Its Felicia Leatherwood on #naturalhair @LovingYourHair
Editor’s note: Article has been republished. Originally Published 12/03/2010 Pic Source {pic source} A few years back, I had the pleasure of speaking to the lovely lady, Ms. Felicia Leatherwood. For those of you who don’t know her, she is a natural hair stylist who enjoys her job. She hosts several workshops throughout the west coast and other states to provide people with the knowledge they need to know within “Loving your hair.” Most people would know her as being the hair stylist of Jill Scott but this lovely lady goes far beyond misses Scott’s head. Her talent and advice is so reputable and useable. She has recently launched the detangler brush, that makes detangling tightly coiled hair a breeze! You can check out her site here: https://www.thedetanglebrush.com/. You have the choice of listening to the full interview in the video at the end of the article or you can read the transcription below. I tried my hardest to transcribe everything she said verbatim if I missed it you still have the video (which has more information) to reference. She really is lovely guys!!! Enjoy the reading or audio and be inspired! Disclaimer: I do not sound this disgusting on a regular basis I was just super nervous and young! Lol *NH= Nearly Hair FL: Felicia Leatherwood NH: Can you tell me a little about yourself Ms. Felicia Leatherwood and what you do? FL: I am known as the Natural hair Specialist for the natural celebrity styles…I specialize in natural hair and natural hair styles, all things natural, products and the makings of it… I have been doing hair since I was about 11 years old. I started doing hair in my neighborhood, and then I didn’t get into more of the industry until I was about 27, 28. I taught myself how to do hair and it was my way of making my money… I always encourage a lot of the young girls on how to do hair. It is the best way to sustain your living because you are away from your parents when you are in college. NH: How would you best explain transitioning and what styles do you recommend? Changing what you’ve done…. FL: For me, it’s not always about doing a BC (big chop), you don’t always have to result to that. I come up with style that help women transition without cutting off all their hair…the styles are natural looking that help them see themselves in a natural way without cutting off their hair. Whether they are transitioning or not transitioning I give them hair styles so they can see their hair natural. The word transitioning means, changing what you have already done and going with a new routine. There is a difference between those transitioning and those trying stuff (there are those who just wear their hair straight). Transition means actually making a change and transferring over versus playing with your hair. NH: I understand that you are a natural hair specialist… what made you interested in taking up such a task? FL: When I went to cosmetology school and they were teaching us how to press hair, I never really liked pressing hair or getting my hair pressed. It hurt it burned it was uncomfortable. As a hair stylist and coming out of cosmetology school, I never really like the smoke going into my body. So as a stylist standing over somebody anything you do, you are going to breathe it first before the client. So for me I really didn’t care for smelling the burnt hair, the Smokey hair… Now don’t get me wrong I do have clients that go between straightening their hair with a flat iron and natural styles…If I’m not perming their hair they are getting it blown out and flat iron with a ceramic iron than… they would go right back to their fro. NH: How do you feel about product Junkies? Do you believe in having just one staple product? FL: In the workshop, I always tell them to find three products and styles that really work for them. It’s okay if you go out and try other things, you will always have those three other things that will be faithful to you. My three top things that I like are Jane Carter Solution, carol’s daughter, and Karen’s body’s beautiful with her sweet ambrosia and her lavender vanilla jojoba oil. Those are really my top three staples…when it comes to PJ if you have the finances to be a PJ that’s great. If you don’t you should make a hair budget, so that if you know there is a product you want…put it on a list, make list you want to try and get your money you can try them. If you have a bunch of products that don’t work for you, get a bunch of friends together and swap products so they don’t go to waste. NH: I am a Natural myself, but sometimes I strong with my hair because I feel as if there isn’t much you can do with a TWA, I know there are probably plenty of ladies that feel this way, what advice would you give to ladies that feel the same way? FL: Accessorize… you can wear really cute feather head bands..you can wrap your hair and condition it well underneath…and then there is this style method after you wash and condition it you take a dry towel and go around your head in small circles clockwise around the whole head and what you will see are curly balls forming. Instead of having a fro picked out you can have texture with the towel. Sometimes people start locking their hair that way… NH: What is your overall view on hair? Do you think Natural is the way? FL: I feel that people have choice, but I think we have to check in with ourselves and see how we feel about ourselves instead of our hair. How we feel about ourselves will determine how we feel about our hair. If