NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!
Char Sillimon: Hi, my name is Char Sillimon, and I am 32 years old. I currently live in Orlando, FL.
NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls, or have you always enjoyed and embraced your curls?
CS: I started embracing my curls in high school after I saw the damaging effects that relaxers had on my hair. I still blow dried and straightened my hair with flat irons, but I didn’t use relaxers anymore. It would be a little over a decade before I started to realize that the products I was using were still doing damage to my hair.
NC: What is your current routine?
CS: I wash my hair once a week, with a co-wash at mid-week since I workout everyday. I also try to deep condition once a week, but I still haven’t found my holy grail DC, so I don’t always deep condition.
NC: From start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process?
CS: I have a very detailed process, but it’s not difficult. First, I wash and condition my hair in the shower. Once I get out, I section my hair, spraying each section with water as I go to make sure my hair has enough moisture — I don’t want to damage it as I style! Then I put a leave-in conditioner in my hair and detangle with a wide-toothed comb. Once I finish detangling a section, I seal that section with a natural oil blend, and then put gel in the section to hold the definition of my curls and keep the frizzies away. I repeat that process on each section of my hair, and when I am done, I pineapple my hair and put on a satin cap before I go to sleep, since I usually prep my hair the night before.
MORE: The Real Satin Bonnet
NC: What are your favorite hairstyles to wear with your curls?
CS: I generally have two styles that I wear with my curls. More often than not, I wear my them in a loose ponytail, or I will wear them down. With the holidays coming up, I will try different styles. NC: What are your must-have products and tools?CS: My must-have tools are a wide-toothed comb, a spray bottle of water, and a smoothing brush for my edges. As far as products, I love Curls Créme Brule Leave-In Conditioner, and I have a home blend of sweet almond, avocado, and jojoba oils that I can’t live without.
NC: What do you do at nighttime for your hair? CS: At night, I give my hair a quick spray of water, pineapple it and put on a satin cap. I don’t like my curls to be flat or without definition. NC: What about your hairstylists? CS: I don’t see a stylist very often. When I do, it is simply to have my ends trimmed. I see Led at Ego Lab in Downtown Orlando; she is very good and she understands how to work with curly hair.MORE: Curly Hair Salon Finder
NC: What reaction did you get when you first decided to go natural?
CS: I got lots of support, not only from friends and family, but also from co-workers and strangers who really liked my hair.
NC: What is the best thing about being curly?
CS: The best thing about being curly is that I don’t have to worry about going to the salon every month, and I don’t have to spend forever getting my hair ready in the morning. Knowing that I am not damaging my hair is also a huge relief.
NC: How do you think having curly hair impacts your everyday life?
CS: I think that having curly hair, and actually embracing it, has helped my confidence over the years.
NC: What would you tell others to encourage them to embrace their curls?
CS: Don’t worry about what other are going to think or say. Do what you feel is best for you. If you are looking to embrace a more natural lifestyle, then do it! You will probably be surprised at how many people in your life will support you, and you might just inspire someone else!
NC: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects!
CS: I have a few upcoming projects that I am working on not only independently, but with friends. A good friend from middle school has a Facebook page dedicated to helping people embrace and understand how to care for their curls called LoveMyCurlz that I contribute to. As far as individual projects, I recently became a Beachbody coach so that I can help others lead a more healthy lifestyle. You can check out my page here.
