'I get comments about my hair that gets to me' Mane matters with Deima

Hi Naturalistas,

Meet Deima

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

I'm Deima Gumus and I am a student at Accra institute of technology studying Accounting and Finance.

What are your thoughts about natural hair?

My thoughts about natural hair, hmmm, where do I begin...i think natural hair is amazeballs, beautiful and unpredictable (i don't know about others but I think my hair is alive and has a mind of its own) and throws 'pick 2' at me when I yell last card

When/why did you decide to go natural?

I decided to go natural 2014 december but some forces didn't want me to shine so, they used my hairdresser to foil my plans and relax my hair, I had to try again on march 2015...I wanted to go natural simply because the heat was unbearable and i used to have these dreams of pouring water on my head in slow motion...lol..and the relaxers, lets not forget the relaxers, the burns i got, Hmmm, out of this world..

Did you do a BC or you transitioned?

I big chopped o, sliced and diced the whole hair into a tapered cut…Went home and after a month I cut again because I still had dreams of water pouring down on me from a bucket hanging above my head while i sat on a kitchen stool, like in the movies ya know.

What was the experience like?

It felt like freedom and breeze mixed together, I was just jumping in the shower everytime i felt hot...

What was/is your biggest fear about going Natural?

My biggest fear was looking like a boy...and having to answer questions at school..during my first year I cut off all my hair for the same 'heat reason' and after it grew back I shaved off the sides...So, I wasn't ready for all the 'whys' and ' haba, again'??

Do you have a regimen you stick to? What is it like?

I think I have a regimen, lol..

I use products from a local natural hair line here in Ghana and they have everything from deep conditioners to whipped shea..i do the LCO method with their leave in, cream and oil after shampooing and deep conditioning with their black soap shampoo and deep conditioner..I have colored hair so, I DC every week and shampoo only when I feel my hair is dirty. I henna when the spirit leads, which is once a month or more...

What emotional struggles, if any, have you faced since going natural?

Emotional struggles...my family..lol.. I have two sisters and they make comments about my hair that get to me..if they're not predicting my return to relaxers, they're looking at my shrinkage and pronouncing that I have stagnant growth..it goes on and on, one is natural and the other is relaxed though.

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

I'm in it for the long haul..if not for my love of this bush on my head and how it feels when i run my hands through it, then to prove my sisters wrong.

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

Its easy to deal with negative comments when you have a lot of good ones to outweigh them, I focus on the good and leave the bad.

What's your must have product and accessory?

My must have is my whipped sheabutter from We Naturals and a head band

What is your go-to style?

My go to style for now is a puff, its like bam and you're out

What advice do you have for anyone just going natural?

My advice is do research on natural hair and don't listen to naysayers, its your hair and it grows out of your scalp, so, what you do with it is your own business..

Where can we find you? Your social media platforms…

I am on instagram and facebook

IG: @melanindeima

Facebook: Deima Brown

Thank you for your time

p.s:Do you want to get featured too? Then send a mail to manematters@africanaturalistas.com

Enjoy the rest of the week

Leeznijis