Tiffany Nichols Design: Feature Friday - Denkia in the Spotlight

Tell Us About Yourself:

My name is Denkia Letshabo. I was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I’m a YouTube addict! I’m subscribed to channels about practically everything hair, fitness, fashion, DIY home improvement, finance, etc.

Were you a slow transitioner or did you Big Chop & Why?

I guess I would be considered a transitioner. I stopped getting perms long before I knew about the natural hair movement. When I first stopped getting perms, my intention was to train/tame my hair by pressing or flat ironing my hair until it was manageable. It wasn’t until I discovered YouTube that I learned that what I considered trained/tamed hair was actually heat damaged hair.

How did you feel after going natural?

I was really excited about being natural. I loved the versatility and uniqueness of natural hair.

How did family and friends react to your decision to go natural? What was your response to them?

My husband was very supportive when I told him I wanted to keep my hair natural, but I don’t think the rest of my family liked it too much. I recall my sister or mother asking me why I didn’t want to get perms anymore. I can’t remember my response, but I’m certain it wasn’t positive. Most of my friends were cool with me keeping my hair natural, many of them joined the trend. I wasn’t really surprised that my friends were acceptant of my choice to stay natural because keeping your hair natural was starting to be the new normal.

Describe your hair.

I have what’s considered 4B hair. It’s tightly coily, absorbs moisture fast, and is slightly thick in its natural state.

What’s your current hair routine? What are your favorite products? Details please.

1) I detangle my hair using V05 herbal escapes and extra virgin olive oil.

2) I wash my hair using Giovanni's smooth as silk deep moisture shampoo.

3) I deep condition with Giovanni's 50:50 balanced hydrating-calming conditioner or deeper moisture conditioner.

4) I apply Giovanni's direct leave- in or Cantu's Shea butter leave-in conditioner.

5) I seal my hair with some kind of oil such as olive, almond, castor, jojoba, coconut, or cactus.
My absolute favorite line of products is made by Giovanni which are listed above. Below, is a list of a few other products that I adore.

1 By Cantu: Shea butter leave-in conditioner, creamy hair lotion for naturals, and coconut milk shine & hold mist for naturals.

2 By Kinky Curly: Knot today leave-in conditioner

3 By Fantasia: IC Hair Polisher Styling Gel

4 By Eco Styler: Olive Oil Styling Gel

5 Raw Shea Butter

How do you maintain your hair at night?

At night, I usually tie my hair down with a satin do- rag or bonnet.

What’s the best thing about being natural?

The best thing about being natural is the versatility and uniqueness of natural hair. I can create a new identity everyday if I wanted to with little to no cost. Another great thing about being natural is the journey it takes you on to be natural. To maintain healthy natural hair it requires a lot of time and patience. So much time and patience, it makes you wonder how other aspects of your life could improve if you invested the same efforts.