Meet Sunday Sophisticant...Donna Ellis

 

Introduction:

I am 35 years old, single with no children.  I served 7
years of Active Duty in the US Army and am currently serving in the Army Reserves while working at the Mississippi Department of Transportation.  My hobbies include reading and working out (running, spinning, step aerobics, Zumba).  

How long have you been natural?

I have been natural for 5 years and made the decision after joining Facebook and seeing one of my fabulous Sorors rock her beautiful afro seemingly effortlessly.  I used to style my hair in an afro when I wore a relaxer by using perm rods, so I’ve always been fond of the style.

Regimen & Favorite Products:

I have very fine, curly hair which is crazy because the Soror whose ‘fro I fell in love with has a courser, kinkier texture, and I really thought and hoped my hair would look like hers.  I first big chopped in 2010 and quickly found the regimen and products that I’ve been using since then.  It is a regimen that I was introduced to via YouTube vlogger Mahoganycurls.  I shampoo my hair once a week using Kinky Kurly shampoo, then detangle (using my fingers only) with a generous amount of Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditioner.  Once I rinse out the conditioner, I add a small amount of Kinky Kurly leave-in conditioner and Kinky Kurly curling custard (to control frizz).  Afterwards, I shake my head vigorously to get rid of the excess water and let my hair air dry.  All of this is done with no comb, brush, or towel.  When my hair is shorter, I’ll do this every day (the detangling through the air drying), but as it grows longer, I only have to go through this process once a week, because I’m able to pick it out at the roots and shape it after the steam from my morning shower hits it.  The bigger and kinkier my hair is, the more a love it.  My natural hair works for me because I work out about 6 days a week.  The sweat only makes my hair bigger and helps give it the afro texture that I want, so I never have to worry about sweating my hairstyle out.  

The only other hairstyle I wear besides a variation of the afro is a donut/sock bun.  I wear this style during drill weekend to make sure I’m in compliance with Army uniform standards. 

Definitely the Kinky Kurly line and the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditioner.  The products listed above are the only products I use except for when I have to switch over to the Army side.  Then I’ll use IC Fantasia gel and Pump It Up spritz to get a neat bun.

Tips!!!

I don’t do what most naturals do, so it’s hard for me to tell others what they should be doing, but some of the things I never do are: I never oil my scalp, I’ve never had a “wash day”, I never sleep on a satin pillow case (and hardly ever sleep in a satin scarf - only when I need to get my bun right), I will never take a hair growth supplement, I never wear protective styles.  I normally tell people these things, because most people think they have to do all of this extra stuff to grow and retain their hair length, and it just becomes expensive, frustrating, and unnecessary.  Always do what works best for you.

One tip I like to give to people who transition from relaxed to natural is to try to wear hairstyles that make your relaxed hair look like your natural hair, not vice versa.  Some examples are perm rod sets, straw sets, bantu-knot outs, or braid-outs.  And as stated above, always do what works best for you.