Corporate Napps: A Kinky Haired Lady's Profile

CorporateNapps, Southeast, TX

KiK: When did you go natural and what have you loved most about being natural?

CorporateNapps: My last relaxer was August 2005. Overcoming, in my mind, the stereotype of what beauty is as it relates to hair and other physical features is what I've loved the most.

KiK: What have you liked least?

CorporateNapps: The time it takes to create many styles.

KiK: What's your best advice for people transitioning to natural?

CorporateNapps: Stick with it and learn what products and styles work best for your hair.

KiK: What is your best advice for people who are trying to stay natural?

CorporateNapps: Before making any drastic change, whether it be coloring, cutting, locing, or deciding to relax, wait a full 7 days from the time you make the decision before making the change. This way, you will know whether or not you truly want to make the change or if it's just frustration in the moment.

Also during that time period, put your hair in a protective style because if it is frustration, it will only be amplified if you are dealing with your hair daily while trying to make a decision. This has saved me from doing a lot of crazy things to my hair that I know I would have regretted in the longrun.

KiK: What is your favorite natural hair care website or forum?

CorporateNapps: I used to frequent Nappturality several hours a day and night when I was transitioning all the way through my 2 year period of being natural. And other than support from the ladies on Fotki, I don't really visit other sites regularly.

KiK: What are your top three products and why?

CorporateNapps: 100% Raw Shea Butter - My ends love it and it helps to seal in any other moisturizer I use.
100% Coconut Oil - My hair, when in twists, thrives on this stuff. Perfect for winter.
ORS Olive Oil Creme - This is my new love. Even though it's light, it gives great moisture. Used mostly on my ends.
As you can see, I am really into moisture.

KiK: What has been your experience being natural in the corporate world?

CorporateNapps: My name gives way to this question a lot. I have to be honest. All of the pressures about my natural hair being appropriate for Corporate America were self-induced. I had been debating going natural probably about 3 years before my last relaxer. I had that hang-up of whether or not people would see me as a professional with kinky hair.

The truth is, I don't think anyone in corporate views me any differently than if I wore a relaxer. Mind you, I am very conservative with my work attire as well as my hair styles. I feel that because my hair does not look like the majority, I utilize my attire to kind bridge that gap. For work, I am usually in a pant/skirt suit or slacks/jacket and my hair is usually in an updo. I definitely have my bad hair days when I am ready to wear it "out" to work, and in the humidity, my hair becomes larger than life. But that is rare and on those days I just step a little bit harder to assure myself that I’m still working it:-)

I can tell you this. The people who I thought would have a problem, non-Blacks, don't know the difference or don't care to act like they do. Because Blacks historically carry a lot of stereotypes about nappy hair, I think when Blacks get comfortable with me in my work environment they tend to ask more questions.

I've come to realize that it's all about how you carry yourself.


KiK: Where on the web can you be found?
CorporateNapps: http://public.fotki.com/CorporateNapps/