Featured Natural: SheDel

PC: What is your name, age, and how long have you been natural?
S: I am SheRea DelSol, but I go by SheDel for short. I just turned 20 not too long ago and February 15th will make a year and one month since I have been natural.




PC: Why did you decide to go natural?
S: I was natural for most of my life (about 15 years) until I got the bright idea that a relaxer would eliminate bad hair days and give me the more mature look I was looking for. However, I got WORSE hair days because I sweat like it’s no one’s business and you know that and a relaxer makes for HARD, frizzy hair. I also got A LOT of breakage. My hair appeared to be healthy, but I could not retain length for the life of me. My hair had also lost a lot of thickness and that was a no no. I wanted big, long, luscious hair, and not to be a slave to the creamy crack and all the trouble that came with it, so I said “We’re done.” He is not taking it very well lol.


PC: How do you feel about your hair?
S: I am in an obsessive love affair with my hair. She is one hot mama. If I were my boyfriend, I’d keep my eye on her because she also has my heart.

 

PC: What products do you use?
S: Shampoo - Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Shampoo

Conditioner - Aussie Moist, Hello Hydration, and Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa

Deep Conditioner - Ugh I have yet to find one I absolutely love or that my hair responds to. My favorite DC has been my homemade avocado, banana, milk, honey, and olive oil mix. It left my hair feeling like butta’. However, I’m going to try a few more store bought ones such as Karen’s Body Beautiful Luscious Locks or Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment. If these fail, I might give up all together and just put my mixologist skills to work.

Moisturizer - Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk and Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Sealant - Raw Shea Butter, Carol’s Daughter Loc Butter, and Oils (Castor, Olive, Coconut, etc.)

Styler - Homemade Mix of Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque (hated it as a DC), Eco Styler Gel, and oils. I’ll add Eco Styler to a leave in/moisturizer for hold as well. However, I usually just use a leave in, oil, and shea butter as my style combo. Pretty simple.


PC: What is your hair care routine?
S: I detangle my hair in sections, wash, condition, and deep condition weekly. I then use my moisturizer to re-detangle my hair and add a layer of oil and shea butter or Carol’s Daughter Loc Butter on top. I then braid my hair into 7 or so chunky braids to stretch my hair. When these braids dry, I style my hair into twists, a twisted updo, or whatever style I feel like. I usually restyle every three days or so because my hair texture doesn’t hold styles very well. 


PC: What are your favorite hairstyles?
S: I LOVE twisted updos!! They protect my hair, but makes me feel sexy as well. I also love rocking a BIG braid out. I usually braid most of it and then twist the ends for a nice curl. When my hair was much shorter, I rocked twists a lot because they would curl up and have a cute shape but as my hair gets longer, I would rather pin them up. I always revert back to a ‘spritz and go’ when my braid outs/twists out fail by lightly spritzing my hair with water and using some eco styler to tame the frizziness, thus giving me BIG hair with A LOT of definition.

PC: What has been the hardest part of your natural hair journey?
S: My hair journey has been pretty smooth but I struggle with becoming overly consumed with my hair. My greatest pleasure is watching natural hair videos, reading natural hair blogs, and doing research so I have to remember to have a life outside of these things. Everything is NOT about my hair. I also struggled and still struggle with single strand knots. They are the bane of my existence. During months 9 and 10, I became scissor happy and took off a lot of length trying to remove knots, but I just ended up cutting off perfectly healthy hair.


PC: What was your proudest natural moment?
S: Oh gee! The proudest moment was having my mother who had styled my hair for most of my life tell me that my hair is now the softest, shiniest, and most beautiful it has ever been while doing it all of my own. It made me smile inside and out. Can I have another one? Ok! Also, when one of my home girls surprised me at my door with a turban and then took it down to reveal her beautiful bald head. It was a wonderful day!

PC: What tips/suggestions do you have for other naturals?
S: A lot of naturals are concerned about curl definition and hair growth. Number one: Honey, if your hair doesn’t curl the way you want it to, you can use flexi rods, perm rods, and twist outs/braid outs to achieve the look. Don’t obsess over definition because your hair doesn’t look like your best friend’s or the youtuber you stalk daily. It’s yours, embrace it. Number two: Hair grows! If you are healthy, your hair will be healthy and you will thus retain length. Simply, just love your hair as it is because if you don’t, who will?

SheDel is fabulous! Love her hairstyles, and her style is on point! I especially loved her last few tips for naturals. Yes! Thanks so much for sending your feature in SheDel! Check out SheDel's fashion blog, My Thrifted Closet, her Facebook, her YouTube, and her Twitter!