Sunday Spotlight With Curly Nu Growth

Sunday Spotlight With Curly Nu Growth

By:  Lauren Francis-Jackson

 

 

Sunday Spotlight features business owners, bloggers, natural divas, beauty companies, and more as they share their story with The Sisterlocked Diva family!  Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Curly Nu Growth, a fellow natural hair blogger in the DMV!  Check out my interview with Curly Nu Growth as she shares her passions other than hair, why she cut her sisterlocks, and her new blogger ventures! 

The Sisterlocked Diva: I saw on Instagram that you were a guest stylist at NNatural Hair Studio today!

Curly Nu Growth: Yeah, one of their stylists went to the ER!  The sick stylist had a full schedule, and I have helped out there before so I stepped in to help out.

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Oh no!  I hope she’s ok!

Curly Nu Growth:  Yeah I hope so too!

The Sisterlocked Diva: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, Jocelyn!  Tell me about your natural journey.

Curly Nu Growth:  My natural journey has been a learning experience!  I have done a lot with my hair.  I have been natural for 4 years as of today.  I did the BC on Inauguration Day 2009.  I was a loose natural for 21 months before getting sisterlocks.   After being sisterlocked for 2 years, I was a loose natural for 6 weeks before starting traditional locs. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Wow!  You have had quite a journey in four years!  What led you to sisterlocks?

Curly Nu Growth:  I was doing lots of puffs and kinky twists mainly because my time was limited with all the transitions in my life.  I just moved to a new area, and graduated from college. I asked my readers what I should do next with my hair—locs or another big chop.  Many of my followers thought I should lock my hair, so then after researching locks, I came across sisterlocks.  I liked how they looked, and was curious so I settled on sisterlocks. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  You recently went to the sisterlock consultant training in 2012.   What did you think about the training? Was it a major deciding factor in cutting your sisterlocks?

Curly Nu Growth:  I really enjoyed it and I learned all about my sisterlocks.  I learned more in that week than over the 2 years I had sisterlocks.  My consultant did not explain to me fully on what I was doing wrong.  The class really prepares you for any situation you may face as a consultant.  Dr. Joanne Cromwell is amazing! I made repairs to my sisterlocks, applying what I learned in the training.  What I learned about sisterlocks wasn’t a factor in me cutting them completely off though.  My hair didn’t look like what I wanted.  I didn’t have the pattern grid that is characteristic of sisterlocks, or the uniform look to my locks.  I had great variability in my locks, including bunching and stringy ends. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Did you regret the decision to cut your hair?

Curly Nu Growth:  Before I chopped them, my thought was that I would repair them to get my sisterlocks back on track.  However, since I have cut them I did not regret my decision.  I realized with my busy schedule and recent transition to full time stylist, it was time for my hair to change to fit my life.

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Whatever your hair routine may be, it needs to fit your life!  What were the major factors in deciding to loc again with traditional locks?

Curly Nu Growth:  I am everywhere—natural hair stylist, fashion boutique, web designer!  My lifestyle is busy and traditional locks just fit it in with my life!  I can do them myself and I can retwist in 30 minutes. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  I do like easy maintenance with a busy life!  What part of your natural journey have you enjoyed the most? Why?

Curly Nu Growth: I’ve enjoyed all the stages because I learned a lot of myself and my hair.  I would say my favorite time was my first big chop!  I was an educator to my friends and family who were mostly relaxed.  I had some crazy comments from family saying I looked like a slave and asked if I was going through something. 

The Sisterlocked Diva: Wow, that slave comment was powerful!  At the time, how did you feel?  Did it discourage you?

Curly Nu Growth:  I always remained positive!  I would educate my friends and family who did not know much about natural hair.  Even though it took time, they slowly came around to accepting my hair. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  That can be a great part of our journey—moving others towards acceptance of natural hair!  Let’s switch gears a bit!  How long have you been a natural stylist?

Curly Nu Growth: Officially, I have been a natural stylist for 6 to 7 months.  I have been working at a hair salon since 12.  In the beginning, I worked as shampoo assistant, swept up hair, and as a salon receptionist.  I loved the world of hair always, so I decided to quit my job and pursue my passion for hair full time. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Wow, many women are stepping out of their corporate jobs and pursuing entrepreneurship!  Was it an easy decision?

Curly Nu Growth: No not really!  I was just tired of my job and feeling stressed.  I definitely had to adjust my lifestyle when choosing to pursue my passion for hair, fashion, and web design.  

The Sisterlocked Diva:  When did you quit your job to pursue your passion for hair? Have you been licensed as a cosmetologist?

Curly Nu Growth:  I have worked as a natural stylist since June 2012. You don’t have to be licensed to do natural hair in the state of Maryland, however I want the education to know about the science of hair and informed hair care.  Currently, I am an apprentice of a licensed master cosmetologist. 

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Why did you begin blogging about your journey? Was it always the plan to blog about it long term?

Curly Nu Gorwth:  When I started my blog, it was solely about my journey.  I wanted to have a central location where I could have a written account of what I was doing with my hair.  It just happened that I was getting comments, and people were asking for help with their hair.  In my time as a blogger, I have taken a break for months and people have inquired about my absence on social media and wondered if I was okay.  It became a community for all lovers of natural hair. 

The Sisterlocked Diva: What advice would you give a natural hair blogger just beginning?

Curly Nu Growth: There are a lot a natural blogs out here!  If you are doing it for yourself, then go for it!  If you are doing it for fame, then collaborate with other bloggers.  Be a contributor to other blogs, and do events with other bloggers. 

The Sisterlocked Diva: Which blogs do you frequent?

Curly Nu Growth: I regularly follow Hair-Gets-Kinky.com, The-Good-Hair-Blog.com, and Chescalocs (YouTube), just to name a few!

The Sisterlocked Diva:  I love it!  Any big natural hair event plans for you for 2013?

Curly Nu Growth: I am planning a lot of great things in 2013!  I can’t say too much about that—much of it is connected to my talk show, The Mane Definition!

The Sisterlocked Diva:  Awesome!  A talk show?? When did that start?

Curly Nu Growth:  May 2012.  It has 3 hosts me, Crystal from Kinky Hair Affair and Jess from Hair Gets Kinky.  It features a variety of things including things we are going through, hair care, tips for the guys, featured YouTubers bloggers, how to make your own hair care products, and much more!

The Sisterlocked Diva:  So you have the talk show now, does this mean you are not doing meetups anymore?

Curly Nu Growth: No, I am still doing meetups with the other ladies from the talk show!  The Mane Definition Events is my new meetup collaboration with the ladies from the talk show!  Individually we host meetups, but it is under the brand The Mane Definition!

The Sisterlocked Diva:  I will have to check your show out!  What do you think about major hair shows and classes? Are these worthwhile learning experiences for the DIY hair naturalista?

 Curly Nu Growth:  I went to Fro Fashion Week, Return of the Curls, and the Baltimore Natural Hair Show.  They are good inspiration and give you exposure to vendors’ products!  I would love to see smaller intimate workshops at these events.  I am going to the Bronner Brothers hair show next month.  They are good for inspiration, but small hair meetups are better for hair demonstrations and learning more how-to information. 

 

 

Thank you Curly Nu Growth for chatting with The Sisterlocked Diva about natural hair, your passions, and more!

~The Sisterlocked Diva