Mane matters with Clara Affun

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Hello Everyone,

Welcome back to another episode of Mane matters :) Today we have the high-spirited Clara (I can sense she is) Enjoy!

AN: Can you tell us who you are and what you do?

My name is Clara, I am a British-Nigerian girl who currently lives/shuffles between Paris and Brussels. I currently work as a psychiatric nurse at a Parisian hospital. I enjoy eating ice creams, reading, travelling and learning new languages...Oh and I absolutely LOVE African Naturalista!

AN: What's your thoughts about natural hair?

Actually, "non-thoughts" might be more appropriate. You see I was raised in a somewhat hippie family where hair was never really a big deal. Growing up, me and my 2 sisters all had natural hair, but it wasn't an issue that was forced upon us. We also had the right to do whatever we wanted with our hair, something which my mum later came to regret as I insisted throughout my childhood on close cropped hair like my daddy :) 

AN: Why did you decide to go natural?

After we moved to the UK, I suddenly decided to grow and relax my hair. It felt like a natural (no pun intended hehe!) passage from childhood to womanhood, I had just turned 17 and finished secondary school, and I was really feeling myself as the new adult on the block :)

BC

Well that lasted a whooping 6months! I HATED the flatness of my hair and after having been a short-haired natural all my life, didn't know how to manage relaxed hair. The wahala was just too much and I became "inspired" to go back to what I knew.

AN: Did you do a BC or you transitioned?

BC! :)

BC

AN: Any fears about the BC?

No. I love love love my hair when it's super short. It's so easy to manage, especially when you're an adept of wash (shower!) and gos.

AN: What has your experience been?

I was happy to get reacquainted with my hair, and decided to keep it short, until I got fed up of being mistaken for a pre-pubescent boy, and decided to grow it out. Against all odds (and to my mum's utter astonishment), I managed to keep it going for almost 5.5 years, until about a month ago when I randomly decided it was the right time to go back to basics :)

AN: What was/is your biggest fear about going Natural?

I had no fears, As I said,  I'm extremely comfortable with natural hair.

AN: Do you think you are in it for the long haul or is it just a phase?

I'm in it for the super long haul (both the natural and short hair thing), although I might decide to grow it out again in the future. Never say never :)

AN: Do you have any hair regimen you stick to? 

No, not really...Covers face in shame!

When I had longer hair, I co-washed or shampooed it when it felt dirty, and moisturised with IC fantasia's Shea butter and mango butter oil conditioner ( my boyfriend loved the smell!). Also as my hair is naturally quite coily, whenever I planned to wear it out, I applied some gel on top of the leave in. This helped keep the frizzies away, so I could in theory maintain my wash n gos for up to 3 weeks. Perfect for a lazy naturalista like me ;)

With the short hair, things have become even simpler. I wash it with dudu osun, a dove soap bar, my boyfriend's shower gel or whatever else is available ;) then add a dab of coconut oil and go! 

AN: What's your go-to protective style? 

When I had longer hair I often wore my hair out.  Sometimes I got it done into long braids, but this was very rare, as I hated sitting still for the amount of time it took to put in or take down the braids. Also for me, hair really is just a collection of dead cells and in spite of regular attacks of vanity, I just could never justify paying the £50-70 it cost.

AN: There are people that definitely have negative comments about you hair, how do you deal with that?

Aside from the multiple occasions where I have been mistaken for a kid, I haven't really experienced any negativity. However I found it extremely annoying when I spent ages on my hair and people said "it's nice, but I prefer your hair out." Highly discouraging for an inconsistent wannabe stylist, I tell you.  I drove me absolutely bonkers :(

AN: What's your must have product and accessory?

At the moment, just my jar of coconut oil!

AN: What's you advice to anyone planning to ditch relaxers?

In the great words of Nike, " Just. Do. It." :)