Nubian Bride spoke to Aisha from My Fro & I. She chatted to us about her beautiful curls, her funky hairstyles and being part of South Africa’s growing crop of hair and beauty bloggers

My name is Aisha and my blog is called My Fro & I

When and how did your interest in hair blogging start?
It actually started out as my personal way to document all the information that I gathered when researching natural hair as well as a place where I could keep all of my thoughts, experiences with my hair in terms of what products I used, styles I’ve tried and how I was feeling at each step. It began as a private blog that I only allowed three of my close friends to read but it then blossomed into a passion that I wanted to share with other women.

What kind of hair topics and issues do you cover on your blog?
Many women shy away from going natural because they incorrectly think there’s only one or two ways they’d be able to wear their hair. Among other topics, my blog’s main focus is sharing with other women how I style my natural hair. Before going natural, I had no idea how versatile natural hair can be. You can wear your hair in many different ways other than an afro and I enjoy showing and sharing that.

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learnt through your blog (hair, fashion, personally)?
I’ve learned that hair doesn’t make or break you. It may seem like it but it really doesn’t. I used to curse my hair when it was very short, but I realise now that it actually helped me with my confidence and my style. Not to say I was a plain Jane before but I noticed that I’m much more daring with my outfit choices and my make up too. It’s the realisation that if I can walk out of my house with hair 1 inch long and the world doesn’t come to an end, I can wear whatever I want and rock it too.

Do you think it’s true that there is a connection between a women’s self esteem and her hair?
Definitely. If you don’t like something -  anything about yourself, it will affect your confidence. So if your hair isn’t right or you’re having a bad hair day then it will probably make you feel sad or frustrated. We all want to look good so our hair applies.

What are your three ultimate hair maintenance rules?
Before I mention these I just want to say that everyone’s hair is different and these are the rules that have worked for myself and some of my readers who have similar hair texture to mine

• Never comb your hair dry and with a fine toothed comb. It hurts and breaks your hair. Try to only comb when your hair’s damp with conditioner on your wash day. You don’t need to comb it everyday.

• Keep your hair stretched to lessen the knots your hair gets when it curls on itself. Wash your hair, detangle it then twist or braid it so it doesn’t dry unstretched. It really helps with knots and breakage.

• Moisturise. Our hair’s naturally very dry because our naturally secreted oils don’t reach far down the curly hair shaft so it needs more moisture than other hair types. And by moisture I mean water or a water based lotion, not oil. I use my Daily Spritz to battle this.

What one thing that everyone (naturals, relaxed, weaves, dreadlocks) can start doing today to get healthier hair?
Listen to your hair. It sounds crazy but it really does tell you what it needs. You need to keep an eye on how it reacts to certain products and practices and adapt your technique accordingly.

Please share your three absolute favourite hair styles
Wow, this is hard as I have so many favourites! But here are three of my faves

1. Side fro: It’s simple, easy and instantly ‘tidies’ up my hair without it looking too slick. I love the funky and young look of this style and it goes with anything and can be worn anywhere.

2. Free fro: I love this when I’m giving my hair a break from being pinned down or a protective style and also when I’m in a hurry. It’s getting a bit harder to pull off as it grows longer because some parts don’t react like other parts and it’s harder to hide

3. Semi fro hawk: Again, it’s simple and has been my go to style since I was about 3 months natural. I love its edginess.

For more hair care advice and hairstyle ideas you can check out Aisha’s blog My Fro & I, plus this lady has an amazing wardrobe and always has an interesting story to share.  And because she is so great, we will be sharing more from her blog from time to time. Thanks Aisha!!!!