don’t know how to take care of it, and I’d be bald by the end of the production. It’s too sensitive for the rigors of production.

As for your question, people love my natural hair. Certainly on the red carpet. They’re also excited to see natural hair out and wearing it and feeling free about it. I’ve received nothing but compliments and good feedback from just being myself.

CN: What’s your current routine and staple products?

KE: I went through the whole junkie phase and tried all types of things. Now I have a very simple routine. I spritz day and night with rosemary water I make myself. I get rosemary herbs from Whole Foods and boil them and let them sit overnight in purified water. Then, I’ll either use shea butter or coconut oil to seal in the moisture. And that’s it! Very simple.

I’m still trying to find the right shampoo because I’m very particular about products. I’m a vegan, I was a vegetarian for 13 years and just became a vegan. And I’m very particular about natural products, organic products, and that’s been like my biggest challenge. And, that’s why my routine is so simple because I am so selective.

Mostly I pre-poo with Aubrey Honey Suckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner or coconut oil. Then I was using the Giovanni to shampoo, but it wasn’t quite right for me. So I’m still searching there. And I find that that’s a part of it too — the journey to find what works.

My mom is on the journey with me. She’s been natural forever, but didn’t really know how to care for her hair. She grew up saying, “black girls don’t like water.”

We need water. We need to drink it and put it on our hair. So she’s really on this journey with me too. Things that don’t work for her might work for me, and vice versa. I’m still figuring out what’s best for me, which is why I don’t want to put a brand name out there.

On Sunday, I’ll shampoo and condition. It’s an all day thing. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’m in a protective style. I have learned that with my hair, less is more, with as little manipulation as possible. I will wear a cute braid/twist/bantu knot style, a pretty scarf, a cute hat and always some sort of hair accessory that brings it all together. My hair grows very fast, over a 1/2 inch a month. Protective styles allow my hair to grow at it’s full potential, so when I do want to wear it out, it’s healthy and vibrant.

If I have something that I’m going to go to and I want to wear my hair out, that’s a special thing. I don’t just wear twist-outs and curl outs everyday.

So Sunday, I’ll do that and braid it, spritz it and put my silk scarf over it, or find a cute braid style that I can wear out. Come Wednesday, I’ll co-wash with Aubrey, and then do it again on Sunday. And in between, every morning and every night, I spritz with the rosemary water and seal with coconut oil.

For events, I’ll stretch my hair. I learned from GirlsLoveYourCurls about threading. So I stretch my hair and then very lightly spritz, and either twist it or roll it, and then finger it out and apply a little more coconut oil. And that’s how I got that look.

CN: I’ve seen pics of you with your daughter. She’s adorable! Does she love her natural hair too?

KE: My daughter is feeling more and more comfortable about her natural hair as she watches me embrace mine. What’s really amazing to me is that growing up, the pressure was, “When are you going to get your relaxer?” or, “When are you going to change what your natural hair is?” And you didn’t feel good unless it was pressed or somehow chemically processed.

My daughter is 12. She goes to school and the girls are all natural. And they’re teaching each other how to take care of their natural hair — really supporting each other in their natural hair. And these are 12-year-old black girls — all kinds of textures of hair — and they’re all natural!

No one uses any chemicals, and it’s a whole different world. My daughter comes home from school with a new technique that she learned from another girl about how to flat twist, or another moisturizer, and it’s beautiful. They’re learning from us as mothers, but they’re being very strongly influenced by their peers.

CN: Any words of encouragement for a newbie or a woman thinking of making the transition?

KE: It’s so incredibly personal. I definitely wouldn’t try to persuade someone because there is a lot of commitment that goes with it. But if a person is at a point where they’re sure that this is what they want to do, I’d say get as much education as you can even before you big chop! I recommend reading “The Science of Black Hair.”

Be patient with it, listen to it. What works for your sister may not work for you. It’s an exciting, magical process to watch your hair come to life and thrive. My mom is 73, and she said her hair is saying, “Finally!” It’s true, because your hair really will talk to you.

Surround yourself with a community of support. Not everyone will be supportive. There is still a lot of stigma against us with our natural hair — pressures to have it straight. It’s important to have a support group, even if it’s just strangers on the Internet. Have fun with it. Create some new styles and share them. It’s a magical journey, and it’s liberating. You can walk out in the rain and not worry about it… it’ll create a new fantastic hairdo!

CN: What’s the best thing about being curly?

KE: I love how my curly hair is such a personal expression of the woman I am — the woman God created. I get excited as I see it grow and grow and I see it as a direct reflection of my own growth into myself and accepting me as me. I find that though not everyone embraces my hair, most people do and they love to ask me about it and learn how I care for it, especially if they are struggling to understand their own hair.

I am always open to answer their questions and advise them as much as I can. They will start asking me about my movies and we always end up talking about hair care! I also find that people of other ethnicity’s really, really love our kinky, curly hair. They are always full of compliments and praise and simply can’t stop the flow of positive words about my big kinky curly hair. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate self and be celebrated by others who may be different from me. I love it!

Final Thoughts: What Projects Are You Working On?

KE: I just finished a really fun film… “Hannah’s Law,” a western with me, Danny Glover and Billy Zane. I had a blast creatively; it was a really fun experience. I played a cowgirl.

For that project, all my projects, I cornrow my hair and wear character appropriate wigs and that’s what I did for “Hannah’s Law.”

In the world of natural hair, there are tons of community and celebrity hair idols floating around. Folks whose hair we admire and appreciate even if ours is in no way similar. We want nothing more than to know their routine, their fave products, or how they got THAT look, in THAT picture.

Corinne Bailey Rae, and I think you’d agree, is the definition of a Natural Hair Idol. When she and her amazing ringlets hit the scene in 2006, I remember feeling awe struck. To this day, I Google her images for twist-out inspiration.

Well, good news divas! The British singer and songwriter is finally “On the Couch” with CurlyNikki and telling all, even how at one point she wanted to start a natural hair site! It was a challenge tracking her down but it was so worth it. She has a beautiful soul and I’m honored to deliver her story to you! Enjoy!

Her hair story:

I was natural until I was about 13 and then I got my hair permed, weirdly. I didn’t really look after my hair before that, and didn’t know that it would actually grow “curly” on its own. So, yeah, I had a perm, and when I was about 16, I had it relaxed because I had my hair cut really short. It was kind of like “Indie,” like a white boy’s hairstyle [Laughter], because I was in this guitar band. It was really, really straight and I’d wear it off to the side. I remember hoping it wouldn’t grow, you know, so it’d stay sort of as it was when you just had it done (relaxed). That’s very unhealthy, horrible even.

So anyway, the summer before I went to University, a guy stopped me in the street and asked if I’d like to be a hair model for a project he was doing. I said yes, thinking at least I’d get a free relaxer out of it, because at the time, that was a really expensive process. So I did it, but the style was pretty extreme. He dyed the tips of my hair red and cut it really short in the middle. It was this really ghastly hairstyle, a weird vampire theme. I remembered my friend’s mother was getting married like two days after I had it done, and I said to the stylist, “Okay, I need you to do my hair before this wedding, because I have red tips. I’ve essentially got horns. I need it transformed back, relaxed and dyed back to black.”

He claimed there wasn’t enough time! Really? And this was the entire reason I did it (went natural). Just before that wedding, he basically cut my hair down to like an inch or two inches long, cut all the relaxer and hair dye out, and that was it. That was my style. So when I went to University, I had this natural hairstyle, like a tiny afro, really, really short hair. And I’d always wear jeans and a leather jacket and everyone thought I was a Black Panther.

I quickly got used to it. I liked the fact that you could wash your hair regularly and I loved that my hair was curly. I had never noticed it before because I was always pulling it and combing it straight. Finally, I discovered this really good, moisturizing shampoo. I think they were giving away a shampoo at the time on the front of some magazine – “Wella?” So I had a whole load of those and I would wash my hair, get right to the scalp, comb it and then twist it a bit with moisturizing cream and just leave it. And it was a revelation to me that my hair had that kind of texture. And, because it didn’t have a lot of length, it curled really easily and I thought, I’m just going to keep it like this. But of course, it just sort of grew out over time. I remember I used to twist the front and the rest would be in this baby afro and then as it got longer and longer, I’d wind it around my fingers to make more of ringletly-type curls.

Her current hair routine:

These days, I’ve embraced the texture even more. What I do now is wash it, put the conditioner in and detangle it with a big paddle brush, which takes 40 minutes. It takes a while.

I do it from the ends to the roots and then I put it in four or so plaits. I plait the front section and then one in the crown and two at the sides. I leave that for a day or a day and a half. It has to be a day where you’re just hanging out at home.

When I take them down, it’s in those loose kinks from the plaits, but it’s still a bit wet, so then my natural curl kind of comes back in a bit and it’s a combination between those kind of kinks and my normal curls. That’s my staple style.

Her hair in promotionals for her last album:

That was the result of the plaits. You put them where you want them, in the direction you want your hair to go in. I personally like a side part.

So, yeah, you just make the big plaits and dry your hair in those. A lot of stylists tried drying my hair with a blow dryer, but it makes it straight. It’s really weird. The heat pulls out the curl and flattens it. So generally, I just braid it up and let them dry.

On personal hair care and stylists:

I do my own hair much of the time. But, when I’m working, I have different stylists. I have one in London. He’s brilliant, actually. He’s this white guy, the same age as me, British, his name is Kenna, and he has this studio called KennaLand. I find that he has a real sort of fashion forward focus, and he’s really into Afro hair.

He does Emily Sande’s hair, this girl that just came out. She has an awesome shaved, blonde height. He also does Shingai Shoniwa’s hair.

He loves Afro hair. He loves the texture and he never tries to change it or work against it. He’ll think really carefully about how it curls and how to cut it, making sure it’s not too wet, keeping shrinkage in mind. He’s got really great insight.

I don’t care for the hairstylists that make you feel like “Oh, this is going to be hard work,” especially the stylists in England. A lot of black stylists in England are really loathsome to Afro hair and make you feel like there’s something wrong with you if you’re not relaxed, or they’ll say things like, “If you ever straightened it, imagine how long it would be.” But, I’m like, “I don’t want straight hair!”

So, yes, Kenna is very good and likes to work with texture and I appreciate that.

The woman that does my hair in New York is from the salon Eva Scrivo. And she does the same. She puts it in the plaits and dries it. But, for the pieces that don’t go curly enough, she’ll wind them around the iron. But, that thing with doing your whole head with an iron and looking like Orphan Annie, I don’t like that.

At the 2011 Emmy Awards, a CurlyNikki correspondent caught up with the gorgeous and talented Jurnee Smollett! Best known for her roles in “Eve’s Bayou” and “The Great Debaters,” the naturally curly actress currently plays Jess Merriweather on the critically acclaimed television series “Friday Night Lights.”

As a kid of the 90s, however, I remember ogling Jurnee’s curls as early as her “Full House” days. So here you have it, four minutes and five questions with Jurnee! And, GO!

Jurnee’s Quick Emmy Chat

What does it feel like to be here on TV’s biggest night?

It’s really exciting, a little overwhelming. To be a part of a show like “Friday Night Lights,” that’s nominated for best drama — it kind of doesn’t get better than this. I’m excited.

What are you going to do when your nomination comes? We know it’s coming!

You know what? For me, I don’t think a lot about nominations for myself. Because honestly I just want to do great work. I want to work with people that challenge me, like great filmmakers. I don’t really know what I’ll do, if it ever happens. That’s not really my focus, honestly.

How does it feel to be a part of the cast of a show like “Friday Night Lights?”

It feels really amazing, because it’s such an incredible show. I mean, to be a part of a show that I think is going to go down in history as one of the great television shows… it’s an honor for me. I grew a lot as an actress, I learned a lot about making television that is truthful. So for me, it was such a great experience and something that I’ll forever be proud of.

How’s married life?

It’s the greatest thing God could’ve ever invented. I’m so happy. Josiah and I were married on October 24th, so we’re coming up on a year.

Do you have natural hair? What do you use?

I’m natural. I’ve never done a perm. I’ve always heard that they’re damaging, but I don’t know, I’ve never tried it. Maybe it’s for me in the future? I don’t know.

As far as products, I adore Carols Daughter. I use a lot of different things. I like to keep my hair moisturized, so I try lots of different conditioners. My hair can get dry especially in the LA weather.

Maintenance is easy. I do my hair myself. For work and events, I just blow it out, curl it and go. I’m not the girl that likes a lot of maintenance. On my off days I wear it natural, big and wild.

Final Thoughts

For the record, “Friday Night Lights” took home two Emmys that night! One for Best Actor in a Drama Series, and one for Best Writing!

Acclaimed actress, comedienne, and fellow curly, Wanda Sykes took some time out of her busy schedule to chat with CurlyNikki and offer her curly hair tips, favorite products and amazing career. Enjoy!

On her curly hair state of affairs:

Wanda Sykes: The state of affairs? At this moment, everything is nice, peaceful and harmonious in my hair world. Everybody’s getting along [Laughter]. I just had it done last Friday, my stylist Lisa Deveaux, did a nice deep conditioning treatment and straw set for me that should hold up for a week to ten days. I’m in a good place with my hair right now.

A couple of weeks ago my stylist was out of town and one of my best friends was here visiting and did some twists for me — she flat twisted my hair. She did about four, and although it took my hair forever to dry, I really liked the look. That, and the French braid-outs. It’s a good tip that I picked up from your website as far as what to do when you can’t get to your stylist for a full, clean straw set, but need to look presentable. The twist and braid outs look really nice and are a great option.

I told my wife to watch what my friend was doing and was like, I’m going to need you to learn that [Laughter]! We haven’t tried yet, but I’m like, if you f*ck up my hair, there might be a problem. I’ll let you know how that works out [Laughter]. I’m like, how can she not know how to braid, they call it French braid and she’s French. Come on, you should know how to do this!

On hair mishaps:

Sykes: My family recently got back from France. We weren’t in Paris, we were, like, way out in the country, and I was really serious about rationing out my products. It was hot and a little humid, but not too bad, so every morning I would have to wet it and apply my products to wear it down.

For, like, the first two hours, you know, when your hair is still a little damp, it’s nice, but as it begins to dry, it starts creeping up and it gets tight. You know, like when your hair wants to make a fist or tries to stand up and testify [Laughter]?! I would then put a little more product in it to keep it moisturized and soft, but it was funny because I had to ration it, thinking, “How many days am I going to be here? How much product do I have left?’

It was ridiculous and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to find Mixed Chicks over there. It turned out okay though, and I ended up using a lot of headbands and hats.

On her favorite products:

Sykes: Besides the Mixed Chicks, I’m still loving Fast Food and a curl definer called Recoil both by AG. I also enjoyed the samples you sent me last time and find that, right now, the most important thing is keeping the moisture in my hair. My hair is very dry and has the tendency to soak up water and products, so I’m still looking for that perfect moisturizer.

On the NaturallyCurly community:

Sykes: Be patient! Wearing your hair curly is a commitment. It’s trial and error, and you have to find what works best for you. I’m telling you, once you can get into a groove and you know what works, it’ll be such a time saver. When I go to get my hair done, or when I twist or braid it myself, yes, it takes a while, but the style lasts a while, and I don’t have to go to the salon that often. It’s a huge time saver, and it’s just easier.

On making others laugh:

Sykes: I noticed that I could make people laugh in junior high. Before, I would say things and would end up either getting a beating or put on restriction [Laughter]. I had all the right premises, but I just didn’t have any punch lines. So, it wasn’t until junior high that I was like, hey, OK, now this is funny. We’re laughing!

After college, I was working a regular job, bored to tears and I knew that there was something else for me to do. And, something just told me to write down some jokes. I did and entered a talent contest I heard about on the radio. I did some stand up and everything just made sense from that point on. I’ve been doing it since 1987, almost 25 years now!

On Unforeseen Challenges:

Sykes: I think my view, on life, is that there are always challenges. So there wasn’t anything that I didn’t expect. The most challenging part for me is the travel – to have to get on the plane, and be to this place by a certain time. And that’s the thing, I’ve never been good with time, and I’ve never walked into a meeting and not had to say, “Oh, sorry I’m late!” That’s my opening line — I think when I die I’m going to put that on my casket. I’m going to make sure the coffin shows up a half hour late to the funeral. It would be very appropriate.

On new projects and upcoming tours:

Sykes: I’ve been on vacation and enjoying family, but now it’s time to get back to work. I’ll be kicking off my tour in Hawaii next month. For dates and times near you, check out WandaSykes.com. You can also check me out on “Ice Age 4.”

Final Thoughts

Read CurlyNikki’s original interview with the Queen of Comedy, Wanda Sykes.

Recently, a CurlyNikki correspondent caught up with the gorgeous actress and singer Rosario Dawson. Known for her roles in “Rent,” “Alexander,” “Seven Pounds,” and my personal favorite, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” she took some time out of her busy schedule to dish on her hair and favorite curly hair products.

CurlyNikki: Tell us the best part about being a sex symbol — not that you see yourself that way, but still!

Rosario Dawson: Revenge for all those dudes that were not trying to holla at me when I was in high school! I went to prom stag. It’s pretty sad. I’ve told this before, it’s really funny — there was a guy in high school that I had a huge crush on, but he was not feeling me. I ran into him a couple of years later. I saw him, pushing a baby carriage and when he saw me, he was like, “Yo what’s up Rosario! How you doing?! I told my boy that we went to school together and he asked me if we ever hooked up and I was like, naw, she didn’t look like that in high school!” I was like, “Um, I started acting when I was 15, and I absolutely looked the same, you just didn’t see me.”

CN: You were 15 when you shot “Kids?”

Dawson: Yes! Only 15, and I swear I looked the same. But seriously, it’s not revenge, it’s actually a really weird thing. I definitely didn’t grow up thinking that I was sexy, more awkward than anything, like most folks in their teenage years. I was a late bloomer. I just find it really funny because I know it takes a lot of work to make that happen. On a normal, roll-out-of-bed day, I don’t think I’d be topping the “most sexy” list. When I get a little assistance accessorizing, it really helps!

CN: In many pics, it seems that you have naturally wavy hair. Is this the case?

Dawson: I grew up with really straight hair, but as I’ve gotten a little older, it’s become more wavy, which is really exciting because my mom has super curly hair. It was one of the things I used to get upset about because my brother has really curly hair as well. He’s tall, he’s got a really great ass, he’s got the height, he’s got the ass, he’s got the hair [laughter]. I was just really upset about that. But you know, I can wear heels, and now that my hair is starting to get curly, I feel less bad. I feel like I can blend in better with my family!

CN: What curly hair products are you using?

Dawson: I was just talking about this in Shape magazine. My really good friend, Tara Smith, who did my hair on “Death Proof,” started a hair product line called Tara Smith. It’s all paraben free and she said it’s tested on film stars, not animals. It’s an eco-conscious line and it works really well. I use everything from the Tara Smith Base Coat Serum to the shampoos. They have a line for curly hair, Tara Smith C Curls and one called Tara Smith Straight Away if you’re looking to straighten your hair. It really works, and you don’t even really have to flat iron it. I really love her stuff.

CN: What about skin care?

Dawson: I have a friend that does a beauty line called Sibu. They take seabuckthorn berries from the Himalayas and use them in their products. They have a facial and body cream, oil, liquid supplement and detox treatment. It’s all so fit and delicious and very, very natural. The supplement, I find, really helps take out inflammation. I used to give it to my grandmother before she passed. She had really bad arthritis and had to have those really weird jar opener things to open stuff up, and she threw them all away, and the lumps in her hands went down. She really promoted it. I definitely recommend both Tara Smith and Sibu. Look ‘em up!