Featured Curlie - Brooke

In early summer, I was fortunate enough to connect with a young Curlie, who is an up and coming, actress, model, entertainment correspondant and aspiring ROCK STAR … her name is Brooke of http://www.itsbrookesworld.blogspot.ca . She is very wise in her nine years and really a joy to meet and talk to. So it was my great pleasure to interview her and meet her parents. She is definitely on her way to stardom and a great inspiration to other young Curlies out there. Keep up the great work Brooke and Thanks for being a part of Canadian Curlies. See our interview below:

 

Let's keep our girls strong and self-aware of their beauty! What young curlies inspire you?

Blessing and Curls,

B-Curlie

Featured Curlie - Crystal L.

Name: Crystal L.

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

First year of curlieness: September 2010 is when I had my last relaxer. April 2012 is when I consider my hair journey began.

Why I went curlie: Back in September 2010 when I had my last relaxer, I didn't have any plan to go natural--in fact the idea came much later on. I had a chin-length bob cut that I would get relaxed and reshaped at an expensive downtown salon every six weeks.  When it came time to get my next relaxer I was dreading the high cost for a 'master stylist', the long salon wait, and the  eventual disappointment that many women experience--when they leave the salon with a fabulous look that they can't recreate after they wash their hair at home. As a temporary solution to my frizzy roots I put my hair in braids with the intention of giving myself a month break from relaxing. But as time went on, I loved the easy maintenance of the braids and would have them re-braided time and time again. After five to six months of braiding I was able to see enough of my new hair growth to appreciate the texture and thickness and decided that I would just transition my hair using braids. 

Transitioning with braids.

By this time I had turned 30 and having had relaxers since I was nine years old, I realized that my hair was the one part of my being, where I felt I had little control over and knew even less about. I also didn't like the idea of being dependent on a chemical process to feel comfortable about my appearance (even though I was constantly trying to treat split ends and hair damage from the relaxer). I wanted to nurture a relationship with my tresses and knew that it would be a long road to get to a length that I was comfortable with. After growing my hair through braids for a year and a half I made the decision to do chop off my relaxed ends and start my new hair journey.

Regime and products: Since I'm a newbie to natural hair care, I am experimenting with a wide-range of products and regimens. Products that I'm using and love are: pure cocoa-shea butter, pure argan oil, ApHogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner, and Taliah Waajid's CurlyCurl Cream. These days I'm wearing braid-outs more often than twist-outs. I find braids take a longer time to do but they define and hold my curls longer. I like to co-wash at least once per week and re-braid my dampened hair before bed.

Rocking a stunning braid-out.

The best part of being curlie for me is: The best part of being curlie for me is to be able to look in the mirror, see my freshly done hair, and know that I did it myself and that it's all 100% Crystal. Yes, the unpredictability of my hair can be quite the challenge (oh no frizz!!), but I love knowing that my hair's beauty comes from being imperfectly perfect--just like me!

Is there anything else you'd like to add:

My advice for those thinking about going natural, but don't know if they can make the commitment, is to focus on the POSITIVES of wearing natural hair and capitalize on them. For example, I like style diversity and length (I'm not crazy about 'fros) and I needed a way to grow out my hair without having to worry about maintaining two hair textures-- so braiding was a great transitional hairstyle for me. Finding an experienced braider who is attentive and creative can mean that you can wear a new braided hairstyle every month until you are ready to take on the day-to-day maintenance of curly hair. Cornrows (especially thicker ones) can protect your new growth as long as you re-braid your hair and trim it regularly, in addition to moisturizing your braids every day (using store-bought or home-made braid spray).  

Thanks for sharing Crystal!

Find out how to be a Featured Curlie, email me at canadiancurlie2010@gmail.com

Blessings and Curls,
B-Curlie

Featured Curlie - Angela

 Angela is an inspiration not only as a Curlie, but also spiritually and physically. She has a such positive attitude while living with her disability. It's my pleasure to feature her. Thanks for being a part of my blog Angela!!!

Name: Angela Njoku     

Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia

First year of curlieness: 1996

Why I went curlie: When I was sixteen, my hair was straightened with a chemical relaxer.  As I got older, I found the relaxer chemicals to be too harsh for my fine hair.  By the time I was twenty-five, I noticed that the colour of my hair was changing to a coppery almost blonde colour at some parts.  I figured that this was a sign of damage to the hair and possibly to my scalp.  I decided to go natural.  I waited until I grew about a centimeter of natural hair under the relaxed hair, and then went to a salon and had the relaxed hair chopped off.  The hairstylist was tentative about cutting off my hair because my hair was shoulder length at the time.  But when it was cut to an afro, I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.  As time went by, I noticed that my hair became stronger and healthier.

I kept my hair in a very short style that framed my face (about half a centimeter in length) for about five years before deciding to grow it out.  My biggest challenges with being natural were finding products for natural hair, finding a hairstylist who was skilled in handling natural hair, and figuring out different ways to style my hair. 

Seven years ago, my health deteriorated to the point that I became disabled.  I thank God that my hair was natural at the time because I became too sick to visit a salon or do my hair myself; if I still had the relaxed hair I would have had to cut it all off.  But I receive home care, and my home support worker has been taking care of my hair for me among other things.  For the last five years she has washed, combed, styled and occasionally trimmed my hair when I couldn’t do it myself.  She visits twice a month, and I manage my hair the rest of the time. Thank God that my health is turning around now, so I am able to do a little more with my hair and occasionally get out to a salon for a trim and conditioning treatment. The reason why I mention this is to encourage anyone who is considering going natural.  If I can keep my hair natural while dealing with a disability, you can do it!

Angela with a cornrow braidout.

Regime and products:
The frequency in which I wash my hair is based on its length and how my scalp feels.  It’s a little bit longer than shoulder length now, so it is washed twice a month.  (But when it was very short, I had to wash it every 2 days, and when it was chin length it had to be washed once a week.)  If I wash it too often, it becomes dry and my scalp itches.

Presently, I am using a natural shampoo called Hygenic, made by local hairdresser, Pauline Patten-Bailey of Hy-Style Beauty Care here in Halifax (website coming soon; see below for more information).  Pauline has developed a line of natural hair care products called Bailey Hair Care Products.   When I became disabled, I could no longer comb my thick hair.  But I discovered Bailey‘s Curl In Curl Out, which softens my hair so that it is a little easier for me to comb. I apply it every six months. 

One of Angela's favourite products from her stylist Pauline Patten-Bailey.

I also use Bailey‘s Bedew, a leave-in conditioner, after washing and as a daily moisturizer.  I use natural Shea Butter as a scalp and hair moisturizer.  It was given to me by a friend, but can be purchased in stores. The Shea Butter prevents my scalp from going dry and flaky during the winter months.  It also produces fantastic results when my hair is flat ironed.

I try not to fuss with my hair with too much combing, heat or product.  If it’s not dry or tangled but is soft and shiny, I know that all is well, so I leave it alone.  If not, I add moisturizer, condition it or use less heat on my hair.  (I try not to flat iron more than three times in one month.)  I make sure to get it trimmed every two months to prevent hair breakage and tangling at the ends. I also maintain a healthy diet, and try to eat carrots regularly to encourage a healthy scalp and hair growth.

Angela's wash-n-go look.

The best part of being curlie for me is: I like variety, so I have been one to change my hairstyle frequently. I love curly hair, because of the fact that it can be styled in many different ways with relative ease. It can be in its natural state or afro, locked, twisted, flat twisted, braided, flat ironed, straightened with thread, corn-rowed, you can add extensions to it, and so on.  Also, undoing a hairstyle (like twists or corn-rows) can create another hairstyle. An added bonus, I find, is that that curly hair (mine is quite curly) can hold a hairstyle for a long time, so it does not have to be changed every day if one wants to keep a style for a few days or weeks. My home support worker gives me a style that will last for two to four weeks.

One challenge about being curlie is that, no matter what style it is in, once my hair gets wet, damp or is exposed to humidity, it reverts to its natural curl.  I’ve lost a few hair dos after sweating or taking a bath!

Maintaining my hair in its natural state has been considerably less expensive than in those days when I used a chemical straightener, which to me, is another big bonus and reason why I have stayed natural all of these years.  Last, but not least, my hair is healthy, I am happy with it, and it looks better than ever!  That is the reason why I wanted to go natural in the first place: to have healthy hair that I could feel good about.

For you Canadian Curlies in Halifax, Pauline’s hair salon is located at 349A Herring Cove Road, Halifax; telephone 902.431.0556.

Featured Curlie - Shereen South

Name: Shereen South

Hometown: Jamaican (raised in Scarborough)

First year of curlieness: August 2011

Shereen with relaxed hair

Why I went curlie: Well to be honest I didn’t plan on going back to my natural state. About a year prior to embracing my natural hair, my permed hair was acting up. I was losing hair at a rate that was not normal, so I went under braids. After three months I took the braids out permed my hair again only to have the same issues happen...and this time worse! At that point I went back under the braids this time for a longer period. One August day I was looking at my braids and knew it was time for a redo ... but I was SICK of the braids...did I say SICK? MADD! Something lead me to call my sister girl who is natural and asked her who does her hair etc. She gave me her stylist contact information and I made the call. I was nervous about this new look that I haven't seen since I was 12 years old. I thought alot about what people would say how my workplace would react,  but when I BC'd August 13^th,  2011, I fell in love with myself I believe for the first time ever - I couldn't believe how good I looked! I didn't care who didn't like it, but funny enough I was embraced by all. Even my Dad was all for me going natural. I can honestly say that I was unaware of how MANY naturals out there until after I chopped. I feel as though my going back to natural was a spiritual awakening for me!

Shereen rocking her braids

Regime and products: My hair regime and the products I use are simple. I learned very quickly that oils are one of the key products for healthy hair. Castor oil is an oil that I use in all that I do. I use it in my hot oil treatment which I mix with EVOO and Vatika coconut oil. I also use castor oil when I am sealing my hair. I wash my hair weekly and cowash once or twice a week. I use Kinky Curly Shampoo and Kinky Curly Not Today Leave-in Conditioner for my weekly washes. I use Hello Hydration from Herbal Essence to co-wash, I also use Giovanni Leave-in after I co-wash. I alternate weeks of either deep conditioning (a homemade mix of mayo egg and honey) or I will do a hot oil treatment. I always apply the LOC method after washing or co-washing, this method aids in retaining the moisture in my hair, as my hair is all type 4’s. I NEED as much moisture as I can get. I also use Henna once or twice a month for strengthening and conditioning and not to mention to cover up my greys. Every night I spritz my hair lightly with Rosewater & Glycerin and re-twist. At the end of the day I believe and follow the rule of do what works for your hair and LISTEN to your hair!

Shereen posing at the iHEARTmyHAIR photo shoot

The best part of being curlie for me is: Knowing that I am truly loving all that God gave me … NO LYE! One small change can impact your life going natural has also caused me to become more aware of what I am putting in my body. Natural hair truly ROCKS!

Blessings and Curls, 

B-Curlie

Celebrity Canadian Curlie - Anne-Marie Woods

It is my great pleasure to feature Anne-Marie as my first Celebrity Canadian Curlie. I first met Anne-Marie when I was in high school and she became our Cultural Awareness Youth Group leader. Her career has expanded so much since then and she touches people in many different ways through her craft. She  also happens to be a teenager in curlie years  - enjoy her riveting story below:

Name:
Anne-Marie Woods, founder of Imani Enterprises, spoken word artist, singer, actress, mentor to name a few .

Hometown:
Toronto, Ontario / Nova Scotia

First year of curlieness:

I went natural in 1997

Why I went curlie:

I went to Philadelphia to do a residency at Freedom Theatre an African-American theatre and theatre school. In many ways my nine months at Freedom Theatre shaped much of my life today. I went there to take an August Wilson Advanced Acting Class, and I was teaching Senior Theatre and Assistant Director on a production. It was an amazing and life-changing experience in many ways.

Having the opportunity to learn and teach in an all Black environment. I was surrounded by beautiful sistas with afros, twists, cornrows, fades, locks, and almost every natural style you could imagine. Everyone was so beautiful. I can’t say that before living in Philly that I thought about going natural at all.

See I was the child of the jeri curl. I started with TCB in the 80’s and graduated to Carefree Curl and then I was a Wave Nouveau woman for life; I swear. I tried a relaxer once when I was about 14, but the lady burned my scalp terribly and so I became a slave to jeri curl juice. When I needed a break from the curl, I would get extensions in my hair.

Anne-Marie with afro kinky twists.

So now, here I was in Philly surrounded by the most amazing and beautiful natural women. I found myself asking people different questions about their hair; especially Ayanna who specialized in Nubian Knots and twists and a short afro or whatever style she decided to do that day. Her hair was short, but so versatile. I was in Philadelphia for nine months and by then end of my time there, I came back to Nova Scotia and went natural. It’s been 14 years since I made this liberating move and I have no regrets, but because I have a lot of hair and I do everything myself I do sometimes dream of a fade.


Regime and products:

My regime is an interesting one. When I first went natural I cut all my processed hair off. It was quite short. I pretty much do the same things now as I did then twist and twist-outs, twists and twist-outs. I like Ayanna the sister I admired don’t rock the same natural hair style daily. For instance for one of my shows I may pick my hair out into a bit curly twisty afro, then the next day wear my hair twisted and pulled back, or I leave it twisted for a few days and then open the twists; I love that look. I also blow dry and flat iron my hair sometimes and then twist it and put it in rollers, for that special look.  That is what I call my 18 hour hair style…it lasts for about 5 hour or so. That’s when I feel like Blackarella – like the Cinderella of hair. Like the time I rocked that style on one of my birthdays and then went out dancing, and half of my hair turned into an afro. Luckily I had a barrette with me – to pull my hair up into one. Cause the ½ curly and ½ afro style was not cutting it for me.

Anne-Marie rocking her 18 hour hair a.k.a. Blackarella.

When I first went natural I was asking so many people and doing research about products for natural hair. I used everything from Mane and Tail to Dark and Lovely which dried out my hair completely, to some type of shampoo that was supposed to be for natural hair. I am sure there are many more products now, but back in the late 90’s every shampoo that I bought for my hair cost quite a bit and made my hair as hard as sandpaper on a sunny day. I have a friend with locks and I remember telling her my plight and she was like “Girl I just use wheat germ and honey shampoo from Shoppers Drug Mart.”  That gave me an idea… I began to try regular shampoos. So, after much trial and error, I now use Dove shampoo for dry and damaged hair (this works really good on Black hair and does not make it brittle or hard), and I love the Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) Olive Oil hair products. I use the ORS Olive Oil conditioner which costs about $6.99.  If I want to deep condition my hair because I dye my hair auburn, I put conditioner in my hair the day before and leave it in before dying it. This has kept my hair soft and it’s never been damaged by the hair dye.  I just use Nice 'n Easy dye because many of the dyes for Black hair damaged my hair and made it very dry. Are we noticing a trend here?  As far as keeping my hair oiled and healthy, I used Natty Jojoba Oil and I have been using that since 1997 it costs $2.99 and you can get it at any Black Hair Product Store in the states. I put that in right after washing. I also use the ORS Olive Oil cream in my hair right after washing. Outside of that I use hair food now and then, and that’s about it.  Nothing I use in my hair costs a lot of money and the products last for a long time.  When I started this journey though I spent a lot of money on products just trying to figure out what works well with my hair.

The best part of being curlie for me is:

The best part of being natural for me is being versatile, and I love the look of my hair. It’s just liberating. It’s like I emancipated my hair! For me this is not a fad obviously, because it’s been 14 years now.  I like to rock different styles, and my hair is long enough now that I can just pull it back into one.  Or I twist it and open, twist and curl, wear a bit Foxy Cleopatra afro, or when I need a break in the summer I put in afro kinky extensions. I prefer the afro kinky twists, because they look just like my real hair.  So it’s simple when I feel like locking my hair, I put in the afro kinky twists. When I yearn for a fade or to cut off my hair, I pull it back into one. When I want it to be a bit more manageable then the ceramic blow dryer and flat iron are there for me. If I really want a straight style then I can do that too. The other thing is I do everything myself including my extensions, so unlike many of my friends I am not paying a fortune at the salon. Yes it takes time and planning sometimes to do this hair of mine, but I don’t mind.  I love my hair!

Anne-Marie at a recent spoken word performance in Nova Scotia.

What professional projects are you working on:

I just finished producing a show at Young Peoples Theatre (YPT) in Toronto called, Word Up it was a spoken word and theatre showcase called, Why I Write and it was phenomenal Word Up is a youth spoken word and theatre program that I developed for YPT.  Presently I am in Halifax, Nova Scotia in a hotel room getting ready to perform at the Word Iz Bond Poetry Series and then in a few days I will be the MC and guest performer for the Nova Scotia Mass Choir’s 20^th Anniversary of The Dream Continues Tribute to Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King … then I am back in Toronto and I am the writer and poetic narrator for Tribute a show that is paying tribute to African Canadian Choreographers past and present. It’s being put on by Dance Immersion and it is for me it is one of the pinnacles of my career.  I also do work in schools and will be working on a Spoken Word Anti Bullying project at Queen Victoria Public School and then also working on a big Spoken Word Conference and Showcase for 2013. 

If you would like more information about Anne-Marie and Imani Enterprises feel free to visit her website:www.imanicreativeconsulting.com.

Featured Curlie - Bridget

Name:
Bridget, but better known as simply Bee :) from '83 To Infinity

Hometown:
London, ON (shout out to my fellow UWO Mustangs!)

First year of curlieness:
After transitioning for a year, I finally started rocking my curls in August 2008.

Bee when she was relaxed

Why I went curlie:
I had been lucky all my life to have a healthy head of hair. I started begging for a relaxer when I didn't understand why my hair wasn't like my classmates', and Mom finally obliged me when I was 12. In the 10+ years that followed, I thought my hair was indestructible. Through routine relaxers and indulging in different hair colours, I took great care of my hair and it seemed to flourish...until one day when I realized that my hair was breaking off and not growing back. I remember looking at one woman's pitiful, scraped-back, thin ponytail...and realized my hair looked JUST LIKE THAT. I ended up looking back at photos of my thick, healthy natural hair and started investigating how I could get back to that. 

Bee after her big chop

Regime and products: When I first started wearing my hair naturally, I tried almost any and every product under the sun..name the brand and I tried it. For my hair and lifestyle, I've now found that simpler is better. 

Bee in all her curly glory

I co-wash/detangle about every two weeks with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, then usually set my hair in 10-20 twists using a mix of shea butter and jojoba oil. I either leave them in for a few days, or undo them once dry. For a leave-in or to refresh my curls, I use a bit of water and either my Hello Hydration or coconut oil. When I feel my hair needs it (I'm terrible at forced schedules), I deep condition with Elasta QP's DPR-11, and mix it with honey, EVOO, and jojoba oil.

Right now, I'm addicted to Oyin Handmade's Burnt Sugar Pomade, which I use or everything from twisting, to slicking down edges, to smoothing my hair when pulling it into a bun. I try other products here and there, but I'm trying to keep it simple these days :)


The best part of being curlie for me is:
The versatility! All I knew of my natural hair before was the plaits my mom would put in them, and the single braids I would get done for a treat every now and then. Had I known what my hair was capable of then, I probably never would have relaxed. Wet sets, dry sets, Bantu knots, twists, braids, flat irons...everything gives me a different look, and my hair is the healthiest it's ever been!

Featured Curlie - Ardean

Name: Ardean Peters

Hometown: Born in Toronto, grew up in Jane & Finch, currently in Brampton

First year of curlieness: 1992 (I think... I'm not good at numbers! I was 19 then, and I'm 38 now!)Actually, I just did a youtube video (purfikt), looking back at these early years. I've been following the online natural hair community on and off starting in 2005 and for the last year or two, have been occasionally following some youtubers. I had wanted to start a natural hair channel for a long time, but it's a lot of work. So this will just be the occasional video on what I do, and more a way to connect with other naturals and glean info from them :D

Why I went curlie: Well, as a child of the 80's, I started my teen hairstyling years, in the age of the Jheri Curl. Remember those? NOT pretty! I remember going to the salon early in the morning and waiting forever until they started working on me. At the end - you had this greasy, dripping head of Jheri Curls and there was no 'styling' option on freshly Jheri Curled hair. Getting back home was therefore a matter of trying to sneak out of the back entrance of the mall, unnoticed and taking the back streets to get back home. By grade 10, I moved onto a relaxer. I remember doing the ponytail that wasn't: using hairspray to try and slick up all the hair that was too short to reach into the bun! I also remember taking an hour in the morning to do my hair curling and styling - yikes! Honestly, I just got tired of all the work, plus that lovely burning sensation you always got from doing a home relaxer! So in grade 12, while my hair was still relaxed, I decided to; dun, dun, dun - cut my hair! Something no black girl did back then. I had decided that I would really prefer a short and easy hairstyle - that wouldn't take an hour to style every morning. It was such a cute look. I loved it. But inevitably, the relaxer grew out and my short cut, wasn't working so effortlessly anymore, so I decided just to cut off the relaxed ends and go natural. I figured if guys could do it, why not me? And I loved it. Wash and go hair - literally!

Regime and products: I have never been big into styling, I'm lazy like that and so have also never really been into tons of product. Last year when I found kimmaytube, I started experimenting with twist outs - so then I was using aloe gel for setting and olive oil hair creams for sealing my hair. But that didn't last too long...although I achieved some cute looks, I'm just not one to twist my hair nightly - or even to tie it down and re-fresh it in the morning. So the last few months, I was mostly just washing 1X a week and then daily just dampening my hair in the shower/or spritzing with aloe/water to moisten and be able to style it: a low bun in the back and 2 flat twists in the front.

(above) Ardean with braids.

(above) Ardean with a puff.

Now though, I've decided to re-visit my 'wash and go' again. This is what I did years ago and was doing up to a year and a half ago. I had stopped, because the band I used to pull my hair into my staple large puff, was now causing a tension headache. This time around, I'm going to try the wash and go and either leave my hair in a fro or another simple style, that doesn't cause any tension.

My current products:
1. Conditioner in the shower daily - just started using Tresemme and Tresemme Naturals and so far love it.
2. Aloe juice (by way of Kimmaytube) - I love how this smells and I do see a difference (smoother, less frizzy hair) when I use it. After I condition and rinse, I spritz on my aloe/water combo.
3. Shea butter - I had been using castor oil (sometimes jojoba) up to now, but never liked how they smell. I recently went back to shea butter and love it! I find that shea leaves my hair curly, softer and sealed, while the castor seems to straighten my hair out and never really absorbs into my hair.

The best part of being curlie for me is: Is the 'ease of use'. I don't worry about getting my hair wet. In fact, my hair loves getting wet. The versatility you have with being curly - you can do a straight style anytime you want and then go back to being curly. And mostly, I just love how my curls feel.Chemically relaxed hair, just never felt near as good:D

Featured Transitioner now Curlie - Kyra Cox

Hometown:

Toronto, Ont.

Length of transition (start to finish):

1 year

Why I went curlie:

I didn't actually go curlie purposefully. Quite a few years ago I gave myself a really nasty burn when perming my hair at home. The side effects were the onset of migraine headaches, and a very sensitive scalp. It took a few months of increasingly painful headaches for me to see a specialist, which is where I was told that a severe chemical burn could have caused my migraines to begin. After making the connection, I tried to perm my hair less often (and definitely stopped doing it at home), but my sensitivity to almost all hair oils, shampoos, hairsprays, gels and other styling products, resulted in me doing less and less to my processed hair. As it grew out, I found new ways of 'coping', never really consciously committed to going natural, but knowing that I could not go back to processing my hair all the time, and that I had to discover a healthy - and practical - way of living with my hair.

Since my hair was cut into a short style to begin with, before I knew it I had a head full of natural hair that I 'chiney bumped' and twisted; promising myself I would braid it as soon as the back was long enough, and then toying with the idea of locking my hair after that. I never did do any of the above, which I am happy about because it caused me to reach out and ask questions, pay attention to different creative hairstyles I saw other ladies wearing, and to think of and treat my hair as a healthy and beautiful extension of myself, rather than a burden to be dealt with.

Transitioning products and current products:

As a result of my sensitivity (which persists), I use olive oil and shea butter currently to moisturize. I have been told by another Canadian Curlie that shampoo is not something I should be using in my hair, so I will be looking into more natural products for caring for and styling my hair - I am always open to suggestions. I recently tried Olive Oil Eco Styler hair gel (courtesy of my dearest cousin), and I love the definition it gives and the fact that it does not irritate my scalp.

Since I was continually experimenting with products while my hair was processed, the products that I was not allergic to was the line of Elasta QP hair care & styling products, Dove Shampoo (only), as well as the Aphogee line.

The best part of now being curlie:

Aside from the health benefits, which are extremely important to me - my migraines have drastically reduced (if not disappeared) and my scalp, while still sensitive, is much healthier - I love my hair in a way that I never did before! I am a very low maintenance kind of girl and the focus of my hairstyles has always been practicality.

Being a realtor, always on the go - quick and practical styles were a necessity. I always thought that low maintenance natural hair was an oxymoron, only to discover that not only can it be extremely low maintenance (disclaimers needed here lol), my hair's potential is only bound by the limits of my imagination. The best part about being curlie for me is expanding my imagination. I have fallen in love with the versatility of my natural locks and I must admit that I feel a sort of connection to all the sisters out there that I see, wearing their hair like mine. My husband loves my hair, my friends do, and most importantly - I do! I am so glad to have been introduced to Canadian Curlie - I am looking forward to expanding my imagination =0)