"I got more negative comments when my locs were short" - Meet Chioma

in Europe

 For this week's interview, I bring you Vanessa (I call her Chioma), an old friend of mine from my university days, although she attended a different school. Vanessa has traveled to many countries and even lived in a few. She recently married her husband last year and I was surprised to see photos of her with locs on her wedding day, although she wore loc extensions. Any Nigerian who follows Nigerian weddings closely would tell you that the most frequently worn bridal hairstyle is a weave. You seldomly see cornrows or single braids, let alone a woman's natural hair. And so I applaud Chioma for being part of a group of trail blazers who are redefining what bridal beauty really is.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself 

I was born in Nigeria, but I currently live in Florida where I work as a Tax Process Specialist at PWC. I love sports (Football/soccer and Tennis) and I love to travel and read.

Her traditional wedding, 2013

How long have you been natural/loc'ed and why did you make this decision?
 I have been natural for 4 years now and loc'ed for 2.4

Did you transition or big chopped?  

Big Chopped

Do you maintain your locs by yourself or you go to a salon?

I go to a salon

What is wash day like for you? What is your daily/weekly/monthly hair routine?

I am actually very bad at washing my hair and this is something I need to work on. I only really wash it when I go to the salon and when I started my locs it was every 2 weeks but now its once a month.
I deep condition it every now and then.

What would you say about the Loc/loose natural hair community in your city? 

Well in terms of what I see on a day to day basis, I would say there is a big natural hair community here in Florida. At work alone there are quite a number of people with locs or loose natural hair. I like when I see that.

In the beginning 

What are some of the remarks and/or compliments that you’ve received about your hair?

Hmm ... I've gotten both good and bad comments about my hair. Some people love it and some other people don't. I've heard "Oh you'd look so much better with long hair that isn't loc'd and is smooth"  and other variation of such comment. I got more of the bad comments when I first started the locs because my hair was shorter then. 

How did your husband, friends and family react to your decision to wear locs on your wedding day?
My husband loves my hair, he always wants to touch it and he defends me whenever someone says a negative comment about or about natural hair in general. My mother didn't like my hair at first, she thought it looked "ugly" lol, but she has come around and likes it now, she even gives me styling tips. My brothers love it, but I get mixed reactions from friends, though I wouldn't say any one of them hates it, it's just that they think its not my best look.

Chioma wore extensions to extend the length of her locs on her wedding day

How would you describe your attitude towards your hair after you went completely natural? Would you say you love it more or you feel indifferent?
Well I have different spouts of chopping my hair/going natural so it wasn't a new feeling. I like that my hair is short and free of chemicals/weaves, I like that I can showcase what my real hair looks like and it can be seen as beautiful.

Afro Puff

Many women are afraid to wear their natural hair out because they feel it won’t suit them or it’s too much work or for some other reasons. What advice would you give such ladies?

As per my comment above, natural hair can be very beautiful and versatile in terms of the ways you can style it. I agree that natural hair can be time consuming, and this is one of the reasons why I loc'd my hair, as I find locs to be easier to maintain than loose hair.
But to be honest if you had a weave/relax your hair you also have to maintain it in order to keep the hair looking healthy. I know there are lots of YouTube videos out there with so much information and it can be daunting, but the key is to find out what works for your hair because everybody's hair is different. If you are not the kind of person that wakes up every morning to style their hair before work/school, then you'll need to find a simpler regimen which doesn't require daily maintenance, especially in the morning.  For example, when I go out, I try to do something stylish and if I really want to go all out, I go see my hairdresser. So I guess in a nutshell, you shouldn't be deterred because how you wear your hair is up to you. 

on the dance floor

What advice would you give to women who are thinking of loc'ing their hair?

I love my Locs. I would say go for it. I know it can seem sort of scary because it's somewhat permanent, due to the fact that you'll loose hair when you decide you don't want it anymore, but its also a versatile hairstyle. You can braid your hair and even wear a weave and do other protective hairstyles, should you choose to change things up a little bit. So you don't have to worry about being stuck with one look, which I feel is what people think about locs.

coloured locs

Have a similar story to share? send me a message via the contact form on the left.