REAL PEOPLE REAL ANSWERS EDITION 2

A DAY IN THE LIFE

“Living Naturally You”

Real People Real Answers

1. What’s your name?

Timeisha Winfield (aka UrbanGlamGyrl) 

2.  How old are you?

31

3. Where are you from?

Los Angeles

4. What is your occupation?

Contract Analyst for the City by day. Budding entrepreneur by night 

5. How would you describe yourself?

 I’m very easy going and care-free, and I enjoy the simple things in life. I enjoy spending time with my family & friends and I love meeting new people. I also enjoy traveling and learning about different cultures. I’m constantly growing & evolving as a person, but the things that remain the same are my empathy for others and my enjoyment in helping others and giving back.

6. When did you first decide to become natural?

 Hmmm, that’s a hard question but I guess it was this year. Some people say I’ve always been natural because I’ve never had a perm but I’ve been getting my hair pressed & flat ironed since I was 13. Last April I just stopped going to the hair shop because I didn’t want to press my hair anymore. I wanted to give it a break from the heat. I felt like my hair was thinning and breaking off, and I just didn’t want to use any heat for a while. My hair was long, but I just felt like it could be a lot healthier. That turned into 8 months of not pressing or flat ironing. Then in January 2011, I was fed up with my hair, and the straight ends, the two different textures as I had a lot of new growth from my 8 months of heat-free styling and didn’t know how to handle my hair because it was long and my twist outs & braid outs just weren’t working for me anymore, so I started pressing it again and I got bangs cut in the front. I was going back to the hair salon for about 3 months, and then in late March I decided I was tired of going to hair shop, I was tired of pressing, and I still had a lot of broken off pieces and my hair just didn’t seem healthy. So in April of this year, I decided to do my version of a “big chop” and cut about half the length of my hair off (the back of my hair reached down my back to about the bottom of my bra) which got rid of most of straight ends. This was the first time I had ever cut my hair except for trims. It was shocking at first for me and then my mom and sisters were in shock as well when I showed them. But once I did it I felt relieved and I had ben telling myself it’s just hair and it will grow back. Now I am loving the versatility of my hair and I am loving taking the time to take care of my hair.

7.  If there was one word to describe your style what would it be?

Fun!

8. Who are some people that inspire you the most?

My grandmother & my mother of course. And people who live by example and in service to others.

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

An inspiration, a great friend, a great daughter, a great sister, and one day a great mother!

10. What advice would you give to others who wanted to go natural or live a more natural based lifestyle?

I would say to do your research and figure out what being natural means to you. There is no concrete definition of “being natural”. Also know that every one’s texture is different so try not judge yourself or your hair against any one else. Be patient, and love your hair no matter what you’re curl pattern or texture is. Make sure you look at your self in the mirror every day and tell yourself that you are beautiful. Define your own definition of beauty and don’t worry about what others think of your decision because for me it was a very personal choice. You may get questions or comments that offend you at first, but you have to do what you feel is best for you, your hair, your life, and your health. In the end, people will eventually want to follow in your steps!

11. What’s your favorite quote?

“How people treat you is their karma, how you react is yours.”