“I was born and raised in the Quad Cities; where I have three sisters and three brothers. I met my husband at Southern Illinois University and followed him home to Chicago, where I have been since 2001. We have a six-year-old daughter; we now reside in Homewood, IL. I work in media finance, and I also have two side businesses: a bookkeeping business Day2Day Financials, LLC and I’m a Surprise Parties Rep-I sell adult romance items 🙂 I just recently launched a Vlog on YouTube- MekaShanell is Just Sayin. My favorite thing to do is curl up with my Kindle and a glass of wine. I also enjoy attending live shows such as concerts and plays. I make to take a trip to Jokes and Notes at least every other month. I also enjoy traveling and meeting new people. I love indulging overnight trips at a day spa. My motto is, “If you are always honest with yourself and others you will have no regrets and your life will be full of happiness and good people”.

Marita A: How long have you been natural?

Temeka: I started my transition in June of 2008. My big chop was in January of 2009. This is my second time returning to natural. The first time around, I started with the big chop and wore my hair natural for three years.

Marita A: What inspired you to go natural?

Temeka: The first time, I was just tired of my hair breaking off and wanted to know what my natural texture looked like. The second time, I simply missed my natural hair.

Marita A: Who are your YouTube or Facebook “hairspirations”?

Temeka: I do not have any on YouTube or Facebook, when I’m in the mood for a different style I usually do a Google search. I don’t have a particular “go to” person. However, I love to read the stories on BGLH.com.

Marita A: What was the most difficult part of transitioning to natural?

Temeka: The most difficult part of my transition was finding styles that matched both textures. Once I was all-natural, the hard part was figuring out what products work. As my hair grows, it likes different products than it did when it was shorter.

Marita A: How did your family, friends, spouse or significant other react to your hair’s new kinky texture?

Temeka: My husband loved it. My family was not happy and still aren’t after all this time. I get comments like “I wish you would just perm that nappy stuff”.

Marita A: What’s in your makeup bag?

Temeka: Mary Kay products: eyeliner and mascara are must haves for my daily routine. I also love colorful eye shadow; I usually try to match to my outfit. I also like tinted lip gloss.

Marita A: What is your wash day routine like?

Temeka: First, I part my hair into four sections and wash with Cantu Shea Shampoo. I detangle with VO5 moisture milk and deep condition for about 30 minutes under a bag with Cantu Shea wash out conditioner. I then use the Cantu leave-in conditioner along with coconut oil, and put a few flat twists in and let it dry. I never let my hair dry without being in twists; it would be a tangled mess. I’m currently trying to find new products since these do not seem to give me as much moisture as they used to.

Marita A: How do you keep your skin naturally beautiful?

Temeka: I drink a lot of water, cleanse daily with Ambi and moisturize with a little shea butter. I get regular facials, and try to keep my hands and hair out of my face.

Marita A: Did you go through any kind of personal/spiritual transformation while going through the process of going natural?

Temeka: No. I just loved exploring the texture of my hair and the various styles. I love how my hair can take on any shape I want.

Marita A: What are some of your favorite hair styles?

Temeka: A wild and big twist out! I also like an asymmetrical chunky fro.

Marita A: What encouragement can you give to someone who maybe considering going natural?

Temeka: Do not expect your hair to look like someone else’s. Try different styles, and research how to keep your hair moisturized and untangled. Do not let other’s opinions of your hair sway your decision to grow out your natural texture. Have fun exploring all the new styles you can wear!

Looking for support and encouragement with your natural hair? Join Chicago’s largest natural beauty community click here for more information.