Tell us about yourself.
My name is Regina D’Andrea Wright, but my friends and family refer to me as Gina! I was born in South Carolina, but was raised in Chicago, Illinois. I attended college at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina and lived in Georgia for 2 years where I taught Spanish. From there, I relocated to Monterey, California to attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

What made you decide to go natural?
I was tired of the gratuitous damage caused by excessive heat styling (flat ironing 1-2 times per week) and the thinning hair that wouldn’t grow past my shoulders from extreme relaxers. My hair was holding on by a thread and I was really tired of that “burnt” smell whenever my hair got wet. LOL! I also hated running from rain showers and swimming. It was time for a change…

I transitioned for a few months, but at the time I was very uneducated about the importance of moisture retention, and I did not have a regimen, so my hair dried out and got even thinner. That was when I made the snap decision to end my transition period and big chopped on a whim at Wal-Mart ($12.00) on May 7, 2008. Over the following months, I was very disappointed in myself because I jumped right into caring for a hair type that I had never really seen. (My mother pressed and relaxed my hair starting at age 5). I did not know how to properly take care of it and I was very unhappy with my length (or lack thereof, LOL). After a while of trying products and “regimens” that just didn’t work, I happened across the naturallycurly.com message board and also began stalking albums of naturals with similar hair textures. I was introduced to better co-washing techniques, different protective styles, a long listing of non-sulfate shampoos, and a company by the name of Qhemet Biologics that (unbeknownst to me at the time) would end up carrying 4 of my current moisturizing staples! Long story short, I revamped my regimen, got rid of the bogus trial products and began spending more quality time with my hair!

What’s your hair routine?
I shampoo my hair weekly with a diluted non-sulfate shampoo (my faves, Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa or Kinky-Curly Come Clean) using a color applicator bottle to distribute the shampoo and warm-water mixture at the root (saves money by using less shampoo and also gets all of the buildup off the scalp). I follow with a deep conditioning treatment using Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner or a mixture of Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa with 3/4 cup of warmed Olive Oil and Honey mixed together. I let it stay on the hair under a shower cap and wrapped towel for 45 minutes or so and rinse. I detangle and apply my favorite moisturizers: Qhemet Amla and Olive Heavy Cream, or Burdock Root Butter Cream, or Olive and Honey Hydrating Balm on each section of hair. I either box-braid or chunky twist and let air-dry. Whenever I want a wash and go, I co-wash with Aussie Moist or Suave Naturals Aloe and Waterlily Conditioner, I detangle with Kinky-Curly Knot Today and my Jilbere Shower Comb and apply a dollop of Honeybush Tea Gel to each section while it’s sopping wet, shake, and allow to air-dry.

Once a month, I clarify using diluted Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo and I also do a once per month Rhassoul Deep Conditioning Treatment using Anita Grant Rhassoul Cubes and hot Coconut Milk. I apply it to clean hair, leave on for 45 minutes under a shower cap and rinse.

What are your least favorite products?
My hair LOATHES AND DESPISES coconut oil, palm oil, Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner, Hollywood Beauty Carrot Creme, Curls LLC products, DevaCurl Products, Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, Karen’s Body Beautiful Products. (LOL, my hair is very temperamental!) All of these products either sit on top of my hair and do nothing, or they dry it out. No fun

What do you like about being natural?
I love not having the burnt flat-iron smell on my hair anymore! I’m really excited about not having to use heat to achieve beautiful styles! Now, I really enjoy humidity, rain, and the fact that I don’t have to worry about being dropped off on a desert island and not being able to re-touch my new-growth every 6 weeks! LOL. Most of all, I’m so pleased with the health of both my scalp and hair and the fact that my hair grows so much quicker than it ever did with all my bad former habits!