Name: Elena Mincy
Classification: Junior
Major: Business Management
HC: How long have you been natural?
EM: Since the 10th grade.
HC: How would you describe your hair texture?
EM: 3B.
HC: What is your favorite or most convenient hair style?
EM: Wash and go’s are my favorite, especially after the first day! To me, the bigger my hair, the better.
HC: Name some of your staple products. Shampoo, conditioner (deep), leave-in, etc.
EM: This might sound weird but my hair gets tired of products after a while. I consistently have to switch up what I use. Shampoos and conditioners aren’t a problem though. I typically use Shea Moisture’s or Twisted Sista’s Shampoo and right now I’m using Twisted Sista’s Conditioner (you can order it from twistedsista.com or find it at Ross). My leave-in right now is from Dollar General, it’s by African Pride. I have tried so many different brands though, such as Camille Rose, Shea Moisture, and Kinky-Curly. All of these can be found at Target or Walmart. For deep conditioning, I use Silk Element’s Restoring Conditioner that I get from Sally’s Beauty Supply.
HC: What is a wash day like for you?
EM: I don’t do much to prep for wash days like most curly girls. I usually just comb my hair out with a wide toothed comb and wash it with a sulfate-free shampoo and condition it thoroughly.
HC: What are some of the most common problems you face when styling your hair? How do you combat these issues?
EM: The major issue that I had with my hair was that all of my curls weren’t the same. The right side of my hair would curl up a lot tighter than the left side and that drove me crazy. I would always twist the left front side of my hair, but this just stretched the curls out even more. I eventually ended up just cutting off all of my heat damaged hair, because I didn’t like how it didn’t curl up the way I wanted. I stopped flat-ironing it and now all of my hair has the same curl pattern.
HC: What are your do’s and don’ts when it comes to your hair?
EM:
Do: Remember to deep condition and keep your ends trimmed!
Don’t: Flat iron the life out of your hair, because heat damage is irreversible.
HC: Is there anything you want to try on your hair that is out of your comfort zone?
EM: I’m pretty experimental when it comes to my hair, so I think I’ve tried everything I’ve wanted with my hair. I’m dying my ends purple soon!
HC: How does your hair make you feel?
EM: My hair can make me feel beautiful, free, fun, confident, and flirty when I am pleased with how it looks. On the contrary, my hair can also make me feel self-conscious, not so confident, reserved, and unattractive if I feel like it doesn’t look the way I want it to. This is something I’ve been working on though. Overall, I love my hair. It’s what God gave me, so I will embrace it!
HC: Any words of advice to ladies with the same hair type as you?
EM: Be careful with your flat irons! Straightening your hair is okay as long as you take care of it and prevent heat damage.