Wednesday, July 13, 2011

My Natural Soro: Toni

When I was maybe about 15, I met this fabulous chick, Toni, over my best friend's sister house. They were like bff's and me and my bestie used to pretend we were them and secretly envied them. Gina and Toni were like 22, super fun, beautiful, so confident, and living the life! Through the joys of facebook, some 15 years later, me and Toni meet again. She is still just as fabulous and beautiful as the last time I saw her! And...drum roll... she is a Natural Soro like me!

 
I HEART her...and her hair. Here is her natural hair story.

How long have you been natural?
I have been officially "natural since December 2009. 

(Toni pre-natural)

Why and how did you go natural?
I have always worn my hair short and before I went "natural" I was wearing texturizers. One day I decided I wasn't going to "texturize" anymore. In my case, it wasn't texturizer, but perm I combed thru my hair to loosen my natural curl. I finally cut it down and the rest I guess is kinda history. I think I was tired of trying to keep my hair a certain way; always "neat" and "pretty". Plus all my friends are natural... and I was the last one (two have dreads and one was just natural).

 (Toni and the girls)

Were you attached when you made the decision? If so, did your mate have an opinion?
I have never been a person who cared what anyone said about me or their opinions (negative or otherwise), so my transition was a personal choice unaffected by outside noise. I don't remember being with anyone specific at the time, but because I embrace who I am, everyone around me just kind of embraced my hair. Its funny because I work in a hospital and my transition was seen as "cool" or something and sooo many people have followed suit and went natural because of me I guess. LOL. I'm a trend-setter of sorts...


Rae Pembroke: What is your favorite styles so far? Do you have a regimen?
I love my hair in blow dried twist outs. I don't keep up with these natural hair blogs and whatnots. I wash and condition my hair once a week ( I have to because my dandruff is a beast if I don't!!) I have to blowdry my hair or it shrinks up into the tightest nest of hair. I would have spend two days combing out. So anyway, after the blowdry I apply an oil ( there a line of products called Curly or Curlz at Target and they have an oil that smells really wonderful!!) I put a bit of that on a blowdry a little more to disperse the oil. I then sit with my Carol's Daughter "Some of Margarite's Magic" and grab little sections of hair. I put a bit on my finger and run it along the piece of hair and do a two-strand twist allover my head. If I don't have anywhere to go I leave it twisted and I will wear a scarf or hat because my hair is at a kind of awkward length where its not really cute twisted and sticking out all over my head.

I do twist my hair up every night until it's time to wash it. I don't always apply product to it for the subsequent twisting. I may have to use a little on the 3rd twisting. I think my hair looks best after the second twisting.
(Toni's first time braiding her own hair...and it looks great!)

I don't do a lot of styles because I am still in the awkward length stage and I don't care for a lot of the natural "styles" but the frohawk was my most creative. With the weather so hot and sticky, it works even better because it gets your hair up and out of the way. I am a jogger, so I can sweat and not have my hair and scalp feel/smell sour. Its a great hairdo for that!

(so fucking fierce!)


What are your favorite products?
Some of my favorite products are the Carol's Daughter Margarite's Magic, Healthy Hair Butter and the Hair Milk! I thought the Milk was some crap until I actually tried it. It moisturizes and ads oils and sheen to your hair and actually defines your curls. I started using that one late in the game, but I love it. I apply it after I take my twists down to kinda make my curls snap into shape, so to speak. There is also a product I found at the drug store whose name I cannot recall. It is a locking wax that I sometimes use for my twists as well. It smells awesome and leaves my hair soft. I use this one sparingly now, but it was awesome when my hair was much shorter.

Do you have any advice for newly naturals?
I don't know if I have any advice for newly natural girls except this: Your hair does not define you. It does not determine your beauty or worth. Hair is there to accentuate what is already there. I have always been anti-weave (and lately eyelashes) because women think that if they have a fierce weave then that is all they need. In actuality, you require so much more. Going natural is a matter of saying you like who you are, as you are and everyone else be damned. That is not to say you still don't have to put forth an effort to look good, but you are making a conscious effort to do it. I'm not saying natural hair is the only way to go. I love perms and I miss them dearly sometimes. I'm simply saying, when you do go natural, there will always be people who don't like it, don't care for it, who think you look better with a wrap or straight hair or long hair or whatever. You have to be able to accept their criticism and keep it moving. There is nothing I hate more than unsolicited opinions.

Final Fab Toni Note:

Essentially, you have to be confident in who you are and how you feel about yourself. There will be days when you will hate your hair, but hell, we have those no matter what type of hair style we are rocking. Be steadfast in your pursuit of natural beauty, it will definitely pay off in the the end. And if you gain nothing else, you can at least stand in the rain without thinking about the $150 you spent on a hair-do that can be washed away in 2 minutes!!

3 comments:

  1. Love the article, love you girls, love our history:) Brandiss you tease about mine and India Aria's relationship but she said it first I am not my hair. From a girl who LOVES her long hair, I HATE to think it defines me at all, or that anyone would think any way about me because of my hair.

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  2. Donna Giacona
    Love the article, love you girls, love our history:) Brandiss you tease about mine and India Aria's relationship but she said it first I am not my hair. From a girl who LOVES her long hair, I HATE to think it defines me at all, or that anyone would think any way about me because of my hair.

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  3. D, you are so right. You were so wise at a young age to love India Arie...I was too shallow then to get it. I was my hair at that point, lol. This is why God made you...just for me:-)

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