 Roshini: | Hi Renai |
|
| Renai: | Hi Roshini |
| Roshini: | Thank you for doing this! You know I've been stalking your hair |
| Renai: | LOL |
| Roshini: | You think I'm kidding |
| Renai: | When I get an album or a website up that's really gonna be bad isn't it? There's gonna be like a 1000 hits |
| ini: |
People are gonna be like
'WHAT IS THAT?!!!'  |
| nai: | LOL |
|
| ini: | Anyway, o.k. so first question: how long have you worn your hair natural? |
| nai: |
Probably a total of about, I would say, 3 years…going on 4
years because back in late 2000 I decided to go natural and
then I wore it like that until the end of 2001. Then my husband,
bless his heart, kinda hurt my feelings. He caught me at a weak
moment and my hair was like this in a puff… it was a little
bit shorter than this. I didn't have this much puff… and he
looked at me and said 'Babe, where we going with this?' ( ).
I was like 'Forget it', so I called my hair dresser up, gimme
a perm, next day, but I said cut it all off. |
| ini: |
I feel like crying listening
to this  |
| nai: | I know! |
| ini: | OMG imagine what it would've looked like  |
| nai: |
I know, I know. So she did it, I had a cute little pixie cut.
Lasted all of two months and I said 'I can't deal with this…this
isn't me…I've come to far to just give up and go back to a relaxer'.
So I let the perm grow out, which wasn't a big deal because
my hair was short in the first place. So then I wore a TWA and
it's really been like that ever since. |
| ini: | Did you do that the first time too? Cut it all off? |
| nai: |
Yeah because I had a short hairdo anyway. I had the little
pixie cut…the little Halle Berry whatever |
| ini: | Oh so when you cut it you went right back to the style you had |
| nai: |
Uh huh because that was much easier to maintain. Plus the
second time I did that it was kind of a slap to him. I said
'O.k. you want my hair permed? It ain't gonna be permed and
long it's gonna be permed and short'. |
| ini: |  |
| nai: |
So slap to you  . Plus it was just a lot easier for me to take
care of. So I'd say in total about 3 and a half 4 years…with
one hiccup. LOL |
| ini: |
LOL…with one blip LOL
O.k. the second question you've already answered which was 'how
was your hair before you returned to your natural hair?' … and
'why'd you decide to return to your natural hair' … you kinda
got that one too… so I guess I'll move to #4 which is 'What
was the hardest thing to deal with when you first returned to
your natural hair?' |
| nai: | Hmmm (long pause) I really don't think there was anything hard about it |
| ini: |
Both the first and second
times? |
| nai: |
Yeah, I don't think there was anything really difficult about
it. I didn't really go through a transition period because my
hair was always short. I could play it off and go straight to
a TWA. Then when it got to a certain length I did 2 strand twist
extensions or I did…like uh…  o.k.
I'm ashamed to admit this but a natural weave .
|
| ini: | LOL you should see yourself about now…eyes darting back an forth…LOL |
| nai: |
LOL, yeah a ... 'natural weave'  |
| ini: | Looking like the soul patrol is gonna come out and hit you over your head |
| nai: |
'soul patrol?'
... ' We
don't wash our hair with anything but berries and twigs' |
| ini: | Exactly LOL |
| nai: |
Sticks and twigs  |
| ini: |
 ... *whew* |
| nai: | But really honestly I find it more difficult now that my hair is longer. I have more difficulty in taking care of it now. |
| ini: |
So what makes it difficult?
Is it difficult because it's hard to manage or is it difficult
because you told me that you're kinda … Uh... I don't want to
say 'lazy'? |
| nai: |
No no lazy's fine. That's why the puff is my signature hairstyle.
It's very very low maintenance, because my hair is so thick.
When it was shorter I could do the shower thing, rinse it, add
a product and go. And I guess I could do that now with this
but sometime I feel like (pause) 'Is it too big?' |
| ini: | It can never be too big  |
| nai: | (chuckle)  |
| ini: |
Gurl if I saw you in Wal*Mart
I'd…I'd…I'd buy your groceries  |
| nai: |
…you
know…  'IS it too much?' |
| ini: | OMG, I really would. I'd probably walk up to you and … I wouldn't even know what to do…you'd think something was wrong with me. |
| nai: |
And I have major shrinkage though…I just have major shrinkage.
Right now I have that QP Elasta Feels Like Silk. I put that
on Saturday, finger combed it over the sink and while it was
literally dripping wet I just put the elastic on and pulled
it up. And then when it dries its cool…and I've been wearing
this all week. |
|
| ini: | So what you got holding that sucka back? What you got in there? |
| nai: |
(reaches to show me the engineering beneath the puff) Um,
a scrunchie like hair thing. |
| ini: | Oh o.k. I know what you're talking about. |
| nai: | An elastic band |
| ini: | The big ones? |
| nai: | The big ones. |
| ini: | How do you get that one? |
| nai: |
Well, I wrap it twice … I put it on single then I twist it
and put it over and push up. Then to get it tighter, 'cause
when the bands are older…and usually my hair is wet when I do
it so they have a tendency to stretch out, I can get it to where
I can do it a third time. |
| ini: |
But how do you get it over
ALL THAT puff though? |
| nai: | It stretches |
| ini: |
See I can't do that  |
| nai: | I just take my hair and you know… |
| ini: |
…that would be a straight
catastrophe  |
| nai: | LOL |
| ini: |
Exactly, it would be half
a puff all split in the middle  |
| nai: |
..You'd work with it LOL … All of THAT coming from someone who
claims their lazy |
| ini: |
Right. |
|
| ini: |
O.k. let's see…What's the best part about being natural? |
| nai: | Freedom |
| ini: | Laughing at people with funky hair |
| nai: | Laughing at people with funky hair |
| ini: | That's bad huh? |
| nai: |
You almost feel like…let me put this correctly. You almost
feel like…let me flip the script, let me ask you a question:
You ever feel like you're in this…this… |
| ini: | Matrix?     |
| nai: |
Yeah, the Matrix. Like some sort of Elite Club of Nappies? |
| ini: |
…I don't know if I feel
'elite' but I do feel like I have a lot more knowledge. I have
sympathy for people 'cause I know how blind I was |
| nai: | right |
| ini: | I mean some of the stuff I used to do was just retarded you know. I used to touch my friend's new growth and be like 'Owe, you need a touch-up'…what was that about? |
| nai: |
What WAS that about? 
Even looking at my own hair and the waves with the perm…and
when you see that first wave…that first little wave it's like
'Oh I gotta run, I gotta get me a perm I got to I got to hurry
up 
uh unh' LOL … It's got to be straight from the root to the end.
|
| ini: | Exactly |
| nai: |
So, I think it's the freedom and the empowerment because those
of us who are natural we have taken the extra step. It's like
an extra step of self confidence because it takes a lot to stop
wearing perms. We have been grown and bread to believe that
we don't look like jack unless you have a perm…and we never
question it. My mother took a picture of me before I started
getting perms. My mother blew my hair out …my hair was out…like
this (arms stretched out over head) …and then she pressed it
and it was like  .
Then she was like 'We need to get this child a perm '
and you don't question it. |
| ini: | I thought that perms were like a right of passage. I remember thinking that when I got to a certain age and they considered me to be almost an adult that's when I would get a perm. |
| nai: |
Exactly, "I'm getting a perm now and I don't have to
deal with my kinky hair my nappy hair" |
| ini: |
Exactly and I don't look
like a kid anymore … and now I'm happy looking like a little
kid…two puffs and all just all in the Wal*Mart like 'What?'
So .
Have you ever gotten any positive comments about
your hair? |
| nai: | Yeah I have |
| ini: | Besides from me |
| nai: |  Besides from my stalker? |
| ini: | I'll be outside your window tonight  |
| nai: | LOL |
| ini: |
Your husband'll be like
'Hon, there's some lady peeping in the window with a puff' and
you're like 'Oh, that's just Roshini don't mind her' |
| nai: | … I'll invite you up for dinner |
| ini: |
I'll be out in the bush  …you
know how that goes…with some products |
| nai: | … little trial conditioners |
| ini: | "I have offerings"  *whew*. |
|
| ini: | Anyway, have you ever gotten any positive comments on your hair? |
| nai: |
The administrative assistant in our office. She has beautiful
hair but of course it's permed. She says she only has to perm
it like every 6 months…which makes it like 'You don't need to
get a perm in the first place ' |
| ini: | Exactly |
| nai: |
Yeah, but she's like 'No I need my perm I need my perm.
' Anyway she's like 'I love your hair like that.' 
I work with law makers and I remember one time working on the
floor of the Senate and it was during session and one of the
law makers, this white man, … 'cause it wasn't up this tight,
I had just bought this set of bands and I had a little head
band on and it was just 'WOP' out … had my suit on, you know,
sportin' … and he goes 'Wow, I really like that!' then he came
up and kinda touched it really gently and said 'It's retro'.
I was liking that. But the most recent comment was at FAMU homecoming
and I kinda had the same thing going and …hey, look at that
lady with the natural hair (motions to lady strolling by w/
head wrap) |
| ini: |
Oh, nice…I want a picture…(calling
out to lady) "Excuse me, come here a second." (to
Renai) I have no shame… |
| nai: | No shame…this girl has no shame |
| ini: | I have none… |
|
| [Recorder went off to take
Crystal's picture... Click here to see Crystal
] |
|
| Renai: | o.k. where were we? |
| ini: | We were talking about positive comments and you said the best positive comment was… |
| nai: |
Oh yeah, a friend of the family, he called me over he was
like 'nai nai, I hardly recognized you' … then he was like 'I
was getting ready to HOLLA' |
| ini: | |
| nai: |
Then he looked at my hair he said 'I like that, I like a natural
woman'. I said 'Thank you  '. And that coming from a brother…'cause
usually brothers, again, like straight hair. |
| ini: |
It's mindless, they're
like 'This is what I like' and you think 'Have you ever thought
that you could like something different'. I mean, I used to
think I didn't like cats. Never had a cat…just didn't like um
and now I like them. I can't even believe I like those furry
little monsters!
Have you ever gotten negative comments? I know you said your
husband. |
| nai: | My husband. Um…my mother….not so much in a negative put down way but, you know your mom, she's like … and this is from a woman who's natural |
| ini: | Oh o.k. |
| nai: |
Whose been natural for years and years … she's like (said
in a higher pitch) 'So you ever gonna straighten it agaaaiiiiin?'
|
| ini: | |
| nai: |
'You don't want to straighten it again…I got a box perm in
the back' … but nothing, besides what my husband said, nothing
that would ever really really hurt my feelings. … Wait, let
me take it back... it was an indirect comment but it was said
in my presence because I was the only person with nappy hair
in the room. It was made about Babyface, didn't he have natural
hair… |
| ini: | …I think he had comb coils… |
| nai: |
…something like that. I was in the room with 2 women and one
was in her 50s…not that that has anything to do with it because
there are a lot of middle aged women who have natural hair.
They were talking about Babyface and she was like 'Something
something something that ole nasty nappy hair' and I knew that
she did that for my benefit. I said 'Well I love it'. |
|
| ini: | So what's your maintenance routine? |
| nai: | Not much at all |
| ini: | LOL |
| nai: | I haven't brushed my hair in a good month or two. |
| ini: | Does it ever get tangled? |
| nai: |
It does, it really really does get tangled. But when I do
my hair…well the last time I did my hair I put the conditioner
on, put my head over the sink and run my fingers through it
and that helps little bit…that helps. But for every day…what
you see…when I go home tonight, I leave the band on and I tie
it up. I get up in the morning, I take the scarf of, spritz
it again with my mixture of water, I need to get some more glycerine,
some Hot 6 oil, some leave-in conditioner and some lavender
oil and it kinda 'reactivates' that Feels Like Silk. Then I'll
put some Salon Selectives Molding Foam on the edges, get a scarf
and tie it down, get dressed and do whatever I need to do and
then when I get ready to leave I'll take the scarf off and it's
ready to go. Oh, and I'll shape it. |
| ini: | Do you shampoo every week? |
| nai: | I've shampooed more in the past month or so than I have in a while because I had kept hearing reviews about IC Fantasia gel with these sparklite things |
| ini: | Yeah, I remember you asked us about that |
| nai: | Uh huh, well it's a clear transparent gel and I like it but it would flake so, I mean, all the rinsing and pooing I did it didn't get the flake out. |
| ini: | Yeah, that's how Creamy Set was for me
|
| nai: | Yeah, it was flaking …what's up with that? So I bought some Crème of Nature Shampoo and I think that's a really good shampoo. It leaves your hair real soft. |
| ini: | Yeah, I've been using the castile soap. |
| nai: | Where'd you get that? |
| ini: | At New Leaf [Market Co-op], but you can probably go to any health food store |
| nai: | Like GNC? |
| ini: | Yeah, I think Leslie says she gets her's at GNC |
| nai: | Is it liquid? |
| ini: |
It's liquid. You can buy
a big jug, it looks like a big Clorox bottle, or you can buy
it in bulk. They have a big tub like you're going to a punch
bowl; you put a little bottle full and you're good to go. I
have a bottle like this big and I have half water half soap
in there. I just did that today, I'll wash with that and put
the conditioner in and it's all tingly |
| nai: | It's tingly? |
| ini: | Yeah, I got the peppermint kind. Gurl, I be showering with it  |
| nai: | Really! So does it make your hair feel dry? |
| ini: |
It doesn't make MY hair
feel dry. I've read some people online who say that if you use
it full strength it will dry out your hair but I'm totally happy
with it. |
| nai: | I haven't had any problem with products really drying out my hair. |
|
| ini: | Alright… favorite products? |
| nai: |
Favorite products? One I haven't bought in a while: Paul Mitchell
Foaming Pomade. It has 'cones' in it but I love it. It had mineral
oil in it and a lot of people it irritates them. I love it.
Um, I love the Dark and Lovely Leave-In conditioner…always been
good for me and I guess I'm coming back around to the Elasta
QP |
| ini: |
with sparklites? |
| nai: |
Feels Like Silk…I like that. You know how
it is when you're going and trying to find different stuff… |
| ini: |
Unless you're me and you
buy conditioner like you have no sense |
| nai: | Right, but I'm gonna have to go back to the Paul Mitchell Foaming Pomade and the Leave-In Conditioner. As far as conditioner, I don't know that I have a favorite conditioner yet. I haven't really found it, I've been kinda searching. I want to try the Pantene Hydrating Curls… |
|
ini: | Oh that's good |
| nai: | Is it? |
| ini: |
That's what I used today
when I just put it on the twistout and walked around with it
like that all day. Brush went through like butter! |
| nai: |
That's what I heard, that's it's just the bomb. And I've used
the cheap ones, the Daily Defense…99 cents…that's the bomb. |
| ini: |
Anybody ever tried to touch
my hair? |
| nai: | Yeah, and I'm protective of it… |
| ini: | …like the girl that tried to day… |
| nai: |
…yeah, I just wanted to elbow her, I wanted to smack her,
but it depends. You know, you take pride in your puff, especially
when you shape it and get it looking right and then somebody
want to come ... and then you got a dent |
| ini: | LOL |
| nai: | A misshapen puff… |
| ini: |
You have a misshapen puff
|
| nai: | A misshapen puff  |
| ini: | It's looking lumpy…flat on one side  |
| nai: | Exactly
What's really funny is when you get your puff looking all nice
and you're laying around the house, you lay down on a pillow
and you get up you got a flat puff…what is that all about?! |
| ini: | |
| nai: |
You know?! |
| ini: | LOL…I'm laughing because I understand… |
| nai: | It's crazy |
|
| ini: | O.k. so has it ever affected your employment? |
| nai: | No, not at all. |
| ini: | That's good! |
| nai: | I work for the Legislature at a partisan office. I work in the Democratic office and I started going natural when I was over in the House of Representatives and nobody said anything. I've done some of everything. Even my weave was natural…afros, blowouts almost. If anybody's wanted to say anything they haven't. |
|
| ini: | That's cool. O.k. who are your supporters? |
| nai: |
Ya'll…Nappturality.com…And
I love you!!! |
| ini: | I'd like to give a shout out! |
| nai: | I wish I could meet everybody, I wish we could have one big huge get together. |
| ini: | I know it's amazing. This site brings together people from all over the place |
| nai: | I know |
| ini: |
And the probability that
we would all be in one place at one time is so not there... |
| nai: | No |
| ini: |
... 'cause even if some
of us could make it, we all couldn't make it. |
| nai: |
no. I just wish it could be just like in computer-land. My
biggest support is my sister 'cause she went natural. Did the
big chop. Went natural and I think I was an instrument in that.
I would just say nappturality.com
community and my sister. Other people are like 'Whatever' or
'I don't like' which is my husband. |
|
| ini: | So describe your hair in one sentence or less. |
| nai: |
Off the chain  … in a good way and full of
life. |
| ini: | o.k. |
| nai: | it is, it's just crazy…full of life. |
|
| ini: | So anything else you want to say 'cause we're at the end |
| nai: | Oh it is? |
| ini: | Oh you look so sad. |
| nai: | No, it was fun. I enjoyed it…it's a learning experience. |
| ini: | Does it shock you that anybody would care that much about your hair to want to interview you? |
| nai: | M'hmmm. |
| ini: | Is it a good shock? |
| nai: | It's a good shock! |
| ini: | O.k. I need to see which car you're in so that when I see you on the road I can… |
| nai: | …LOL… |
| ini: | …you'll be like, 'There's a green Saab following me  WHAT THE…!' |
| nai: | LOL |
| ini: | …and I'm all in the back straining… |
| nai: | …swerving all over the street… |
| ini: | …you're gonna have to get a restraining order on the puff… |
| nai: | |
| ini: | LOL *whew* |
