Name: Brittany Hewitt
Classification: Senior
Major: Speech Communications (Public Relations emphasis)
HC: How long have you been natural?
BH: My last relaxer was in November of 2010; I big chopped in April of 2011. So, just shy of 4 years.
HC: How would you describe your hair texture?
BH: Rebellious. I’m not super deep into hair typing, but if I had to classify it, I’d say somewhere between 4A and 4B.
HC: What is your favorite or most convenient hairstyle?
BH: Yarn braids! They don’t take me very long to install and are low maintenance.
HC: Name some of your staple products. Shampoo, conditioner (deep), leave-in, etc…
BH: I’m a fan of the entire Shea Moisture line, but for the most part I use either an ACV mixture or black soap to shampoo and whatever conditioner I have at the time (right now, it’s Queen Helene Cholesterol). I’m still on the hunt for my Holy Grail leave-in conditioner, but for the moment I’ve been using Dr. Miracle’s. My favorite moisturizer is the whipped shea butter from thenaturalmeonline.com. Shea Moisture and The Natural Me are both black-owned as well, so that’s definitely an added incentive to support.
HC: What is a wash day like for you?
BH: LONG. I usually start by dividing my hair into four sections and finger detangling before getting into the shower. Then I wash and condition in sections and apply my deep conditioner and depending on how I feel that day, let it sit anywhere from 20 minutes to overnight. Then I rinse, add my leave-in, moisturizer and oil of choice as a sealant and prep for my next style.
HC: What are some of the most common problems you face when styling your hair? How do you combat these issues?
BH: I hate detangling. HATE. I will avoid doing my hair for a week to put it off. I invested in a Denman brush (Goody’s makes an affordable dupe) and it revolutionized my hair game; cut my detangling time in half. I also get tons of single strand knots, which drive me insane. Keeping my hair stretched (braid outs, twist outs or protective styling) helps with that.
HC: What are two dos and don’ts when it comes to your hair?
DO: MOISTURIZE. Natural hair is naturally dry because the oil our scalps produce doesn’t make it all the way down the hair shaft. It can be tedious to manually apply water and oils and products to keep your hair in tip-top shape, but when you get lazy, it shows.
DO: Experiment. At the end of the day, hair grows back and weaves/wigs exist. Try something funky while you’re still young enough to pull it off.
DON’T: Comb/attempt to style dry hair. Just… save yourself the stress and the headache and invest in a spray bottle.
DON’T: Bantu knots. (Or, if your family is from the Caribbean like mine, chiney bumps.) They never work on my hair. I’ve tried. They look great on other people, but they’ve always been a “no” for me.
HC: Is there anything you want to try on your hair that is out of your comfort zone?
BH: At this point, I’ve tried most things. I think I want to play around with color next. I hear blondes have more fun…
HC: How does your hair make you feel?
BH: Like Beyoncé.
HC: Any words of advice to ladies with the same hair type as you?
BH: Like my grandma always says, “Your hair is your crown and glory.” Don’t waste time searching for something to give you the “perfect curl pattern.” Drink lots of water, eat your veggies, massage coconut oil into your scalp and allow your hair to flourish.