Divinus Ater - The Meaning

Okay so I thought it was about time I answered the unspoken question which is probably on the majority of people's minds; what does Divinus Ater mean?

Divinus Ater means 'natural black' from native Latin origins. You may wonder how I came across such a bizarre and unique name as that and I can tell you, it wasn't easy. I set my father on the task of finding a unique name for my blog that would set me apart from the crowd. We toyed with a number of different names, all of which sounded too generic until he stumbled upon the goldmine of Divinus Ater. 

That's one question answered - phew. However I know there will be a number of you thinking 'why did you set up this blog?', 'why now?' Which are all very good questions. I have always wanted to have a natural hair blog however I let a number of obstacles such as not knowing what kind of content to include or the fact that I was 'too busy' stop me from starting. But I got a sudden urge, ambition even, to start up a brand new blog on a summers evening in April. I claimed the domain name which was easy. My next challenge was to design some sort of logo which I could use in the short term to identify my blog with (I'm on the search for a designer, watch this space). And then came the hard part, my first post. I must say I deliberated for at least half an hour, playing around with many ideas I could use to start my blog however I managed to overcome that and once I did, I managed to find some sort of flow!

And there you have it, just a quick sum up of a few questions I thought were lurking in the back of people's minds which I hope are now answered. If you have any other questions you want answered or any post suggestions feel free to tell me:

www.ask.fm/divinusater

Au revoir!

Hair Journey - Sophie

Bonsoir everyone! I have my beautiful friend Sophie here who is eager to share her hair journey and her hair care tips with everyone so I hope you enjoy!
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Hi everyone! I'm Sophie a friend of Kia, here to also share my hair story with you on her amazing blog. Similar to Kiki I'm a young black girl from Dominica and Jamaica. My maternal grandpa has elements of Carib influence in his family, this means that they have very soft and straight almost 'coolie' hair. In part somehow, I think that I have inherited a similar type of 3c/4a hair texture which means that my hair is almost black and thick in volume, but very soft and shiny which makes it tamable for me. 

Quick history: The Caribs were the indigenous original settles in the Caribbean, particular in the smaller windward islands like Dominica, St Lucia and Grenada. They were the native, West Indiany Caribbeans and so often descendants possess soft 'coolie' hair. In addition, in Dominica it was colonised by the French at some point and thus my maternal family has a French surname! The Caribbean truly is what it's known as "a melting pot" of different countries. Somehow along the way by grandpa's greatgreatgreat.. relative was a French man!

But enough about me and more about my hair. WELL. Anyone who knows me is well aware that I do like to take care of it and do take pride in it. My hair is I guess "virgin" hair, since I have never put any chemical treatment, bleach or dye in it nor had weave or braids. It's black, bra strap length currently. 

MY HAIR JOURNEY

As a young child until about the age of 10, I had my hair in single twists really. My mum would spend hours doing it but I can say it truly grew my hair. If I was more content with the way it looked I would even keep it now, because it was low maintenance and promoted so much growth. But then I started straightening. DUNDUNDUN!

My worst years were definitely 10-13 where I used to wear my hair in a puff or straighten it every two weeks but thankfully I did not experience breakage as I still had regular trims. Phew! However now I can honestly see change and that's due to the fact I take care of it so much more. So this is what I do!

MY ROUTINE!:

Step 1:

I wash my hair every 3-4 weeks now, and started doing this around the age of 15-16. Although some may say "ew!" for black hair like mine that is soft at the root, the less frequent you wash the more natural oils you keep, and as long as you oil your scalp to prevent dandruff you should be okay! Obviously, wash it early if it's super dirty somehow but for me this is great as I have noticed so much growth from doing so.

I'll post a picture of all products and pictures at the end but the main thing about my shampoo is that I use a small amount of normal shampoo (light blue one) to get out the dirt, and more of the sulfate free shampoo to prevent stripping my natural oils and this is key! Sulfate free shampoos do not lather as well which is why I mix the two but they do retain moisture. As I have a lot of hair I do this in 4 sections. 

Step 2: Deep condition

I deep condition every single time I wash my hair as I have a hooded one at my home. I use a mix of so many different ones I can't list them all but also sometimes an intensive mask too, which I comb through also in sections to get the best coverage. I sit under the hood for 30mins with a cap on top then wrap it in a towel for an extra 30 before washing it out. 

Step 3: Blow dry and straighten

Yes I still straighten it, using lots of heat protectant and only ever this once when I wash. So I don't apply any heat at all between washes which is the key difference that means minimal damage for my hair. 

Styling wise I don't let my hair down at all either, and I never have besides the upwards puff back in the day. My day to day styles are buns when I go out and two cornrows at home really.  I do not slick my hair with gels either so not to put strain on my hair which is also a tip from me. 

-  My hair after a few weeks of plaiting, often when I wake up and it curls up naturally and loosely (usually I come them out and since my hair is soft it is fairly straight again. I don't worry about it being bone straight since it's always packed away)

- One way I wear it in a bun and how I plait it every evening and wear it to bed. 

Tip: Sleep on a satin pillowcase to prevent split ends which I rarely get. 

The problems I have are mostly when I exercise as my roots will revert since it's never been relaxed or texturised and so they do thicken up. Also when wet. And due to the amount of hair even when straight, it can look fluffy rather than lay straight (also it seems to lie flat in these photos) which is only overcome if I get it pressed out professionally. But I prefer not to so buns it is! At my age I don't mind anyway, and it my hair likes being natural curly in summer the exercising will become less of a problem too.

- My hair from when I first straighten it (first two) and then how it is if I don't sweat it out by the end of the 3/4 weeks.

And that's all from me!  

I hope that this helps anyone looking for tips and thanks to Kia for this feature! Keep up to date with her blog for great advice and more hair journeys and maybe I'll see you all again soon!

Lots of love

Soph x

Blog Post Collab - beautyandtee

Hey everyone! My great friend Martina has a blog called 'beautyandtee' and we've decided to collaborate on this blog post and a few more posts to come. I hope you enjoy the post!
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Hola,

My names Martina and I'm a 17 year old blogger. I blog mostly about beauty, lifestyle and motivation but there is way more to come from me. 

I'm here to do a little feature on Divinus Ater. Todays post will be about my hair regime. Grab a cuppa, sit back and keep reading.

Let me be honest with you, I don't really have one. I pretty much do whatever I feel like my hair needs. I spend hours on YouTube researching new products and methods; that's literally what I rely on.

I recently trimmed my hair for the first time in October and it's currently just passed shoulder length. I very rarely have my natural hair out, I literally live in braids; I've only recently started doing weaves. Whenever I take my hair out from whatever protective style it's in, I either wash it once in done or I wash it the next morning.

On wash day, I use my Argan oil shampoo or conditioner; depending on how long I've had my protective style in for. After that, I create a hair mask using whatever ingredients I have in my house (this is after researching the benefits of each and seeing if there are any masks that use the products I have). I leave the mask in for an hour and then wash it out. Once I've washed the mask out, I feel condition my hair using the Dark and Lovely deep conditioner, I leave this in for 30-60 minutes and then wash it out.

So now that I've washed my hair and removed all the gunk, I let my hair dry. I'm currently doing a 2 month no heat challenge so I let my hair air dry. Even before I started this challenge, I used minimal to no heat; only using heat if I needed to go somewhere urgently. 

Previously I would put coconut oil all over my hair, plait it into 4-8 sections and then wrap my hair in a silk scarf. I currently do the exact same thing but instead of coconut oil, I use Black Jamaican Castor Oil.

That's literally all that I do. I would definitely recommend purchasing some Black Jamaican Castor Oil, it's working wonders for my edges.

I hope you found this insightful.

For any questions about beauty, hair, advice or anything message me on Twitter: @beautyandtee or email me at beautyandtee@icloud.com

Make sure to check my blog out - www.beautyandtee.com

Keep supporting my girl, Kia! 

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Tee xoxo

Lemon Water Detox

Okay so maybe the title sounded a little bit drastic. I love lemon water not only for the taste but also for all of the benefits incurred from drinking it. I was an avid drinker of it last year and have decided to pick it back up this year. The word 'detox' implies that I'm drinking it in order to shed a few pounds or lose weight, both of which are not the case. Lemon water is an amazing cleanser for both the inside and outside of your body. It aids the removal of any food which may otherwise clog up your stomach and intestines resulting is pain and discomfort leaving me feeling light as a feather. It also aids healthy hair growth and healthier, clearer skin which is a bonus. I have always been fortunate enough to have clear skin but I believe, whilst drinking lemon water, it's brought out my skin's natural glow and keeps any spots at bay. Now I understand that many will dislike the taste, as did I when I first started drinking it but I'm telling you the benefits definitely do outweigh the taste. If you're eager to see the results for yourself, I would recommend drinking at least a litre a day of lemon water for at least two weeks to see any improvements. 

Now I'm sure many are wondering how to begin making lemon water. You can buy a water infuser on eBay for aroun £6 however I prefer to get my favourite water bottle (Fiji water, £1 from Waitrose) and put lemon slices inside. This can be a challenge given the size of the nozel but can be done. I usually buy two lemons for this, one to be cut up into slices and the other to be squeezed inside the bottle. Since for me I didn't feel like the taste was pungent enough, I added a few more squirts of lemon juice just to give it a bit more of a kick. 

And there you have it! Lemon water really does wonders for me but feel free to let me know your opinions. I have an askFM for those who want to ask any questions, whether they be about hair all the way to my favourite fast food takeaway, all questions are welcome!

My askFM is:

www.ask.fm/divinusater

An Instagram for Divinus Ater is coming very soon, watch this space!

Hair Journey - Zara

Here again we have another one of my amazing friends Zara, the one who came up with the idea of featuring many different hair textures on my blog. I'll leave the rest of the talking and explanations to her, enjoy!
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HEYYYYYY.

Okay so Kia has asked me to feature on her blog which is uber cute (and quite exciting). So yeah, as you can see in the images attached I have big, thick, mixed (Half English half Ghanaian) curly hair - which I adore. Only in recent years have I begun to love my hair and leave it out and natural.  As it’s spring/summer I now use my “hot seasons” routine, which differs from my winter one, and I follow it every day, and takes only 10 minutes (excluding drying time) 

Firstly, when I’m in the shower I wet my hair with cold water – as cold as I can handle in order to seal in any moisture thus preventing frizziness throughout the day. I then get out of the shower and wrap my hair in a turban using a cotton scarf - using a cotton scarf rather than a towel prevents frizziness which makes my curls stand out more (it makes the biggest difference trust me).

I keep the scarf on for as long as I can, upon taking it off I separate my hair into two and I apply “Soft textures Curl Pudding”; using my hands I rake it through the two hair sections trying to cover every strand. Then using “Soft Textures Curl Moisture Crème” I repeat this step - however I focus this cream more on the ends of my hair to prevent them from looking frizzy throughout the day. Following this, I just style my hair as I wish (usually I just do a side parting) and then I do my make up, then walk outside and leave my hair to dry naturally in the sunshine throughout the day, although this usually only takes roughly 45 minutes. When I’m out and my hair has dried, I use my fingers to ruffle my roots and separate my curls in order to add some extra volume, as the hair creams tend to make my hair dry without volume, which makes it look flat and boringggggg.

So there you have it, my daily hair routine. Its very simple and doesn’t take long, the Soft Textures hair products can be found in any black hair shop – I cant find it online for some strange reason, which probably should worry me but I don’t care because its affordable, has made my hair healthier, and actually works unlike all of the million other product brands I have tried so…

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this lols x

PS. No. I do not brush my hair. And no my hair doesn't get ‘knotty’ so to say, the curls interlock when they dry but it doesn't get matted or tangled. If I did brush my hair it would ruin the curl pattern and give me an Afro rather than curls – which I have no problem with but it’s much harder to handle that way.

If you have any questions feel free to find me on twitter and ask @ZaraJane_ x

Just want to thank Zara again for her amazing contribution, hope that helps and gives you guys some tips!

Hair Journey - Lucia

Bonsoir tout le monde! A close friend of mine, of whom's hair journey will be featured very soon, gave me the idea of having blog posts on a variety of different hair textures because as we all know, natural black hair comes in many different textures and lengths. And so to start of our hair journeys is my amazing friend Lucia. She is half Dominican and half British and she is here to give the low down on her hair journey so far, the products she uses and any struggles she has faced along the way, enjoy!

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Hey, my name is Lucia (a good friend of Kay's) and she asked me to share with you my hair routine, products I use and troubles I have with my hair. I naturally have curly hair which is quite thick. I have found that my curl texture has changed quite a bit as I've grown up, and it continues to change depending on the season/weather. Sometimes it can be very Afro like, and sometimes I find strange straight sections!

I struggle a little with bad ends and dry scalp as well and the constant desire for more growth. What I found really works for me (and I know Kay has already advised!) is washing with conditioner! I also encompass conditioner in a more daily routine, as I continue to use small amounts on dry hair throughout the week in between washes. I've personally found the Tressemé and John Frieda are great high street brands for mixed textures like myself.

 

     

I also use coconut oil, Aragon or Moroccan oil, and castor oil (on rotation) on my ends and for my scalp, very sparely to keep my hair hydrated. These can be found for various price ranges from places like Superdrug and Boots as well as all ethnic bait shops. I prefer to try and source organic or the most environmentally friend version where possible, and Holland & Barrett are a great place to find coconut oil!

I've tried to reduce how often I comb or brush my hair as I find it causes breakage, so I primarily use my Tangle Teaser on wet or damp hair to detangle.

Another favourite is the Dark and Lovely Quick Styling Gel (in Regular Hold) which I use almost daily to keep my hair neat. I find it has a good hold for buns and and variety of styles, without making my hair go too stiff or hard- a common problem with gels. I use this to create my most common styles which are either loose ponies on the top of my head, or more recently low buns with a side or centre parting.

 

I most normally have my hair up, as heat and humidity really effect my hair. I often wear two twisted cornrows at the front, as it is very versatile and can keep hair on good condition, presentable and neat.

I try to have my hair trimmed about three times annual to deal with and damage to my ends, and I always ask that my hairdresser cuts off "everything that needs to go". Even though this may be more than what you want, and may change how you style your hair, I find it's the best and most efficient way! I also only straighten/blow dry my hair when a get a trim, to monitor more accurate the state of my ends and to avoid over heating my hair.

Finally I twist or plait my hair for bed, depending on how I plan to style it the next day. I find twist hold curls better, whilst plaits lengthen out my hair more.

I hope this can be of any help to anyone with similar hair! Continue to support Kay with her brilliant blog, thank you!

Again I would just like to thank my amazing friend Lucia for her contribution on her hair regime, I hope you all found it useful and there's plenty more where that came from!

Gorilla Snot Gel Review

 I've been on an ongoing search for a gel or edge control which can not only slick down my edges but also maintain that style for a prolonged period of time. I have been on my tiresome search trying many different variations of edge control and gel to no avail. I came across a few reviews on a gel called 'Gorilla Snot' Extreme Hold. The name didn't sound too enticing but many reviewers assured that it was the best gel they had ever tried. After reading this, I thought it my duty to give it a try. I ordered the gel from Amazon for £6.49: Moco De Gorila Gel Extreme Hold 340g (Yellow)

This price is reasonably okay for the size of the gel. It comes out a thick, yellow consistency, which almost resembles snot. I applied this to my edges as I would do with normal gel or edge control and tied it down with a silk scarf to keep it in place. After around 20mins I removed the scarf to see my edges securely in place. I read that this gel could withstand any weather conditions so I thought it was only fair to try it on the hottest day of the year so far! I would say I had the gel on for around 8/9 hours with no reapplication and it's safe to say the gel works wonders! It doesn't leave behind any kind of residue, it doesn't flake and it does remain in its hairstyle. Edge control works for many but if you are like me, where edge control fails to slick your edges, then give Gorilla Snot a try!

Biotin - One Month Challenge

Salut tout le monde! I've been reading up and seeing many people either taken the 'biotin' challenge or opting for the use of biotin during their daily hair care regime. So I decided to give it a go myself and try biotin everyday for a month and give my own personal feedback. The biotin bottle I have is called 'Natrol Biotin' and I bought it from Amazon for £7. This contains 100 tablets which are to be taken once one a day with a meal. The bottle says that it 'promotes healthy hair and strong nails' and I've read lots of good reviews about biotin so I thought it's about time I see some results for myself.

Here's the link for Natrol Biotin, £6.94, for UK buyers:Natrol Biotin 10,000mcg, Maximum Strength, 100 Tablets [Kitchen]


And here's the link for Natrol Biotin, $9.34, for US buyers:

http://www.amazon.com/Natrol-Maximum-Strength-Tablets-100-Count/dp/B004H7GB9G/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1429043831&sr=1-1&keywords=biotin

If you've tried biotin before or have any other products you want me to try, feel free to leave a comment below!

Protective Hairstyles - Braids vs Weave

Bonjour all, it's all about protective hairstyles again. It's been a couple of months since I've had any kind of extensions in my hair to keep it protected and I'm thinking of potentially doing braids again. Because of this, I thought I would give my own personally low-down on braids and weave. I've had both quite a few times and whenever I have one I always yearn having the other. Both have pros and cons but which one is the best for your hair? I will give you my opinion from my experience:

Weave
PROS:

• Very versatile - I love dying my hair different colours whenever I start getting used to it to change up my look
• Quick installation - depending on the look you're aiming to achieve, weave takes around 2/3 hours to install
• Easy to maintain - With weave, you're able to look after it just as you would normal hair therefore making it super easy to maintain and look nice. Wash and conditioner to bring back the sheen to your hair

CONS:

• Difficult to take out - It's very hard, especially if you're trying to do it yourself, to remove weave without causing damage to your hair. More often than not you will either place excessive pressure on the hair when trying to remove the weave or cut of a bit of your own hair when trying to cut the thread. If you use glue as an adhesive for your weave then you are also very likely to pull out some of your own hair in the process
• Hair isn't able to breathe - Being cooped up for months under the weave isn't healthy for the hair as it is being deprived of the nutrients and TLC it would've otherwise received if out natural. This means that hair is likely to be dry and damaged when taken out from weave and will require intense deep conditioning to revive it back to its original state.

Braids

PROS:

• Very versatile - much like weave, I find braids to be also as versatile and I'm able to achieve a variety of looks with very minimal effort.
• Easy to maintain - It's a lot easier to look after your natural hair as well as the braid hair in this style as hair products can be applied directly to the hair to keep it healthy. Also it is quick to re-do the front to freshen up the look of your hair style again
• Amazing appearance - I love having braids as I believe its easy to dress up and dress down and gives a stunning look to girls and aids the enhancement of natural beauty

CONS:

• Long installation time - As many of you will know, many pain staking hours have been spent in the salon chair whilst getting our hair done. Braids can take between 5 - 8 hours to do depending on the size of the braids you want done. If it wasn't for the sheer time taken, braids would be my go to hairstyle.
• Tightness - Often when getting braids done in a hairdressers, the hairdresser will do the braids very tight on your head to the point where you are forced to have a couple of nights of uncomfortable sleep. This is done as it makes the hairstyle looks nice and fresh however immense strain and pressure is placed upon the hair follicles making it more susceptible to unnecessary breakage when the braids are removed. 

And there you have it, my own low down of the pros and cons of both braids and weave. Due to the sheer stress placed upon my hair when getting my hair braided in a salon, I've opted recently on a number of occasions to do it myself. Below I've attached a number of pictures so you can see the braids I did on my self and me with weave. I hope this has been helpful, please feel free to share any pros and cons you have for either hairstyle as well!

Protective Hairstyle - My Main

So this is my daily go to hairstyle whether I have a busy day at college or I'm just going out for a casual meet-up with friends. This hairstyle is great because I feel it's so easy to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion. This two braid cornrow hairstyle is my absolute favourite. I have taught myself had to excecute it perfectly on myself without the help of another although partings can be tricky. I have a few cheeky selfies just to show the sheer versatility of this hairstyle.

Hair Washing Regime

Here are just a few tips I've discovered over the years which have proven effective for my hair.

1. WASH WITH CONDITIONER - I read this tip online and I thought it was absolutely absurd to use a conditioner in place of a shampoo but I've found it really works. Shampoo is great at washing out all of the dirt from your hair but I've found that it really strips my hair of essential moisture leaving it dry and brittle. So I do instead wash my hair with conditioner and the conditioner I use is Argan Oil. I find that it leaves my hair feeling soft and moisturized after being washed. I bought the conditioner for £1 but it is available for purchase at your local hair shop for between £3-£4.

2. DEEP CONDITION - I find this a vital part of my hair washing regime as this is where I am able to replenish my hair with all of the vitamins and minerals that would've been otherwise lost. It is important to find a deep conditioner that does what it says on the packet as I have been through a whole number of deep conditioners on my quest to find one that actually works for my hair. The deep conditioner I use is Do Gro's 'Mega Long Extreme Re-constructor' which I find reinvigorates my hair with all of the moisture that it requires. I bought this from the hair shop for £3.99 but it's really a process of trial and error to find the best deep conditioner for your hair. For a mild treatment, leave on the hair for between 5-10mins but for a deeper treatment, leave it to sit on the hair for between 20-30mins.

3. MOISTURIZE (LOC METHOD) - I'm sure many of you would've heard of the LOC method which many people rave about. LOC stands for leave-in, oil and cream and this is the recommend method of hair product application. For me this method is amazing once you find the right products. As stated previously, the leave-in deep conditioner I use is by Doo Gro's. The oil which does wonders for my hair is Jamaican Black Castor Oil. This oil not only leaves my hair feeling moisturized and healthy, but also provides and amazing shine and makes it easier to manage. My hair is extremely thick and coarse as I'm sure is evident in my previous posts so anything that makes my hair care regime that bit easier is a God send. Again, I bought the Jamaican Black Castor Oil from the hair shop as I do with the majority of my products. This particular brand cost me £1.99 but there are many other brands within a very similar price range. And now finally the cream. The cream I use is Shea Butter. I had heard a lot of reviews of shea butter from many different people saying how great it is so I thought I would try it for myself. I bought my tub in the butter form purely due to its ease of application for £5.99 but it is also available in block form which is relatively cheaper from the hair shop. Shea butter is amazing at sealing in and applying moisture to the hair, regardless of how dry it is, and bringing it back to life. I myself have fallen in love with this product and cannot begin to imagine life without it. The butter form that I have is easy to apply and retains moisture within the hair. The one downside is the unusual smell attached to the butter which made me weary at first when applying to my hair but the smell disappears somewhat instantly once applied to the hair. I then finish off by spraying my hair, either when it's an afro or in a protective style, with Kids Organic 'Growth Oil Remedy'. I didn't buy the product under the illusion that it is what many products on the market claim to do, accelerate hair growth. I bought it because of the oils it contains. This oil remedy is made up purely of oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil etc which have been known to aid the growth of hair. This is a very good moisturizing aid and I use this on my hair primarily before bed or once I've finished a protective hair style. I bought this from the hair shop for £1.99 and is usually stocked with all of the hair products for young children.

So there you have it. This is just a few tips I have found really useful when washing my hair and I hope after reading this, you are able to construct your own hair washing regime.

Washing Ze Hair - Shrinkage

I love washing my hair as it becomes rejuvenated and reinvigorated with moisture giving my hair the best thing ever. There's only one catch, shrinkage. I have such bad shrinkage where my hair would shrink drastically to the point where I wasn't able to do anything with it. Now I've learnt how to deal with my shrinkage and how best to wash my hair so now I've been able to come up with tips culminated together with my experience and other tips I've read which I've found really works with my hair. I will put up another post with my hair washing regime/tips but for now, shrinkage!

My Hair - Current Length

Okay so below I have attached two pictures which maybe a tad outdated as these were taken around three months ago but still nothing wrong with that. This is my current (so to speak) hair length that I'm working with right now. The first picture shows my hair when I had slicked and tied it up into a top knot. The second picture is my hair before having had anything done to it, right after being undone from a protective hairstyle. My hair is extremely thick and coarse and took a lot of effort to get it into the top knot I achieved in the first picture but I managed it!

Welcome All!

Hey Everyone!
My name is Kia but I'm sometimes referred to as Kay. I am seventeen years old and decided to start a natural hair blog for fellow natural friends or those who are eager to transition to natural. I have been natural all my life and have never used chemicals in my hair and have only ever blown dry or had a 'blow out' three times in my life. Even though at times being natural can be challenging, I couldn't ever dream of being anything but natural. I hope to provide others with tips of what I've found useful over my natural hair journey life time and inspire others to join too!