Watch NaturallyCurly's Senior Account Manager as she faces the shears for a good cause.
Nicole Binnicker
NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!
Nicole Binnicker: I’m the Senior Account Manager at TextureMedia, Inc. I work with all of the brands that want to bring awareness of their product lines to our community.
NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls, or have you always enjoyed and embraced your curls?
NB: I started wearing my hair curly when I became pregnant, which was a little over two years now. I realized I wouldn’t have time to dry and straighten my hair every day anymore, so decided it was now or never to start loving my natural curls.
NC: What would you tell others to encourage them to embrace their curls?
NB: Aside from the fact that I get a lot of compliments on my curls, letting my hair dry naturally is a huge time saver!
Before the Cut
NC: How long is your hair?
NB: 28 inches.
NC: How long has your hair been growing out? Do you do anything special to get it to grow? Vitamins, treatments, etc? Was your goal to grow your hair out?
NB: I started growing it out in November 2010. I think it grows faster with less breakage now that I’m not drying or straightening it every day. It grew quickly on pre-natals, and now I just take a multivitamin and magnesium, but not for hair growth specifically. My goal wasn’t really to grow my hair out, but I do like it long now that it is this way.
MORE: Hair Growth Chart
Hair Growth
NC: What’s your hair type?
NB: Between 2a-2b
NC: Did pregnancy impact your hair growth?
NB: Absolutely. The pre-natals obviously helped it grow. It also got thicker and curlier while I was pregnant.
NC: What was/is your regimen as an extra long haired wavy?
NB: I wash my hair every other day with a shampoo and usually follow up with a conditioner. I comb my hair out while in the shower with my conditioner still in, then I use some sort of styling product as a leave-in. Sometimes it’s just an oil, sometimes a creme or creme-gel mixed with oil. I let my hair dry naturally, usually overnight. I try not to touch it too much again after that until my next wash.
Products and Tools
NC: What are your must-have products and tools?
NB: I love oils, specifically that are on the lighter side.
NC: What are your challenges with your long wavy hair?
NB: I think the biggest challenge is that I have to use more product than average.
NC: How does your hair impact the way you feel?
NB: It depends on if I feel like I’m having a good hair day or not.
MORE: Top Wavy Hair Products
About the Cut
NC: What is making you want to change you look?
NB: I am just ready for a change, and I figured that if I could do some good while making a change, cutting my hair is a good option.
NC: Why did you choose to donate to Wigs for Kids?
NB: After doing some research, this organization seemed like a good fit. The American Cancer Society recommends them as one of the best places to donate your hair for cancer patients, so I figured that was a pretty good endorsement.
Preparing for the Cut!
Wigs for Kids
NC: What’s that process? How can others do it? What are the requirements? What is the stylist doing to ensure you can donate? Cutting it in a ponytail?
NB: Yes, you are required to cut it in a ponytail and you have to be willing to give up 12 inches! All the details can be found on their site, wigsforkids.org.
MORE: Tips for Cutting Curly Hair Your Stylist Can’t Live Without
14 Inches Cut!
Twist Cutting
Cutting Techniques
NC: What other aspects to your cut is the stylist doing after the donation part is over? Layers to add body? wet cut? dry cut?
NB: He cut my ponytail off dry. Then he did a wet cut. He added layers throughout to help give more bounce and to frame my face, while keeping in mind that I wanted it long enough to pull back. He also layered it to ensure that it would look good drying naturally, if I diffuse it, or blow it out.
NC: Is your goal to get more waves and curls? If so, how and what techniques is the stylist achieve that.
NB: It wasn’t necessarily my goal, but taking as much weight off as we did, it was kind of a given that my curls would spring up some more.
MORE: Twist-Cutting Technique
Products Used
After the Cut
NC: How long is your hair, now?
NB: He cut off 14 inches, so I have 14 left.
NC: How does it feel to have shorter hair? What was your immediate reaction?
NB: My head felt so much lighter!
NC: Do you see much more curl pattern?
NB: I think I’ve probably moved up to a 2b.
Nicole’s New Curls!
Nicole’s Hair Regimen
NC: What was or is your regimen as a now medium length wavy hair?
NB: Not much different from before, considering I will still probably let it air dry most of the time. However, I do like how it looks diffused, with much more curl and volume, so I will try to make the time to do that a bit more often.
NC: So from start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process? What are your must-have products and tools now with your shorter hair?
NB: Zotos diffuser when I want to style my hair more — I got the one Allen Ruiz used on my hair. I also use a curling iron. Allen Ruiz had a great point, that most curlies don’t generally use a curling iron to finish off their look, but that it really can help put a few curls in the right place, define the curls around your face a bit more, etc.
Happily Wavy After
NC: What are your new challenges with your medium type 2aish wavy hair?
NB: I do think that I prefer it diffused more now, which does require a bit more time. Otherwise, not really anything else.
NC: How does your hair impact the way you feel?
NB: Everyone tells me I look sassier, so maybe I get to act a little sassier too?!
NC: Are you going to attempt to grow it back out?
NB: Yes, I will be growing it back out again. Maybe I’ll be able to donate again in another couple of years!
NC: Anything else you’d like to add?
NB: Big thanks to Jackson Ruiz Salon, Allen Ruiz, my stylist, and Aveda products used.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Care Methods, Haircuts, Wavy Hair (Type 2a), Wavy Hair (Type 2b), Wavy Hair (Type 2c), Wet. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.
