What is your name and your profession? I am Jasmine Chevonne Howard and I am a recent graduate from Sam Houston State University. What city are you from? I am from the lovely city of Houston, Texas. Why did you go natural? I went natural because I wanted healthy hair that I would not get frustrated with. The first part I got, the second part not so much! Lol. When I was relaxed, I had a problem area near my nape that would always break off and cause me to have to cut my hair shorter and shorter even though the rest of my hair was healthy. It got so bad that my relaxed hair broke off and I had maybe 1 inch of natural hair in that particular spot. I had all this hair on my head that I couldn’t style the way I wanted, so at that moment, I decided to make a change. How long have you been natural and when did you BC? I have been natural for 11 months now. I stopped getting relaxers in May 2013 once I realized I had little control over my hair breakage and after that, I transitioned for two months. I did the Big Chop July 20th, 2013 What are your staple products and hairstyles? I only pick out products that have ingredients that work well on my hair like Aloe Vera Gel, Avocado Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Keratin, Wheat proteins, Mango Butter and Shea Butter. Deep Conditioner: Cantu Shea Butter Leave- In Conditioning Repair Cream or One n only Brazilian Tech Keratin Deep Penetrating Conditioner. Conditioner: Walgreens Brand Studio 35 Beauty Keratin Conditioner does wonders for my hair and it’s really affordable! It gives my hair slip to detangle, smells great and leaves my hair super soft. Oils: I tend to lean toward avocado oil or any oiling product that has avocado in it. Coconut oil does not make my hair feel good in raw form but it will accept a diluted version of this oil mixed with others like olive oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, etc. Moisturizer and detangling: Aloe Vera Gel; it’s versatility makes it great for my hair and skin. I recently started using African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Curl Pudding that retains my moisture like a dream but I haven’t used it long enough to give it many props but in the past, I have gotten consistent good results with Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk. Shampoo: I often use Mill Creek Biotin Shampoo available cheap at HEB and GNC. It’s made from all natural and organic ingredients. For co-washing, I use As I Am Cleansing Co-Wash As far as hairstyles go, I learned from my grandmother who STILL has mid back length hair at 91 years old to keep my hair put away as much as possible. My protective styles vary and sometimes I don’t use them at all but I maintain balance by listening to what my hair wants and needs. I often have on a beenie, a hat, a scarf, or twists or braids to protect my hair. I even ever wigs! If I can’t cover my hair, I rock a puff, fro-hawk, blown-out afro or just wear my twist out or braid out wild and free!