My hair says I am fun, bold, and unafraid. I love who I am. I am confident. I have generations of strong, beautiful, fearless women in me. I don’t care what you think.

I went natural in 2008. I had taken out a weave and when I washed my hair it knotted up. So much so, I had to get it cut into a bob. There was no saving it. Instead of relaxing it again, I thought I’d just see what it was like to wear it curly. I still straightened it pretty often, but never relaxed after that.

How has your family, friends, and co-workers reacted? What was your response to them?

They didn’t really care. It was nice to know that. That I didn’t cause them some mental harm with my appearance. It wasn’t dis-arming. I come from a family that believed in the “good hair” doctrine, so they mostly thought I was just cute since my hair fell into that category. Clearly, I fight against this ideology. All hair is good hair to me.

What has been the most memorable moment of your hair journey?

When a lot more women started to go natural. At first it was lonely. Now, there is a whole crew of us. We are out here. We are everywhere. We are embolden. We are not afraid. Seeing that and being a part of this community is the most memorable part of my journey.

What was your transitioning hair regimen?

I did not have one really. I used the same products because I didn’t have resources or information. So, I used gels. It was mess. Let’s not talk about my transition. Let’s just agree that I got here and the road here was a mess.

What is your current hair regimen?

I wash and condition with Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo and Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. The I deep condition with Ouidad Curl Immersion Triple Treat. Once that’s done, I use the Brown Butter Beauty Leave-In, then seal with Darshana oil. I have too many favorites to count.

Any advice you’d like to give other women who may be in the transition phase and need some encouragement?

Get some information and some curly friends. Find your favorite hairstyles that you can easily do for busy days. Try not to tie up all your confidence in your looks. Not every day will be a good hair day. Stick with it. Don’t be in a rush to grow your hair out. Once, it’s longer you most likely won’t know what to do with it. Trust me. Everyone thinks once they get long hair life will be a breeze. Then you realize you have to detangle it. Just saying.

What inspired you to go natural? We’d love to hear from you, comment below!

Want more from Nikki? Follow her on Instagram @nchanel