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!
