F E AT U R E
Luyanda’s top tips:
• When applying products to your hair –
remember to focus on the ends of the hair
because they are the oldest and need the
most amount of TLC.
• Limit the usage of heat on your hair - I
know that we love using blow dryers and hair
straighteners to style our hair but heat tends to
damage the follicles causing breakage.
Luyanda Mhlauli
A trainee auditor at RMB, says she doesn’t
consider herself poetic or afro-centric as per
natural hair stereotypes, “hair is hair”.
• When using products, make sure that water
is the first ingredient in the list. And check
the bottle for things like petrolatum that do
not provide any nutritional benefit to hair.
IMBO: What inspires you to keep your hair
natural? Is there a deeper meaning to your
hairstyle other than the fact that it looks good?
Luyanda: The better health, versatility and
volume inspired me. When I used to relax
my hair, it was very thin and used to break a
lot (back then I thought that this was normal).
Ever since I started taking care of my hair, I
no longer see pieces on the floor after I’ve
styled it. With less breakage I see my hair
grow longer and fuller than before, and I
love big hair! If your hair is healthy and well
looked after, it will grow longer, proving that
black people can grow long beautiful hair.
Versatility is probably the biggest motivator
for me. Before I used to think that natural
hair was boring because there was nothing
that I could do with it. But now I’ve realized
that it can do what my relaxed hair used to
and more. I can straighten my hair to make it
look like its relaxed, I can do twist outs, braid
outs, use curling instruments and so much
more to achieve different hair styles. And the
best part is that my hair has so much volume,
so I don’t have to use extensions anymore.
IMBO/ ISSUE 32/ '14
Buhlali Qina
Account Executive at Sabio Communications
believes, “There is nothing more beautiful
than a woman embracing her beauty.” She
went on to say that her dreadlocks helped
her learn to love herself, as she was, in her
most natural form.
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