### How would you best describe your hair?
Naturally Coily
### What is your hair type?
4c
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### What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?
At times a nightmare lol. From getting my hair pressed monthly and the fear of that hot comb either burning my scalp or edges…OMG! But those were the good old days straightening out the kinks. My mother embraced every strand of my hair until I started managing my own hair from middle school into high school. Perms and colors that I did on my own damaged my hair pretty bad.
### What made you decide to embrace your naturally coily hair?
My cousin….growing up I always had beautiful hair, but took advantage by perming it because of certain styles I wasn’t able to do if my hair was kinky. So I remember when my cousin did her big chop and how she walked around with her twa to a big fro with confidence. That is what inspired me to go natural. And I mean her fro and walk was flawless. Now look at me loving my natural hair journey.
### How have your family, friends and co-workers reacted? What was your response to them?
So, funny story. One of my coworkers, Hispanic, said to me one day….after getting my hair straightened to get my ends clipped, “Shatera….no way…is that your hair, I didn’t know black people could have good hair like that?” Now I could have went off, but instead I chose not too. It was my job to educate her on how “Black Women” or of any ethnic can have bomb hair. So I took that moment to teach her and she was thankful. Everyone else….please….they was like about time lol.
### How did you transition to wearing your natural texture?
Big Chop 9/15/12 and would NEVER go back to relaxing my hair. Queen Pulchritude (which is what I call my hair”> does not like to be covered up or tamed.
### What is your current hair regimen?
No heat just two strand twists….updos from a Permrod set or braids with my natural hair.
### Are there any techniques or methods that have made a big impact on the way your hair looks?
If I want a defined twistout wih the cutest curl tip I am now able to execute that look. For a defined twistout is to be done on wet hair and unraveled once opposite direction of how you twist it. For a curly tip…..after finishing my two strand I would then spray my end with water and add Black Jamaican Castor Oil. And BOOM!
### Any advice you’d like to give other women who may be in the transition phase or need some encouragement in their hair journey?
Embrace your journey….love every moment of it. BE YOUR OWN HAIR CRUSH! Everyone can’t have the same strand of hair, so the moment you start to love her….she will return the love with some FLAWLESS hairstyles. In fact, give your hair a name, build a rapport, become bff’s and don’t give up.
What’s your hair story? Share your story with us here to be featured in our Texture Tales series.
