Au Natural ~ Tolu

So I think I have a thing for TWA's (Teeny weeny afro's) because here is another gal who I think looks striking with her natural tresses. I bumped in to Tolu this weekend at an event party rocking her new do. And to be honest I didn't even recognize her. I was coming down the stairs, and I spotted her walking towards me. My brain started thinking a million different things "Cooool! A natural! She's so pretty! Man this girl looks so good with that do! Toya stop it, you're staring. Hey wait... it's Tolu!"

I just had to share her and her hair with you guys. So here a little Q & A 

Q: Tell us your hair story; what led to your BC (Big chop)

A: Around April of 2010 I was accepted to the study abroad program in France. On top of everything else that I had to put together for my year away, I was stressed about what I would do to my hair. Since my French was not on par with fluent, I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to find  a hair dresser I liked, or that I wouldn’t be able to explain what kind of style I wanted (who knows how to say “chemical relaxer” or “texturizer” in French anyways?). So as I sat in the chair at Freshair Boutique – my go to salon in Peg Nasty – I looked at Praise, my stylist, and said – cut it off. It was as simple, or rather, as mindless as that.

Q: When was your last relaxer?

A: Before I had decided to cut my hair I had not relaxed it in over a year. So about 4 years now. Although, when I first cut it in 2011, I did texturize it. Does that count?

Q: What’s the best thing about being natural?

A: It’s very much like braids – you wake up and go. I think it also looks super chic under a hat.

Q: How did the people around you respond to your new do?

A: Well like any good Nigerian mother, my mom looked me in the eye and exclaimed, “Oh my God…(dramatic pause, face aghast)…I am not pinching anything” referencing how she will never braid my hair again haha. Other than that, everyone loved it. I got a lot of, “it suits you” and, “you’ve grown into yourself”. I was surprised because history has taught me to hate my hair and that everyone else hates it, but that simply is not true. Sure there was the odd time I knew people were negatively judging, but overall, I think that a lot of Black women admire the daring to go natural and a lot of women in general admire a woman who has the courage to go short.

Q: What would you say to someone who’s thinking about going natural?

A: Do what makes you feel good. Going natural and short worked for me because I was tired of the 8 hour braiding sessions and the scalp burning relaxers. Since I have gone natural, my hair is stronger, and softer than it has ever been. Not to mention that it flat irons better than it did before. Go natural if you want to try something new and if you don’t like it, there is always a box of Dark & Lovely waiting at your local Walmart!

Lol! Thanks so much Tolu! Stay tuned for more interviews with natural ladies!