CN: How do you feel about that? The attention natural hair is getting and the larger companies getting in on it?
Goapele: I think that it’s still good. I think that as a small business owner it can be challenging to present good hair care products and still be able to compete with larger companies. But at the same time I think that hair care products natural or not, should be available to everyone. And sometimes the price points of the smaller boutique brands, which have really good quality ingredients, can be quite high. It’s important for everybody to have access to natural hair care products. So I can’t hate on the big companies for doing it too. Also Carol’s Daughter started as a small company and has grown into one of the largest-—that’s exciting and unusual.
CN: Your skin is unbelievably clear. Share your regimen!
Goapele: I use Dermalogica pretty faithfully, the Cleansing Gel and the Hydrating Lotion. I wash and moisturize my face at least twice a day and when I wear a lot of makeup, I never go to sleep with it on. I remove it with makeup remover and then proceed with my regular regimen. Also, I think that we eat shows up in our skin. So eating as healthy as possible and drinking water instead of sodas always helps. I actually notice a difference when I’m not eating as healthy—I feel that my skin doesn’t feel as smooth.
CN: Tell us about your upcoming projects and ventures!
Goapele: Check out Goapele.com. There’s always new information about shows I’m doing. I’ll be getting out to a lot of different areas really soon, so keep checking back. Also the Milk and Honey album will be coming out soon—I’m expecting to release it in the spring of 2011. You will probably be hearing new music before that, though, so keep your ears out for the ‘Right Here’ single I just did with Drama Boy.
CN: What would you like to say to the CurlyNikki and NaturallyCurly communities?
Goapele: Rock what you got. We all have our own styles, so just be sure to pull yours off with an inner confidence. Whatever you feel the most, just go there. The older I get, the bolder I become—I express myself as a woman through my music, my fashion, and my hair.
