Home Featured The Journey Is Never Smooth But Oh So Worth It!

The Journey Is Never Smooth But Oh So Worth It!

by Evenes Ruth Mafupa

 Natural Sisters met up with this beautiful lady with gorgeous hair and as you know, not all hair is the same but hearing/reading other people’s experiences may help you along your journey, so I decided to drop her a few lines she could answer to and let us in on her journey. Please read on and enjoy, comment and show love!

Please tells us a line or two about yourself.

My name is Fatsani Banda. I am 23 years old and have just recently completed my Master of Commerce in Development Theory and Policy. I stay in the east of Johannesburg, Kempton Park.

How long have you been natural and what triggered the decision to grow natural hair?

I have been natural for a little over three years and I went natural after seeing a YouTuber one day before I went to class one morning, her YouTube name is “DPrincess28” and she just had this swagger, this independence about how to do her hair and take care of it and I wanted to have some of that. The freedom to enjoy my hair. I had quite long relaxed hair but it used to break A LOT so thank goodness for YouTube because I finally found an alternative to taking care of my hair

Describe your hair

I raised my eyebrows when I saw this. Lol. It’s sometimes curly, sometimes coily, and sometimes kinky. I don’t really know how long it is, I don’t necessarily do length checks. I just make sure its not breaking because that was the reason I went natural in the first place.

What is your secret for such healthy hair? What do you do? Take us through your weekly regimen please!

No secrets here! I’m a SEVERE frugal minimalist, which means I like to spend the least amount of time doing my hair and the least amount of money. Because my hair is longer I do not wash my hair weekly. I could wash my hair every 3-4 weeks depending on the style. My regimen is very basic, what I try do is get a moisture/ protein balance for my hair. On wash day I do a light protein and hot oil treatment and baggy it for 2 hours. Then I co- wash my hair in sections with Tresemme Naturals Moisturising Conditioner and very warm water because I have low porosity hair, and lastly spritz my freshly washed hair with a grapeseed oil water mix to close my cuticles. Lastly I set my hair for the week in a style (for now its been two strand twists) with products I mix up in the Kitchen.

Tell us what you like most about natural hair.

I like its versatility. That you can go from a long-haired look to a short-haired look in a matter of hours. I like that it is unique that literally no two heads are the same and it stands out in a crowd! I feel like my hair is easy to manage, I‘ve just gotten to that stage where it is just part of my routine. Like washing the dishes.

Any challenges in maintaining natural hair? Let us in on them.

Finding products must be one of the most challenging thing I believe. We don’t always want to have to mix our products by ourselves. Also there are little to no natural hair salons or specialists so it’s very much a DIY job. With my own hair the only challenge I have is the amount of time it takes to do my hair. It can take me a whole day to set my hair for a week or 3 weeks so I do not enjoy that part of it at all.

What is your fluorite hair style and why?

Buns, buns and more buns! When my hair was short I couldn’t wait for it to get long enough so I could do buns. I prefer having my hair away from my face and I prefer simple styles over elaborate styles that require more finger work, although once in a while I do get creative.

Fatsani

Fatsani

 

FB1fb4fb12fb13Does your profession have compatibility issues with your hairstyles?

Not at all. I’m an economic researcher so it’s not a corporate setting. As long as you do the work you can look and dress however you want.

What is the strangest thing ever said to you about your hair?

Well my mum asked me recently when I did box twists whether I have extensions in my hair. Weird, I haven’t put extensions in my hair the whole year, tisk. Well since my relaxed hair day’s people used to say I have Indian hair all the time even though I’m very much black.

What are your “must have products”?

Warm water so the geyser HAS to be working lol. Seriously. Also any light protein and moisturising conditioner as well as Grape seed oil.

What do you think about the perception that black girls can’t grow their long unless it’s in dread locks and what can be done to change this perception

I think that reasoning is based on the misconception that natural African hair is not manageable. When hair is taken care of it grows healthy and long in spite of your race. Also, there are very few role models to demonstrate good hair habits within black communities so it is very difficult to uproot this perception. Knowledge on natural hair care has only recently been infiltrated to middle class women who have access to the internet so there is still in general an overall belief that locs are the only way to wear long African hair.

What do you think about applying relaxers to little girls’ hair, even from pre-school going age?

That decision is always up to the mother of the child. I don’t think you should tell a woman how to take care of her offspring. But she must make an informed decision that does not harm the future health and growth of her daughter and that’s where I think there is possibility to be helpful.

Can anyone wear their hair natural or it’s a reserve for just a few?

If God made it that way then why fight it. We are exposed to too much media imagery of what the standard of beauty is and how to conform to it. You are your very own standard of beauty. Often those statements are said because there is a “feeling” that one has to have certain features to enhance your beauty. Light skin, long straight hair, skinny but has curves. You are enough and you are complete.

Tips for natural newbies 

Tips for Natural Newbies: Mahoganycurls (a gorgeous Youtuber) said it best “Enjoy what you have now while looking forward to what might happen later”. Too often we want long hair now and don’t enjoy the beginning stages of your natural hair journey. Don’t consume yourself with other people’s hair that you forget or become frustrated with your own hair. Keep it simple. Too many steps in your regimen can make you look like you doing a science experiment on your hair. Lastly be encouraged by the networks and support groups online. The journey is never smooth but oh so worth it.

Where else can we find you online? 

You can email me if you want any hair care tips and tricks. I’m not really big on maintaining social networks. fatsanib@gmail.com

Any other comments

Hair is neither good nor bad. It is one of many biological processes that happen throughout you body that you love and nourish and maintain. Don’t let it define your social hierarchy or who you are. You are worthy and beautiful because you are.

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4 comments

Bongiwe 23 July 2013 - 14:06

beautiful hair!!

Ruth Mafupa 24 July 2013 - 05:08

you can say that again. she has gorgeous hair!

Sharifa Keita 6 July 2015 - 16:47

Gorgeous head of hair….

Ruth Mafupa 11 July 2015 - 11:48

Indeed hey!

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