Meet Nicole
I came across this lovely naturalista by accident one day on You Tube while randomly checking out videos . Her huge curls caught my eye so I immediately clicked and her personality won me over. Check out my interview and you will see why!
What is your favorite era as far as fashion and hair?
My favorite era for fashion would definitely be the 80s. I just love all the wild and bright colors back then. I love that things didn’t have to match and people took risks with different combinations. Fashion is definitely a cycle and you can see things starting to come right back around. As far as hair, I would have to say the ‘Diana Ross era’ lol I am a HUGE FAN of big hair. The bigger, the better! My goal is to have her volume and length (well even though hers was a wig/weave that’s ok) J
Name 5 things you love about your hair.
I love that my hair is big, puffy & curly. I love that it is very unique and also that I can have perfectly defined curls or frizzy wild curls if I want.
Why did you start vlogging?
I actually started vlogging in order to document my natural hair journey. I wanted to see how my hair would change throughout the months and then I think I just got addicted to making videos.
What drew me to your channel was of course your beautiful hair but more importantly your beautiful personality. What do you feel are the characteristics of a good vlogger?
Oh my goodness you are just too sweet! Why thank you J Well, the characteristics of a good vlogger is that you are honest and transparent. On my channel, what you see is the real deal. If you ask my family and friends, they will tell you that the silly, crazy, sometimes unpredictable person you see in my videos is the way I am in person. I want my viewers to feel like they know me.
Do you subscribe to the hair typing system? Does it serve a real purpose?
No I really don’t get caught up in the hair typing system. I honestly feel like it does more harm then good. It causes division in the natural hair community. We tend to get fixated on wanting our hair to be a certain curl size or type, or thinking that one is ‘better’ than the other. I truly believe that hair porosity and texture is way more important than the size of our curls, especially when trying to decide what products to use on our hair.
You do a lot of product reviews which I deem very helpful. What is your favorite go- to product as of late and why?
My all time favorite products are definitely Kinky Curly Curling Custard and Kinky Curly Knot Today. I really should own stock in this company or at least be a spokesperson for them lol. I have been using them for almost two years now and they never fail me. I keep trying new things and nothing ever compares to these two products. I am a ‘product junkie’ though so I’ll always try a new product out, but no matter what, I always know that I can fall back on my trusty Kinky Curly.
Do you ever get negative comments about your natural hair from fellow naturals? I often get comments such as “your hair doesn’t count because you have good hair” and I find it very disheartening.
Yes unfortunately every now and then I get accused of ‘not being black’ because my curls aren’t tight enough. I just take it with a grain of salt. In the beginning I used to get upset and always feel like I have to defend myself. However now I just ignore it because it’s just ignorance. Lol, we are all entitled to our opinions, however we don’t all know the true facts of what we are insinuating sometimes.
In light of the recent controversy surrounding over the Type F videos, do you feel a sense of responsibility for the material you put on your YouTube channel?
Absolutely! That’s why I’m very honest about products and techniques that either work or don’t work for me. I also think it’s important to note that everybody’s hair is different and will not respond the same way as another person’s hair. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of opinion and personal preference.
Your hair has grown so much in such a very short time. What has been the key to length retention? (I saw your video but for those who haven’t, please share J)
The keys to retaining my length havebeen a few things. I ALWAYS either wear a satin bonnet to sleep at night or sleep on a satin pillowcase. My hair never touches a cotton sheet or pillow. Cotton tends to suck the moisture out of your hair overnight and can lead to breakage. I also cut back dramatically on using heat on my hair. I allow my hair to airdry when I do a wash and go and I only flat iron my hair about 3 times a year. I also try my best to do moisturizing deep treatments and/or protein treatments once a week while sitting under my Huetiful hair steamer. This has made a huge difference in the overall health of my hair. I also feel like you should only get trims when you need it. Some people are under the mindset that they have to trim their hair every other month. I have not had a trim in 11 months and I still don’t have any split ends. My ends are a little dry now, so I know I’m in need of a trim though.
I am huge accessory fanatic and I love unique items. The story behind your jewelry line is really heartwarming. What is your inspiration for your pieces when creating them?
My inspiration comes from so many things. It may come from color combinations that I’ve seen and I’m drawn to, or even the mood I’m feeling when I’m in my design studio. I may see a dress or a pair of shoes and I’ll start thinking about what would compliment it. I also get inspiration from my husband J He has such an excellent eye for fashion and gives me advice from time to time.
How do you find time to do your jewelry line?
Well when you are passionate about something, you make time. I work full time and when I come home I sometimes put in another 6-7 hours working on jewelry. It’s therapeutic for me and represents so much more than just ‘jewelry’ for me. My motivation is my late great-grandmother ‘Mama Ivy’ I know she is looking down on me smiling. That keeps me going every day. (even when I feel like I’m getting carpal tunnel lol)
Do you make specialized one of a kind pieces by customer request?
Yes, depending on the request, I can make one of a kind pieces. However I’ll always be honest if it is something I don’t think I am able to do.
One last question about your hair. Do you change your hair care based on the seasons? If so, what will it be for the fall?
Not really, I basically do the same wash and go routine throughout the year. In the fall, I may do more moisturizing deep treatments because the weather tends to be a little drier.
Check out Nicole’s YouTube channel and stay connected with her through her twitter! Look for that special accessory? Shop IvyCharlaine by clicking here.
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