Kemi Lewis, owner and Head Stylist at KL’s Natural Beauty Bar loves everything about natural hair. She loves the fact that more ladies are embracing and wearing their natural hair with confidence. Because she desires to see many women excel in natural hair, she trains stylists and salons in natural hair practices using Design Essentials products. In this interview, Kemi revealed why she’s preaching the natural hair gospel.
Excerpts:
What’s the latest trend in natural hair?
Many years ago, wearing natural hair was perceived to be not cool. And the options for styling and maintenance were quite limited; but now, there are many tried and tested methods for maintaining, styling and wearing natural hair with confidence.
Many women are deciding to return to their natural hair, forgo the relaxers and any other type of chemical in order to flaunt their own natural tresses. Lately, there is less scorn and more acceptances for wearing your hair in its natural state.
New trends in the natural hair industry include bold colours, tapered cuts, a variety of curly styles which can be achieved by either twisting, or using perm rods and straws to set the hair and create bouncy curls. Flat twist outs and funky up do’s is done entirely with one’s natural hair or with the help of natural looking extensions for added volume.
What are some of the challenges your clients face while transitioning to natural hair?
The main challenge faced is trying to manage to different types of textures after a while during the transitioning process. The hair starts to tangle more, shed more and even break off too. Another challenge is styling. What styles will they wear that will blend both textures in while still giving them a look suitable for everyday.
What are some of the do’s and don’ts of maintaining natural hair?
Do’s
Moisturize your hair as often as possible with a water- based moisturizer. Natural hair tends to be dry and moisturizing it, gives it the needed moisture preventing breakage and enabling you to retain length.
Deep condition your hair often. Deep conditioners enable moisture and beneficial ingredients to penetrate deep down into the hair shaft, reinforcing, strengthening and improving elasticity.
Wear a satin bonnet/scarf to bed to prevent hair from drying out. If you are one whose scarf or bonnet is always on the floor when you wake up, then get a satin pillowcase. Cotton tends to suck moisture of the hair and rubbing your unprotected hair all over a cotton pillowcase every night will add to the dryness and subsequently, breakage of your hair.
Don’ts
Don’t compare your hair to that of your friend, sister or the model on the magazine cover. Everyone’s hair is different with different textures, growth rates, density and volume. Love, accept and work with your own hair
Don’t over manipulate your hair – constantly combing, twirling, running your fingers through and pulling at your strands will cause breakage.
Don’t jump on every bandwagon. You run the risk of having a mini supermarket in your bedroom, if you decide to buy every product that is being touted as the next big thing.
Don’t comb your hair when it’s dry. It should always be saturated with conditioner before you comb or detangle your hair. Your natural hair should be combed from the tip to the roots and not the roots to the tip.
How should a woman with coarse hair maintain her natural hair without pain?
If you have particularly coarse hair, ensure that you work in sections when handling your hair. Never attempt to comb it all at once and always comb gently from the tips to the roots.
Find a good conditioner that will detangle your hair and enable the combing process. You may add a bit of olive oil, coconut oil or shea butter to the conditioner for added emollient benefits. You have to continually moisturize your hair to prevent it from drying out.
Why did you set up your natural hair salon?
I set up the salon because when I had returned to my natural hair, there weren’t many salons that knew how to handle natural hair in terms of combing, maintenance and styling.
I have always loved to style hair and had also developed an interest in caring for natural hair in the year prior, so it was sort of a natural progression for me to open up the salon.
What keeps you going?
My passion for educating women on healthy hair practices has created wonderful teaching opportunities for me through different avenues and that keeps me going.
I love everything about natural hair and I’m so happy that more ladies are embracing and wearing their natural hair with confidence. My desire is to impact a generation of women to learn to care for their hair so they pass on that knowledge to their own children.
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