NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!
Diana Martha: Hello! My name is Diana and I’m 28 years old. I am from Alexandria, VA and my background is Colombian and Palestinian. I’m a social worker-turned-entrepreneur. I love dancing, fashion, cooking, traveling and anything cultural! I have type 3A curls.
NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls, or have you always enjoyed and embraced your curls?
DM: I slowly started embracing my curls when I was seventeen. I didn’t understand how to style my hair — before, I used to just slick my hair back with lots of gel and tie it in a tight bun. I was brave enough to start letting my hair down, but it just hung in a curtain around my face. I fully started enjoying my curls in my mid-twenties.
NC: What is your current routine?
DM: I switch up my routine about every five months because I have hair that adapts to products pretty quickly. My rule of thumb is to always opt for natural products. I avoid harsh chemicals and sulfates, especially because I have hair that’s genetically thin.
NC: From start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process?
DM: When I’m done showering, I always rinse with cooler water and then turn my head upside down and “shake” my head to loosen the curls and scrunch out excess water. I then use a soft towel to scrunch some more, and if needed, I’ll repeat my “upside down shake.” The upside down shake sounds silly, but it’s key for getting pretty coils! I don’t own a brush or comb — I only use my fingers to comb out my curls, and I spritz my leave-in conditioner mainly on the ends to avoid weighing down my hair.
I apply my gel/styling products almost immediately, while my hair is still damp. That part is key for me since my hair is thin and dries quickly. If I don’t put products in quickly I’m usually left with lots of frizz. I always apply styling products in sections so that I don’t miss any areas. Next, I bunch my hair in sections at the top and clip using Sally Beauty clips and let my hair air dry. I adapted this technique from watching a styling tutorial video by Curly Hair Solutions; I remove the clips once my hair is dried and it really creates nice volume without damaging heat and frizz.
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