How Olorisupergal’s #HerHairHerCrown campaign helped me embrace my natural hair

I was a tired naturalista. I had been through several bouts of hair loss, hair damage, thinning edges and protective styles gone south. As at December 2017, I had safely concluded that YouTube natural hair tutorials were fraudulent and those YouTubers had other suspicious means of growing their hair they just would not share.

While dealing with my natural hair woes and in-between a regrettable blowout, I stumbled on her Instagram page. Digital media expert, Tosin Ajibade popularly known as Olorisupergal was sharing photos from a natural hair campaign, HerHairHerCrown she had just started.

I was enthralled by how with each hairstyle Tosin sported, her hair obeyed. With and without extensions, Tosin shared hairstyles that signified way more than beauty but art too. With eleven brilliantly crafted and distinct looks, Tosin showed me how to fall in love my natural hair again. I knew not to give up. I knew there was a lot I could do with my hair, I just needed to be tenacious.

When I read that she had been on the natural hair journey for five years, I decided to reach out to her. Not only was I interested in why anyone would make 11 extraordinary hairstyles to show off on Instagram in the name of a campaign, I also wanted to know what kept her going so I aimed for a quick chat. Here’s how it went:

Beyond being natural for 5 years, what strongly inspired you to embark on the #HerHairHerCrown campaign?

The inspiration was to express me in different looks. The idea popped, I examined the possibilities and I went for it.

What are the common myths surrounding natural hair that you think should be corrected in the society?

So many people believe that natural hair is too much to take care of. Some people believe keeping natural hair is tough.

Did you, at any point, feel like giving up on your natural hair? If yes, what motivated you to keep going?

Not at all.

We’ve heard weary naturalistas say things like ‘what’s the end goal’, ‘what point am I trying to prove’ etc., what would you say is the point of keeping your hair natural for this long?

When I started keeping my hair, I did it for me. I didn’t look at the fact that some people had natural hair and all. Back in the days, natural hair was tagged with ‘Deeper life’ members etc. NO disrespect to any religion but it was seen that way. Today, it is a community of women who want to wear their hair and feel comfortable.

How would you rate the feedback from the campaign?

The feedback was great. Trying new styles was cool for me. I told the hair stylist I want something different from the usual and it was a success.

What is your daily hair care routine like?

I have a dry scalp so my weekly routine is to wash, deep condition and treat the scalp. I do this and within 10 days, I wash again. My go-to style is the twist. It is easy to do and maintain.

What are your favourite natural hair products that you can recommend to other naturalistas?