CurlyNikki Interviews Yvette Nicole Brown

Yvette of NBC’s “Community” is on The Couch! A natural hair vanguard, this gorgeous actress dishes on everything from her routine to what it was like being natural before it was in vogue.

CN: Tell us your Hair Story!

Yvette: I’ve been natural for about 12 years. Before that, I’ve had every style known to man…relaxers, braids, press & curl, you name it, I had it! I decided to go natural because I realized that my hair had been manipulated or processed in some way from the time I was 6 or 7. Which is true for most of us. Most black women don’t know what their natural texture is because most of us have never seen it. Growing up, I always admired the curls of Cree Summer (“A Different World”) and Karyn Parsons (“Fresh Prince of Bel Air”). I never knew that without a relaxer, my hair would curl in exactly the same way. I transitioned before anyone was talking about things like “the big chop.” I just let my new growth continue to come in. A mild texturizer is another way to ease your way into a natural style…it blurs the line between natural and relaxed hair a bit. But it does prolong the time it takes to get to completely natural hair.

CN: Have you always liked your curls? If not, how did you come to embrace your natural hair?

Yvette: My hair’s pretty thick, so I have always been grateful for it, no matter what form it’s in (pressed, relaxed, natural, etc…) But natural hair is my favorite because it’s healthier and can withstand most weather conditions. Rain doesn’t scare me. LOL! And though it may get bigger when faced with humidity, I love big hair so I just let it swell!