subject: _:node8c46a6d72641441431f71385a18eb21
obj: " Share27 Pin12 Tweet +1 ShareTotal Shares 41\u00A0\n\u00A0\n  medianet_width='728';  medianet_height= '20';  medianet_crid='426863355';     \n\u00A0\nShaunt\u00E9e,\u00A0hair stylist of\u00A0La Vita Nova Salon in Richmond, Virginia\u00A0\u00A0shares her natural hair journey with us.\u00A0Read about her favorite products, her hair care regimen, and her thoughts on \u00A0the biggest mistake that women with natural hair make.  medianet_width='600';  medianet_height= '250';  medianet_crid='132267395';     \nWhere are you from?\nRichmond, VA\nHobbies, interests?\nI\u2019m an artist by nature, so almost anything involving art and creativity interests me.\nHow was your relaxer experience?\nI received my first relaxer at the age of 5. My hair had many ups and downs with relaxers, at times it seem healthy, but the it would break and shed. The older I got the more I began to dislike getting relaxers.\nHow long have you been natural?\nI have been completely natural for a little over 2 and a half years now. I transitioned for 11 months prior to that.\nWhat made you want to go natural?\nI saw some pictures online of women with natural hair and I loved it! I believe the major reason was though, I just didn\u2019t want the chemical anymore. I grew bored with the styles and i wanted to see my hair in its natural state. I tried 3 times to go natural, succeeding in the 3rd go-round and I\u2019ve loved it ever since : ).\nWhat are your favorite products?\nI\u2019m a Mizani fan all the way. Their natural hair care line, True Textures, works very well. The Butter Rich is my most favorite for my hair, which is thick and can be very dry along with my scalp. I also love the D\u2019Tangle, which really helps me in my detangling process. 100% Raw Shea butter is a great sealant for me as well.\nHow has your journey been so far?\nMy journey has been full of lessons, many of them trial-and-error. It took me a while to learn how to care for my hair and be comfortable with wearing and styling it. It\u2019s been an adventure and I\u2019m constantly learning new things from hair care to styling. A wonderful journey indeed, one that I continue to enjoy!\nHow would you classify your hair? (Hair Type)\nMy hair is 4a in the back, but mostly 4b. Thick, tightly coiled, major shrinkage.\n\nWhat are your favorite natural hair styles?\nI love, love, love Afrohawks!!! I love natural pin-ups as well! And you can\u2019t leave out the awe-inspiring Afro! I like 2 strand twists as a protective style as well.\nDo you have a length goal?\nEither BSL (bra strap length) or MBL (Mid-back length).\nAs a hair stylist, do you prefer 100% all natural products or does it not matter to you? Why?\nI prefer products that bring back the health of the hair and keep the hair healthy and its integrity intact. Most of the products I use are full of natural oils and proteins. They aren\u2019t 100%, but they are pretty close to it.\nWhat do you think is the biggest mistake that women natural hair make, hair care wise and maintaining its health?\nThe number one mistake I believe women make with natural hair care is that they fail to realize the work involved in caring for natural hair. It\u2019s actually more work, time, and care. Behind that, some women don\u2019t seek the help of a professional when transitioning or when they really need one. As a natural, I understand about being finicky about trusting someone else with your hair (which is not bad in itself). As a professional, however, I know that everyone\u2019s hair is as unique as the person themselves, what works for someone else may not work for you, from color to hair care products and everything in between. Professionals are educated, tested, and licensed to take of hair, repair it, analyze and even diagnose hair and scalp conditions. Find a good one and don\u2019t be afraid to let them do what they were trained to do.\nWhat advice do you have for those going natural?\nOverall, have patience! You\u2019re hearing it from someone who is still working on that herself! Be patient with your hair, keep it moisturized, if you need help, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for it! Take care of your hair and it will take care of you.\nWhat is your hair care routine?\nI wash my hair every other week, deep conditioning each time. If I\u2019m wearing it out, I braid (or twist) it up every night with a moisturizer or if it\u2019s in a protective style such as twists, I make sure the twists stay moisturized and my ends stay sealed. I always have a satin bonnet on when go to sleep. That\u2019s basically my routine, along with keeping my ends trimmed when they need to be.\nWhen you color treat your hair how do you maintain its health?\nBy staying consistent with my conditioning treatments and keeping as much moisture in my hair as possible.\nHow do you feel about shrinkage?\nI wasn\u2019t a big fan of it at first, but I\u2019m learning to accept it as part of my texture and use it to my advantage.\nCheck out the La Vita Nova Salon page on Facebook and visit http:// www.facebook.com/NubieStyle54 !!\n\u00A0\n\n\n\n\n\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n\n\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit0\";\namzn_assoc_enable_interest_ads = \"true\";\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"blac01-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"auto\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"3be8deb262951044f1166fd16b146c46\";\namzn_assoc_emphasize_categories = \"3760911,3760901\";\namzn_assoc_default_category = \"HealthPersonalCare\";\namzn_assoc_fallback_mode = {\"type\":\"search\",\"value\":\"natural hair products\"};\n\n"@en-us