This is the section where I highlight some of the people who have inspired me one way or another!

Take A Look!!

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 loveislandbeauty

Jody Walker

If you’ve never come across loveislandbeauty, then you are in for a treat! I started watching her natural hair videos on YouTube – of course! :0) – and quickly noticed her simple yet sexy style and amazing make up! I find myself trying to re-create some of her make up looks… lets just say, I need a little more practice! lol!

Check out her answers to the LBN Spotlight Questions! 

How long have you been natural
I have been natural for a little over two years now. I transitioned for three months and big chopped November 20th 2009. It was the most liberating feeling in the world! Free of relaxers and completely ME.

What made you decide to go natural
Personally I feel a woman is most beautiful in her natural state. A strong, bold, fierce DOPE beautiful natural woman is breathtakingly refreshing. I wanted that. Compliments on my hair are so much better now that my hair is completely natural and mine! Before going natural I always wore weaves, and braids. The styles were cute, but they were fake. Anyone could recreate it. But my natural hair is my OWN. No one will have my curl pattern. No ones twist out will look exactly like mine. It’s a very rewarding and gratifying feeling.

Did you big chop? Or Transition?
I guess I did a little of both. Since I only transitioned for 3 months, when I big chopped my hair was extremely short. I got to enjoy every stage of going natural. I will never cut my hair again, so it was nice to go through the extremely short stage.

Do you think anyone can go natural?
Ofcourse! It just takes a little research on possible styles, products, and wash and twist routines that could work for you and your hair type. Youtube is a great place to start. Youtube.com/loveislandbeauty! J J lol

Is it ‘Just Hair’ or do you feel it’s more than that?
I feel It’s more than that. Natural hair is beautiful and a way of expressing your self. Everyone who goes natural and WORKS it kills the idea that natural hair is ugly and should be relaxed. It’s a movement! J

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aliciajamesmusic

Alicia James

I started watching aliciajamesmusic on YouTube a couple years ago! I love the retro styles she comes up with for her natural hair. She also makes music and I must say, so far I’ve enjoyed each song she has come out with!! I am honored to have her as an LBN Spotlight!!

Check out her answers to the LBN Spotlight Questions!

Natural Hair…

How long have you been natural

I have been natural for 40 mths not including my 7 month transition.

What made you decide to go natural

My hair was badly damaged, and literally falling out of my head

Did you big chop? Or Transition?

I transitioned for about 7-8 months and then big chopped.

Do you think anyone can go natural?

Why not?

Is it ‘Just Hair’ or do you feel it’s more than that?

I think for some people it’s just hair, and for other’s it’s bigger than that. It depends on the story behind the hair. I do think hair is a very small part of a woman, because there are so many other wonderful things about us. I also say all the time hair is basically an accessory, it completes the overall look, but it just happens to be a GREAT accessory.

Fitness…

How long have you been working out consistently?

I’ve always been the type of person to work out. If I ever fall off, I always get right back on.

Were you active in high school?

I play basketball, but I didn’t play in school, I was in chorus.

What does your workout routine consist of?

I love to dance! Dancing is a big part of my workout.

Do you have a squeaky clean diet?

HA HAAA! Not at all. I always try to be aware of how much I’m eating, I do try to avoid eating out as much as possible, but I definitely have fun every now and then!! LOL!

What would you say to someone just getting started?

Take it slow, don’t just jump into it full force. Also, be realistic create a diet and routine you can stick to for the rest of your life.

LuBellaCoils

Stacy

I first learned about LuBellaCoils on YouTube and I absolutely love watching her videos! I’ve also read her book and her natural hair journey is such an inspiration! Stacy has her own mind and makes no apologies for it! I love that and admire that about her! She is truly a beautiful woman, inside and out!

Check out her answers to the LBN Spotlight Questions!

How long have you been natural

I started my physical transformation in the fall of 1998. 13 yrs…i’ve been saying 12 or 13 so now I know. The reason I say physical transformation is because there are other components to going natural (depending on why you’re going natural). I would have to say I began the spiritual and mental transformation during adolescence. I stopped using the phrase “good hair”. I didn’t engage in conversations that mocked natural hair and praised other hair types. I didn’t refer to my hair as nappy. I still have issues with that term due to the negative connotations associated with the word. But since it’s taking on a more positive meaning I don’t feel so offended by it. I never pictured myself natural but I sure admired those who had made the transition.

What made you decide to go natural

I truly believe it was just something that was always with me. I had no natural role models. I remember being very young and being VERY offended when I heard Black people speak so poorly about their appearance. I guess maybe one good reason was because they were directly insulting me. I had tightly-coiled hair so someone talking about how ugly their tightly-coiled hair was, was in essence talking about how ugly mine was as well. I also have to add that I never experienced damaged hair. My mom is a cosmetologist and I obtained my cosmetology license not long after graduating from high school. I had long healthy relaxed hair. I say healthy because it wasn’t thinning due to over processing or using an inappropriate strength of relaxer. Lets take a moment of silence for the 4b fine haired women who used SUPER STRENGTH RELAXERS……silence…. Just because you can buy certain products without a license doesn’t mean you are knowledgeable enough to use them.

Did you big chop? Or Transition?

I BC’s when I came out of my Locs. I wore Locs for 5-6 yrs. I was told that you could take down your Locs without cutting them. Well I guess I didn’t have the patience to research it so I just chopped them off. I still had a phobia of wearing short hair. So I immediately went to the braiding salon and got zillions. My very first transition from relaxed to natural was accomplished with synthetic Locs. I was very attached to my long straight hair. I wanted to go natural but I wasn’t ready to go short lol. Before going natural I literally thought I was only limited to long straight hair. I LOVED the super short hairstyles my friends wore in high school. I LOVED seeing Locs on older women and Lauryn Hill. I LOVED Halle Berry’s short sassy cut. BUT I didn’t think any of those styles were for me. I was wrong! I wore all of the aforementioned hairstyles and some!

Do you think anyone can go natural?

Absolutely! I think people really need to think about that question. Why would God give you tightly-coiled hair that doesn’t compliment you? I don’t care what anybody say, the best straight hair i’ve ever seen was on people who naturally have straight hair. The best braids, Afros, Locs i’ve ever seen were always on a Black person. Yes Bo Derek wore those cornrows and beads and showed the world that White women can wear cornrows too. But they didn’t look as good as they do on someone with tightly-coiled hair. When something isn’t natural it will always come second place to the real thing.

Is it ‘Just Hair’ or do you feel it’s more than that?

I don’t think you’ll ever hear me say “it’s just hair”. If it’s just hair then why are Asian people getting rich off of selling hair? If it’s just hair then why is it so difficult to transition? If it’s just hair why do some Black men encourage their significant others to straighten it. If it’s just hair then why don’t we see more natural hair on runway shows and the top cosmopolitan magazines? If it’s just hair why do most Black female celebrities wear wigs? If it’s just hair why is it an issue in the workplace? If it’s just hair why did so many relaxed women back in the 90′s make it their business to approach me and question why I wore my hair “that way”? If it’s just hair then why does certain African-inspired hairstyles elicit laughter? I can go on and on but I think I’ll stop lol.

Anything else you’d like to share!?

I published a book in 2007, “Black Is Beautiful A Guide To Loving Your God-given Hair.” It documents my personal natural journey. More importantly, its main purpose is to help those women who are struggling with the idea of going natural, the idea of transitioning and the idea of STAYING natural. As a licensed cosmetologist, I do touch on the science of Black hair in some of my videos and I touch on it in my book. But my real passion is not so much addressing what’s on top of a woman’s head but what’s inside of a woman’s head. So many naturals get so caught up in all natural this and PH balance that, and moisture and retaining length, etc. All of those components are very important but if we don’t address our perception of beauty many will have healthy natural hair hidden under wigs. Am I against wigs? No. I don’t even think relaxers are bad if you know what you’re doing. I’m saddened by the reasons Black women may feel they have to wear wigs or relaxers.

Website for my book: https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.aspx?bookid=40282

My Youtube channel:

LuBellaCoils is my Youtube name. I LOVE that name! One of my subscribers from my old channel Therapy3471 gave me that name. LuBellaCoils was derived from my mother’s childhood name, Lula Bell So the name LuBella is so special to me. My birth name Stacy…is a little too common for me. I always say that my channel is not for everybody. Everybody is certainly welcomed but everybody may not enjoy my messages. The definition of natural has so many meanings today. Back when I went natural it simply meant embracing your natural coils. So I always find it funny when ppl say “You wear make-up.” I respond by telling them the other unnatural things I do like waxing, arching my eyebrows, shaving my legs, coloring my hair, and eating baby back ribs. My channel is about embracing your God-given hair. I want every Black woman to know that EVERYTHING that God made was good (Genesis 1:31). And that includes tightly-coiled hair.