Be Whole

I chatted to singer, actress, blogger and natural hair stylist, Genovese Julies of Genna doing things, to fill you in on what most newbies to the journey struggle with.

By caring for her own, as well as other women’s natural hair, Genna’s list of things to note before your start your hair journey is pretty on-point.

She says that she started transitioning by accident towards the end of 2014. She was playing a diva in a musical who needed big hair and since she’d already planned to go natural, that was just the push she needed.

She would plait her hair into lots of braids on nights before her shows and take them out, hoping for a defined look.

Then she started researching other women’s hair journeys – learning the meaning of a pre-poo, co-wash etc… Concepts that was foreign to her at the time.

Here are some of her most important things to note:

1. Get to know your OWN hair

Many natural newbies think that once they decide to go natural that their hair will magically be goals. It took time, patience and a lot of trial and error to get my curls to what they currently look like.

Even after transitioning for 9 months, I decided that it was time for the big chop. I had magical loose curls, I was on cloud 9 thinking I had naturally 3A type curls. But the healthier it got, the tighter my curls had become.

2. Resist the pressure to straighten your hair

I avoided heat for a few months after the show and my curls slowly started to bounce back but my family and friends were shaken.

I had my 21st coming up and everyone pressured me to blow dry my hair. I eventually blow dried it but only because my curls weren’t ready to debut on such important pictures yet.

I straightened my hair again for my graduation and then decided that that was it, “I’m done with heat!”

People seemed insulted by me wearing my natural hair but I was done – so done. This journey became so much more than hair, and I vowed that even if I stood alone, I would embrace who I truly am.

3. Don’t focus too much on growth

Your hair isn’t magically going to look like all the pictures you see on Instagram. Get to know your curl type and take a hair porosity test so you know what you need from products. Your natural hair will grow in size before length because it’s filling out and thickening. Just be patient.

Genna’s favourite products:

1. Rose water – it’s a great moisturiser! I use it in my spritz bottle instead of water. It doubles up as a toner and is also affordable.
2. Natural World Argan Oil of Morroco – I renamed this stuff hair crack because I’m addicted! It’s an amazing co-wash; it’s super moisturising, and (on a cheat day) it makes an amazing leave-in curl defining product.
3. Curl Chemistry Curl Activating Cream – it’s affordable, enhances and holds my curls, has all the right ingredients, and is made in Cape Town!

And guess what – her name means wild wave! Let me know if you enjoyed this post by leaving me a comment in the section below.

Watch Genna’s hair tutorials on YouTube, or connect with her on Instagram and Facebook