Interview With Shelli The Creator of Hairscapades

Shelli I know you are all natural, what is your story? How did you get to where you are?

I got my first relaxer and hair cut at 13 at a salon. From then on, either my mom or I relaxed my hair once every 6 months with a home perm. Even though I had a relaxer, I wore my hair curly 90% of the time, because I worked out 5-6 days a week and I sweat like a race horse.

With that said keeping my hair straight, without damaging it daily with a flat iron*, was an impossible task. Flash forward to age 28. I went to a Dominican doobie spot to get my hair straightened. The “stylist” insisted that I had to get a relaxer for her to do my hair and in her over-zealous fervor, she overlapped the relaxer onto my previously treated hair. Shortly thereafter, my hair started to break off badly so that was pretty much it for me, I was done with relaxers.

I allowed my hair to grow out for another 6 months and then big chopped, that was 12 1/2 years ago. Oh, and I big chopped again in ’07 or ’08. Don’t really remember. It was one of those, “I need a change,” bad break-up things ;)!

How would you describe your texture?

My hair has changed as I’ve gotten older. In my 20s and early 30s, I think I was mostly a 3c, sharpie marker sized curls, but with various textures throughout. In my late 30s, my hair started to loosen and now I have 4-5 textures that range from almost straight at my nape to 3c/4a at my crown. The front and nape are pretty silky, shiny and with normal density. My crown is coarser/kinkier, the strands are finer and more breakage prone and porous, but that’s where I have my greatest density.

What is your typical weekly regimen?

Once a week, I usually pre-poo with a mix of Vatika Oil and Aubrey GPB and/or Honeysuckle Rose conditioner. Then, I wash with whatever shampoo I’m feeling at the moment. Right now, it’s Shea Moisture Raw Shea Moisture Retention Shampoo. I tend to dilute my shampoo in a dye applicator bottle* with water.

I finger detangle with lots of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration and then, I deep condition for about an hour with heat. I allow my hair to cool for 10 minutes or so and then “seal” by applying diluted Herbal Essence Hello Hydration directly over the deep conditioner* and rinse with cool/cold water.

After my final rinse I then apply my leave-in, which varies, and will usually set my hair in a braid and curl. Sometimes I use a styler and/or gel with the leave-in, sometimes I don’t. If I don’t have an oil in my leave-in, I’ll seal with an oil, typically Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO*) or, my new go-to, my coconut oil* whip!!

How do you usually wear your hair?

I typically do a braid and curl or twist and curl to stretch my hair and wear it in an updo 5-6 days a week.

How do you combat dryness?

I find that my wash day routine helps keep my hair moisturized throughout the week. If it feels dry between wash sessions, I’ll apply a moisturizing styler and seal with an oil.

Any favorite hair products?

Yes!! My Holy Grail/Staples are Vatika Oil, Aubrey GPB conditioner, DevaCare No Poo (but, I’ve gotten away from that lately), Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, Darcy’s Botanicals Pumpkin Seed Rinse conditioner, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Wonder Curl Butter Than Love Pudding and henna for the color and conditioning benefits.

As I said above, lately I’ve been really digging a homemade coconut oil* whip that I started using in December. Oh!! And I really am liking the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Reconstructive Elixir.

I love reading your fabulous blog, tell us about Hairscapades and what it means to you.

Awwww, thank you!!! Ahhh, Hairscapades is a labor of love. I started it about a year and a half ago after the urging of virtual friends. I was participating in the NaturallyCurly.com/Curly Nikki Grow Out Challenge and maintaining a blog there and I was encouraged to start a “real” blog so I decided to give it a whirl.

It is a lot, a LOT of work, an addiction and I’m obsessed with it!! I have so many ideas and not enough time or energy to write them all!! I also struggle with balancing the rest of my life (exercise, housecleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.) But, I’m working on it.

Right now, I’m making it take a back seat to my health, fitness and life needs, I’m still posting, but not at the frequency of 3 times a day like I did in the past. Now, I’m down to about 5-7 posts a week. But seriously, if I could do it full-time, I would!!

Because of the sheer volume of natural hair it can be overwhelming for someone considering transitioning. What is the best advice you can give newly natural ladies in dealing with their hair?

My two words of simple wisdom for the last 12 1/2 years have been:
1. Don’t comb your hair unless it’s wet and loaded with conditioner.
2. Condition, condition, condition.
That was pretty much my mantra long before “Natural” was the movement that it currently is.

If you could share one hair tip that you were given that has helped you on your journey, what would that tip be?

Wasn’t the above my hair tip?! LOL!! Okay, the tip that was shared with me that was so helpful to me was, use a leave-in conditioner* and comb it through prior to styling. Saved me a world of hurt on wash day!!

Where can we find you online?

Lots of places!! You can find me on my blog, www.Hairscapades.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube as Hairscapades!!