Neecie and Elle are the naturalistas behind Natural Hair Daily; the rapidly growing inspirational platform showcasing curly, kinky and coily hairstyles. Residing from London England, the ladies are on a mission to educate women and men worldwide about natural hair care and encourage them to feel confident whilst embracing their natural tresses.
How long have you been natural?
Elle: I’ve been rocking my natural tresses since June 2008. Prior to that I transitioned for 18 months, I wasn’t 100% ready to wear my hair in a shorter style. When I finally decided to chop off the relaxed ends it was such a liberating experience!
Neecie: My last relaxer was in February 2012 and I transitioned for 10 months. In December 2012 I decided to cut off my relaxed ends and this is when I discovered my true natural hair texture. It was the best decision I made and I’m in love with my hair and feeling confident rocking it!
What’s your daily hair routine?
Elle: During the week my hair is either in a bun, puff, twist out or I just wash n’ go. I moisturise daily with water, conditioner and a heavier creamy product. On the weekend I wash, deep condition, style using the LOC method and that’s when I love to get creative with my hair and try out new styles.
Neecie: I have to prep my hair in order to achieve the styles I like to experiment with. So a typical routine would involve unravelling my twist outs / bantu knots in the morning and using a little bit of oil on my finger tips to separate. I avoid using combs and I prefer to use my hands to fluff out my fro. My quick go to styles is a high puff or tapered do. Those styles are easy to work with and can see me through a couple of days when my schedule is hectic.
What are your favorite products?
Elle: I’m a self-confessed product junkie, however I can justify this! My hair prefers different products depending on what time of year it is. At the moment, I love good old water, Cantu Shea Butter leave in conditioner and the curling cream along with my own whipped shea butter mix that I use all over.
Neecie: I’m open to try new products because it’s exciting to see what each product can do for your tresses whether you’re styling wet or dry hair. My staple products are Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie, Cantu Shea Butter leave in conditioner, Vatika black seed oil and Eco styler argan oil gel.
What’s your nighttime routine?
Elle: It’s pretty simple – I either use a satin scarf to secure my hair in a pineapple or tuck my satin scarf around my pillow and use a hair band to pineapple my curls.
Neecie: Sometimes I will just tie my head with a scarf. When I want to have more freedom I tie my pillow case with a silk headscarf and just sleep with my fro wild! If I want my hair to turn out dope then I will retwist my hair overnight so the outcome is more defined.
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How did you get your hair color (if applicable”>, and how do you maintain it?
Elle: In February 2013 I took the plunge, chopped off about 12 inches of my hair and got blonde highlights put in by a stylist. It took a while to get used to but I love it! As colour can be quite drying, I make sure I deep condition my hair weekly and moisturise daily.
Neecie: I used a hair colour in ultra violet and for the first couple of months the colour was a deep tone of purple. However it’s now light brown–which I like. I maintain by deep conditioning it or steaming my hair to prevent any breakage.
Do you ever get tired of curly/kinky hair?
Elle: I love my curls and coils but sometimes they refuse to cooperate with me, which can be frustrating. I’m sure you can all relate! However, I never get tired of my hair because it is so versatile and the styling possibilities are endless. If I’m frustrated with my hair I just fall back on one of the styles I’ve done numerous times that I’m confident will turn out ok.
Neecie: Since going natural I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. I love how thick and versatile my hair is so I can’t say I’m tired of it. I know every naturalista has a different hair experience but I’m embracing my tresses and all of the challenges that come to light.
On your IG and YouTube channel you inspire women and teach them how to style their hair. What are some of your most cherished lessons learned on your hair journeys so far?
Documenting your journey is key, whether it’s taking photos of your hair to writing down what products you used to achieve a great style. It really helps especially if you’re on a mission to find the styles and products that work well for your tresses.
Experiment and have patience. Sometimes the best hairstyles are achieved when you step out your comfort zone and explore different techniques.
Any upcoming projects/events you’d like to tell us about?
We’re excited to announce that we are hosting Natural Hair Week UK 2014 (www.naturalhairweek.com“> in all six cities! The first event will take place in Leeds on 28th June and the last event will be in our hometown London on 2nd August. To say we’re excited is an understatement! We can’t wait to meet as many naturalistas as possible across the UK.
We have more exciting stuff coming up but we’re keeping it on the hush for now. Stay connected with us to find out what we have in store! Instagram: NaturalHairDaily | YouTube: NaturalHairDaily
