NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!
Ashley Witherspoon: Hey! My name is Ashley. I just turned 22 and I’m a student at The City College of New York. I’m a girly tomboy who loves sports and video games, but who also loves being pampered! I’m half-Trini but I love Spanish and Asian culture…I’m taking Japanese at the moment and I’m semi-fluent in Spanish. I’m also a small group leader in an awesome club called Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls?
AW: I first went “natural” when I was seven, but I didn’t start the process of “being natural” until my sophomore year in college. I had no idea that my hair was this curly! I started trying out different products, watching YouTube gurus and reading forums which helped me take care of my hair in a way that worked for me (and for my wallet”>.
NC: What is your current routine?
AW: On a wash day, I start off with SheaMoisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo and then follow up with SheaMoisture Deep Treatment Masque, which I leave on for 1-2 hours (or sometimes overnight”>. Then I rinse and detangle with a Denman D3 brush. Then I use the SheaMoisture Curl & Style Milk and make sure my hair is completely detangled. I finger comb with SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, making sure to stretch and scrunch it in. Finally I smooth on my oil concoction (EVOO, almond and grapeseed with 2 MSM capsules”> and finish with SheaMoisture Curling Soufflé. I flip my hair over and put on a satin cap to define my curls (10 minutes”> and then let it air dry. It sounds complicated, but after a while it comes naturally!
NC: So from start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process?
AW: When I wake up, I spritz my hair with a conditioner+water mix and decide, based on the weather, what to do with my hair. If it’s really cold or really hot, I’ll put my hair in a protective style. If I’m leaving my curls out, I put on my oil immediately after spritzing my hair, followed by the SheaMoisture Curl Defining Pudding and Curling Soufflé. I really like the clump and scrunch method.
MORE: Real Texture Talk: Brianna DeBoise
