JANUARY FEATURED QUEEN

JANUARY CURLY QUEEN: AMANDA VASQUEZ

HAPPY NEW YEAR QUEENS!!

New beginnings, new chapter of life! As Curly Queen Kit proceeds with the New Year, still we have the same tradition for having a featured Queen of the Month! This January, we would like to present to you, AMANDA VASQUEZ (@amanduh_panduh5) as our Curly Queen Kit featured Queen!! 💜 Let us be inspired on her curly hair journey and let us know how she started this wonderful journey. Check her out also at our Monthly Magazine included in our Curly Queen Kit for FREE!

Name:

AMANDA VASQUEZ

What is your Social media handle?

@amanduh_panduh5

Why do you want to be the Featured Queen and share your story?

I want to be the featured queen and share my story because I want to inspire others within the curly hair community to embrace their natural curls and know that just because your hair may not look or feel the way you want it to now it does not mean that it will not get better. It will! As long as you are patient, consistent, and trust the process you will get to where you want to be.

When did you decide to go natural?

I decided to go natural on January 1st, 2020

What Made you go to Natural?

I decided to go natural because I looked back at old photos of when I was younger and saw that my curls used to look so much better and my hair used to be so long & thick. I was hoping that going natural would allow me to get my curls back to how they used to be or to an even better state.

How would you describe your “Hair Type”?

My hair type is a mixture between 3B & 3C curls. I also have medium to dense hair meaning that it is not too thick but also not thin.

What was it like growing up with your hair type?

Growing up with my hair type was quite difficult because I did not know how to properly manage and care for my hair. My hair would either be in a protective style or curly & tangled. Whenever I would go to a hair salon I would always straighten my hair rather than embrace my curls because I never had someone to look up to for inspiration. Whenever I would look through magazines I would rarely see any females with curly hair. It wasn’t until I was older and started watching other women within the curly hair community on YouTube that I learned how to properly care for and style my hair.

What does a “wash day” look like for you?

On a typical wash day, I start off by applying deep conditioner to my hair. I then cover my hair with a plastic shower cap and my thermal hot hair cap for 30 - 45 minutes. This allows the deep conditioner to penetrate into my hair, leaving it moisturized and shiny. I then detangle my hair using my detangling brush and wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner. While my hair is still wet I then rake in my leave-in conditioner & curl cream. I then use my Denman Brush to evenly brush the product through my hair and create curl clumps. I then follow through with scrunching and grazing in gel and diffuse my hair until dry. Once dry I use a sealing oil to break the curl cast and fluff my roots.

What is your perspective on having curly hair?

I love having curly hair because I can do so many different hairstyles and express my personality through my hair. Anyone with curly hair should embrace it because only 65% of the US population actually has curly hair so why not embrace every unique curl!

What is the first thing you check when you try a new product?

When trying a new product I always check the brand to confirm that their mission aligns with my journey & values. I then research the ingredients to confirm that they are clean, natural ingredients. I also confirm the possible side effects of the ingredients and read customer reviews on the product website.

How do you manage your hair to keep it protective and stylish during your travel?

When traveling it really depends on the type of climate and weather of the location that I’m traveling to. Depending on the travel destination I will switch it up between a braided protective style or curls. If I know that I’m going to be in the sun then I always apply a sun protector product to my hair and wear a hat. If I know that I am going to be in the pool then I will be sure to style my hair with a leave-in conditioner and deep condition my hair during the week.

In this holiday season, what’s your favorite thing to do with your curls?

I love to leave my curls down and embrace my curly bangs.

When did you decide to try different products for your hair and why?

I decided to try different products for my hair once I learned about the DevaCurl lawsuit. After comparing my hair health and side effects with others impacted within the curly hair community I quickly realized that I was a victim as well. I was then on a mission to find products that would help my hair recover and improve my hair health.

How do you take care of your hair during Transitioning season?

Deep condition once a week, shampoo my hair with a detox shampoo every three washes, do daily scalp massages & sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet.

What is your hair length goal? And Why?

My hair length goal is for it to reach the middle of my back. I would love for my hair to reach this length because I would love to be able to do two French braids and have my hair still be long and thick.

If you can tell anyone starting their journey health or hair, what would it be? Anything Else To Share?

Do not compare your hair or health to anyone else’s. Embrace your own journey and try to document your progress by either taking photos monthly or documenting it in a journal. Although you may not see your result improve often or on a daily basis you eventually will when looking back in a few months.

What is your message to the curly girl's community out there?

Trust the process! Your curly hair journey is what you make it so take time to be consistent, do your research, try different products, try different styling methods and take note of what works for your hair and what doesn’t. The curly hair community is so supportive so take advantage of it. Try to learn from others and don’t hesitate to ask questions. We are all in this together!