Exclusive Interview with Whitney White of Naptural85!

Thanks for taking the time to chat! First off I’d like to say congrats on your new baby girl! How does it feel to be a new mother? 

Thank you so much! It feels amazing!! At first, I was really overwhelmed! As a new mom, you think it’ll be all peaches and cream, but in the beginning it’s really overwhelming getting used to having a baby and learning how to care for her! But now I’m used to her and her schedule; we’re synched and I am absolutely loving the experience, exhaustion and all! She’s my little peanut!

So tell us your hair story…? 

I’ve always enjoyed experimenting and playing in my hair! Around the age of 12 years old, I remember wanting my hair to be straight all the time; I just wanted to look like everyone else in my school, and everyone had straight hair! So fast forward to college, I started getting lazier with my styling due to my heavy workload. I started wearing my hair curly, just because it was easier, and realized that I really liked it like that! Not only was it easier, but my hair looked healthier, and I looked different from the rest of the girls at my school! (This was the transition period from wanting to look like everyone else to wanting to be an individual and be unique…plus, I was an art student and was always looking for new ways to express myself.)

My husband, then boyfriend, never liked my straight hair, he had always encouraged me to just stop getting relaxers and wear my natural curls, and one day I decided… why not!? I kept telling myself that I could never wear my natural curls, that I couldn’t survive without a relaxer, but one day it just clicked in my head… why not!? I decided that I was through with my relaxer and was going to embark on a new journey. I wanted to know what it was like to be chemical-free. I wanted to experience my hair in its natural state, the way it was intended.

What made you want to start documenting your natural hair journey through your website and YouTube channel Naptural85?

Once I decided to go natural, I needed inspiration! I needed to know what the heck I was getting myself into! So I searched the internet for African-American hair and found YouTube! There were a small amount of women on YouTube sharing their natural hair tips and I was so inspired by them! But it would turn out that my hair texture would look like none of the women I researched. Their hair was either really loose or really thick and my hair seemed to be in the middle… so I had to figure out what worked best for my unique 4a hair texture. I posted one video, My Natural Hair Journey, to thank the women who inspired me to go natural and to hopefully inspire someone else to go natural! I got a lot of positive feedback from that video and encouragement to make more! I never had any intention of making more videos… but I soon found myself experimenting, and going through trial and error, and I found myself thinking, “Hey, there might be someone else out there with my texture too and this could help them!” Since my first video was met with positive feedback, I decided to grab my camera, and share more tips that I found useful for my 4a hair! And that’s how the channel was born!

Name 3 hair products you absolutely can’t live without and why?

1) Water. Yup, I consider water a hair product, lol! Why not, I use it as such! I can NOT live without water. Not only is it the main source of moisture for my hair, but it also helps me to finger detangle, and style. It’s one of the most important tools in my natural hair care tool box!

2) Shea Butter. Yeah, you knew it was coming… I love shea butter; a little goes a long way! It’s such an inexpensive way to naturally seal the moisture into my hair! It also helps me to finger detangle (after applying water, of course) and the natural minerals, and the oils I add to it, really help to support the health of my hair!

3) Organic Mud Wash. I love using my natural clay wash from the Terressentials brand. It’s all-natural, extremely gentle and non-stripping, and it helps with detangling also! Again, a little goes a long way on this one! I also love it in conjunction with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse!

What tips/suggestions do you have for other naturals?

My biggest tip for other naturals is don’t get frustrated! Expect your hair to be dry and tangled, and once it happens you won’t be disappointed! There’s no avoiding it, it’s the nature of our hair to be dry and prone to tangles. Just make sure you are doing your best to moisturize daily using water or a water-based product, and when your hair gets dry, just breathe, deep condition, and moisturize again. There’s no cure for dry hair, remember that, it’s just a matter of maintaining the moisture.

Who are some of your favorite bloggers and vloggers?

I have an eclectic group of favorites when it comes to online media! I enjoy watching  SxePhil, SourceFed, MichellePhan, ItsJudyTime, ShirleyBEniang, Jenna Marbles, FreddieW, AndreasChoice, Whoissugar, and MrsVaughnTV to name a few!

Do you have any other endeavors on the way? 

I have some projects in the works that I’m hoping to release in 2013!

As a natural hair pioneer, what advice do you have for women who are paving their own way in the natural hair community?

My biggest piece of advice is to stay true to who you are, try to learn from criticism whether it’s constructive or not, and have fun with it! What’s the point of doing something if it’s not fun! ^_^!!