Annette Is Naturally Glam!

What was your journey like?
I tried to be a transitioner, but started to see too much breakage so I had to go ahead and cut it all off! Since I was wearing a Halle Berry cut, it wasn’t too devastating. Well at first. I felt very unattractive and had no idea what to do with my new texture.

Had you always embraced your texture?
No, I definitely didn’t always embrace my texture, especially seeing that I have 3-4 different textures on my head. I’m better with it now, but I still struggle with certain areas. And of course they are right in the front.

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How did family and friends react to your decision to go natural? What was your response to them?
Wow, this is a loaded question. My husband, who is Caucasian, encouraged me from day one. We were living in Cape Cod at the time so finding any products was pretty near impossible. I worked in a Dr.’s office and found that many of the patients loved it! They were amazed that it actually grew put of my head that tightly coiled and could not figure out why it grew up and out, instead of down. My family was pretty quiet, and didn’t say much. To their credit, there was wasn’t much they hadn’t seen me do with my hair, from relaxers, to braids, to sew-ins..long short, pretty much everything. For any and every one who asked what I was doing with my hair now, I proudly said I was leaving it alone for a change. They always looked puzzled….always. Then I would proudly say, I’m going natural, I’m embracing my hair that I was born with.

Describe your hair (fine or coarse, thin or thick, highly porous, low, etc.)
My hair now, we’ll I’d say it’s fine, but very thick. I’m still learning about porosity, just when I think I’ve gotten it figured out….then nope, I don’t. It has very loosely coiled sections, and some tight kinky areas that need extra TLC, and I make sure it gets it

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to your hair?
Oooo, the craziest thing??? There really isn’t one thing, so I’d have to say,dyed it blond for a bit, burned it off with a curling iron because I thought I needed it extra hot, wore braids while white water rafting. I’m sure there’s more, but those things readily come to mind. Oh, most recently, I left my hair down, while I participated in visiting lemurs at the local zoo, they stayed in my hair so much, the other patrons hardly got to see them.

What’s your biggest hair related regret?
My biggest regret is that I ever started relaxing! I was 17, and prior to that was able to straighten my hair by blow drying. When I was told I could get it straighter, for a longer period of time, I decided to do it. My hair was to my waist and I cut it! Ughhh. The next 35+ years were relaxer after relaxer. Burning my forehead, neck, and ears over the years. Not to mention, my hair never was waist length again due to constant breakage. Oh to turn back the hands of time.

What’s your current hair routine? How often do you wash, condition, and style? Favorite products! Deets!
I am definitely a product junkie. Just when I think I’ve gotten it figured out, my hair decides it doesn’t like those products and I move on. In the beginning I was ordering Komaza Care products and love them and their customer service. That was 3 years ago, and with the market being flooded with so many new natural products I find myself struggling to find the Holy Grail for my hair. Right now I tend to wash my hair every 4 days and go longer if possible. Washing for me means never using a shampoo, I cowash. Before I do, I always saturate my hair with water, then use a mixture of ACV/water, 50/50 and use this to remove any product build up. Next I deep condition. Some of my favs are Camille Rose Naturals, Algae Renew or Mixed Chicks or one of my many SheaMoisture products. I leave a deep conditioner on for 30 minutes and rinse. My cowash products also vary, here are a few favs, Mixed Chicks, Aussie Miraculously Smooth, As I Am Coconut cowash,
and monthly I like to do a clay wash that I make as instructed by Naptural85 on YouTube.
Then I wrap my hire in a tee shirt, hop outta the shower and apply KinkyCurly Knot Today, which is my favorite leave in. I have tried many, but I always seem to get an amazing result from this product. Next I air dry, most of the day and use a diffuser if it’s still damp before bed time. My favorite twist out street is Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter and I also love their moisture mutter and Hair Milk. If I want more hold, I’ll use KinkyCurly Curling Custard or Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker. It depends upon the weather and my plans for the day. At night I always spray with water, add a little SheaMoisture curling cream to my ends and pineapple my hair.

What’s your favorite hairstyle? Where do you get hairstyle inspiration? 
I usually wear my hair down, with some well placed twists that are random. I love many styles that I see, whether I see them when I’m out, or find them on the Web . I’d love to wear my hair up more because a pineapple is my favorite, but my edges are still fragile so I wear it down quite a bit.

Who is your curl crush?
I have a few different crushes. First would be Naptural85, she was who I found early on and watched her journey, Chime Edwards, Mahogany Curls, I Know Lee, Simply Bianca Alexa, Lipstick N Curls, just to name a few. I love many, but tend to follow those whose hair textures are similar to my own.

How do you maintain your hair at night?
Night time, it’s always up in a pineapple after being moisturized as I mentioned earlier. As it has gotten longer, I find wearing a satin loc soc works very well. I also use a satin pillowcase just in case it slips off.

How do you maintain healthy length?
Moisture Moisture and Moisture. I also pay special attention to my ends, trimming split ends as necessary and using L’Oréal Damage Erasing Balm, which works wonders.

What’s the best thing about being natural?
Everything about being Natural is awesome. I agree with a wonderful phase I see often, that we return to natural. I love that what I’m doing isn’t only about being just who I am, its also about, no longer wanting to be who I felt others thought I should be. It’s really about me, including my physical health. Its about embracing something I thought wasn’t as pretty as straight hair. It’s my life, my history. I have returned Natural, and have no intention of doing anything other than make the most healthy choices I can. I love that rain and humidity don’t determine my wardrobe. I’ve said it before, I don’t run in the rain anymore, I dance in it! I stroll, with my head up, and a smile on my face!

Where can folks find you on the web?
I’m on Instagram as Sinclairsilva and Facebook as AdamNAnnette Burda