3
Madame Pepper, 22, from London,UK
Give me one word to describe your hair?
Unique
What fav hairstyle do you wear the most?
Pin up do.
How does wearing natural hair make you feel?
Free
What 3 products can you not live without?
Water, olive oil and glycerin.
As a natural sister, have you always been natural and why?
I relaxed my hair twice between the ages of 11 and 12. I begged my mum to let me do it all through childhood but she didn't give in till her sister came to visit from the U.S. Virgin Islands and told her that all the girls in the States were doing it. But my Mum would not let me redo my re-growth on a regular basis - although she had chemicals in her own hair she did not agree with my auntie relaxing my hair. So, I always had loads of re-growth and my hair pretty much looked natural. I gave up the creamy crack quite willingly just because it became really pointless with all the new growth and a lot of it fell out.
I started twisting my hair when I was about 12 or 13 years old and did not chop off the relaxer. My hair was a decent length for doing lots of styles but never felt completely healthy so I decided to do a big chop to get my afro shaped and finally trim off my chemically altered ends aged 20 in March 2008. My first proper cut was lovely it was done by a Cameroonian Barber in Kentish Town, London who took his time and got the shape perfectly round. My ends felt so healthy. However, I made a mistake by going to a different barber in July 2008, who I didn't know, for my second cut and I got messed up by their inexperience, ignorance, and impatience with shaping afros (I say their because 2 barbers cut my hair in that sitting and neither one knew what they were doing).
Now, I'm completely in love with my head of completely natural new growth and I've decided to never let anything harsh touch my hair and skin again. I figure that the only way to insure that, is to make my own skin and hair products. I have learnt a lot from the internet so I decided to put everything I'd found together on this network on Ning (naturallykinky.ning.com) the numbers are growing and we are very much open to handy tips for hair, beauty and general wellbeing as well as pictures, videos and stories about personal journeys so please add.
I see that you’re a musician, why did you decide to become a singer?
I decided to study History in University but quit after one year and realised that I wanted to do music full time. I’ve been writing since I was 14. I’ve been singing in choirs since I was 10 and performing as an individual since I was 17.
What is your music style and what do you mainly sing about?
Soul, sometimes looped or backed by guitar or a full band. I mainly sing about love, unrequited love and perverts in clubs.
How did you get into the music industry and was it difficult? Was there any support?
I just took myself out to open mics and started learning to play the guitar so that I could back myself from the age of 16. Now I get asked to perform at nights and I’ve found support amongst a collective of DJs, musicians and singers called the Spredluv Collective.
As a performer, is there pressure to stay natural?
I guess there can be a pressure to stand out with your music, your personality and your appearance because you are trying to be noticed. I do feel that my natural look helps me to stand out just because it helps me to create a unique look for myself which I don’t believe I could have created back when my hair was relaxed.
Do you have any advice or tips for people transitioning or natural?
Water will help to make everything easier. Try to soften the water before using it with a water filter and mix it with some glycerine in a spritz bottle and dampen the hair before styling.
Any last words regarding your hair?
I remember after having a lot of my hair chopped off I felt like there was not much progress especially at the back, which I thought had stopped growing. But I found that tracking my hair’s progress in pictures really helped and also giving my hair a bit of a rest by keeping it in twists and keeping it wrapped in a satin scarf when I didn’t need my hair out, also helped.
Posted by Epifany in
Beauty of the Month
- 06 June 2009
9:46 AM
Madame Pepper, 22, from London,UKGive me one word to describe your hair?
Unique
What fav hairstyle do you wear the most?
Pin up do.
How does wearing natural hair make you feel?
Free
What 3 products can you not live without?
Water, olive oil and glycerin.
As a natural sister, have you always been natural and why?
I relaxed my hair twice between the ages of 11 and 12. I begged my mum to let me do it all through childhood but she didn't give in till her sister came to visit from the U.S. Virgin Islands and told her that all the girls in the States were doing it. But my Mum would not let me redo my re-growth on a regular basis - although she had chemicals in her own hair she did not agree with my auntie relaxing my hair. So, I always had loads of re-growth and my hair pretty much looked natural. I gave up the creamy crack quite willingly just because it became really pointless with all the new growth and a lot of it fell out.
I started twisting my hair when I was about 12 or 13 years old and did not chop off the relaxer. My hair was a decent length for doing lots of styles but never felt completely healthy so I decided to do a big chop to get my afro shaped and finally trim off my chemically altered ends aged 20 in March 2008. My first proper cut was lovely it was done by a Cameroonian Barber in Kentish Town, London who took his time and got the shape perfectly round. My ends felt so healthy. However, I made a mistake by going to a different barber in July 2008, who I didn't know, for my second cut and I got messed up by their inexperience, ignorance, and impatience with shaping afros (I say their because 2 barbers cut my hair in that sitting and neither one knew what they were doing).
Now, I'm completely in love with my head of completely natural new growth and I've decided to never let anything harsh touch my hair and skin again. I figure that the only way to insure that, is to make my own skin and hair products. I have learnt a lot from the internet so I decided to put everything I'd found together on this network on Ning (naturallykinky.ning.com) the numbers are growing and we are very much open to handy tips for hair, beauty and general wellbeing as well as pictures, videos and stories about personal journeys so please add.
I see that you’re a musician, why did you decide to become a singer?
I decided to study History in University but quit after one year and realised that I wanted to do music full time. I’ve been writing since I was 14. I’ve been singing in choirs since I was 10 and performing as an individual since I was 17.
What is your music style and what do you mainly sing about?
Soul, sometimes looped or backed by guitar or a full band. I mainly sing about love, unrequited love and perverts in clubs.
How did you get into the music industry and was it difficult? Was there any support?
I just took myself out to open mics and started learning to play the guitar so that I could back myself from the age of 16. Now I get asked to perform at nights and I’ve found support amongst a collective of DJs, musicians and singers called the Spredluv Collective.
As a performer, is there pressure to stay natural?
I guess there can be a pressure to stand out with your music, your personality and your appearance because you are trying to be noticed. I do feel that my natural look helps me to stand out just because it helps me to create a unique look for myself which I don’t believe I could have created back when my hair was relaxed.
Do you have any advice or tips for people transitioning or natural?
Water will help to make everything easier. Try to soften the water before using it with a water filter and mix it with some glycerine in a spritz bottle and dampen the hair before styling.
Any last words regarding your hair?
I remember after having a lot of my hair chopped off I felt like there was not much progress especially at the back, which I thought had stopped growing. But I found that tracking my hair’s progress in pictures really helped and also giving my hair a bit of a rest by keeping it in twists and keeping it wrapped in a satin scarf when I didn’t need my hair out, also helped.
This post has 3 comments
Posts
June 6, 2009 at 10:23 AM
I LOVE her hair in the first picture!
June 9, 2009 at 6:21 AM
I love it also! I'm going to try it on my own hair
June 9, 2009 at 6:22 AM
Shes cute :c)
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