Where do you live?
S: I Live in Sweden, south part in the city called Malmoe, born and raised here. My mother is Swedish and my father is from the Caribbean island of Martinique. I’m educated in graphic communications and project management.
What’s interesting about Sweden?
S: There is a lot of cultural diversity. You can find all types of people; Arabs, Africans, Chinese, etc. Also, the landscape is very beautiful, especially during the summertime.
Why did you go natural?
S: I made the decision to go natural when I was around 16 (9 years ago) because my hair was so damaged. I have always throughout my life wanted to be natural, but I had a complex because I was teased a lot by other children growing up.
Back in the day in Sweden there were not many afro salons and my mother didn’t know how to care for and treat afro hair. So the easy way was just to relax it. My father did not like that I put lot of chemicals in my hair, and told me so. I thought about what he said and realized that I shouldn’t deny who I am and what God gave me. My hair was something beautiful that I should embrace.
So I decided one day to stop relaxing. The change was kind of hard. Now, through years of experience, I know how to care for and treat natural hair. And trust me I will never ever go back to relaxing again.
What is the natural hair scene like in Sweden?
S: Unfortunately you don’t see many black women wear their own natural hair. They’re using wigs or weaves. Women who are natural usually wear their hair like me; in a combed out afro of a big puff… sometimes braids.
Natural hair is more accepted today but i don’t think many women have the self-confidence to do it. Also, many simply do not know how to handle it.
What’s your regimen?
S: I wash my hair only once a week. I use the products Mixed Chicks and sometimes Redken. I’ve tried various products over the years but feel Mixed Chicks is perfect. You have to experiment with products to see what suits your hair. Of course I sleep with a scarf at night so I don’t get big knots or ruin the curls.
What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?
S: I have dyed it a lot. I dyed it the same color as Beyonce’s 2 or 3 years ago and it ruined my hair overall. Since we have a fairly dry hair type, dyeing is not good for your hair.
What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
S: A deep conditioner once a week and let it dry by itself without a hair dryer.
What would you like to see in your country in terms of haircare?
S: I would like to see a larger market for afro haircare. It is basically only a market for the white people in the hair industry. There are afro salons here, but not as many as the USA. I would also love to see a magazine market focused on afro hair and skin care.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
S: Unfortunately, I do not blog, but perhaps I should start… we’ll see. You can find me on Facebook.
