OhMyAfro: Center Stage - Alice from Aliceinnappyland!

Hey Ohmyafro readers! Today we have the lovely Alice taking center stage for us today. Check out the vivacious and traveling beauty!


1.) Welcome to Ohmyafro! Let’s start with your name, and tell us a little about where your from/where we can hear more about you.

Hello! My name is Alice and you can find me at Alice in Nappyland, on twitter and on tumblr. I'm a student about to get a BA in a joint computer science and studio art program. I'm a bit of a nomad so I don't really claim a single location "home."

2.) How long have you been natural?

I have been natural for three years! I big chopped in 2008 after transitioning for three months, I couldn't handle the different textures which cut my transitioning period down dramatically. 

Her Big Chop!

3.) What is your regimen like, including products, styles, etc? How do you maintain your hair?

It's pretty set, that's one of the joys of being natural for such a long time! In winter, I usually wash my hair in 4 sections once every two weeks with shampoo and condition with Aussie Moist. I then follow up with a deep treatment (either moisturizing using Shea Moisture's Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Hair Masque or, on days I'm in need of some serious TLC a mix of the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment, Aubrey Organics' GPB Glycogen Protein Balancing Conditioner, castor oil and coconut oil). I then flat twist, braid or twist using Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Cream, Unrefined Shea Butter and IC Fantasia's clear gel. I'll keep the flat twists/braids/twists in for 3-14 days (depending on my schedule) and wear an out style until my hair get too frizzy or dirty. In summer, I tend to co-wash once a week with Aussie Moist to beat the heat, and shampoo once every other week using whatever I have on me before I twist/braid or flat twist using the method above. 

4.) What’s the worst experience you’ve had with your hair?

The first time I dyed my hair pink, I bleached my hair myself and I burnt part of my hairline off! Needless to say, I went to a professional for all future bleachings after that.   

5.) What’s the best thing about having naturally curly hair/an afro?

The versatility! One week it's straight. One week it's curly. One week it's long. One week it's short. I feel like I have infinite styling options, which is great for someone like me who gets bored with a single look quickly!

Beautiful Twist-out

6.) What advice would you give to your fellow naturals out there?

Don't be afraid to experiment. Try new styles, shake up your routine and take risks once in a while, that's part of enjoying how versatile your hair is and you might discover something unexpected that works miracles. One of the major traps that new naturals (and even veterans!) fall into is being obsessed with long hair which is sad because all the little milestones can become less meaningful. Now that I have "long" hair, I really miss having a bob length twist out and even my TWA and I don't think I enjoyed either stage in my journey because I was so focused on length. 

7.) Congrats! You're now an Ohmyafro Diva! Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you so much for having me!

Alice in NappyLand!

Share your thoughts, and check out her blogs/twitter! What'd you think of our Ohmyafro Diva?