Meet Yelitsa Jean-Charles the founder and creator of Healthy Roots!
How long have your been natural?
I have been natural since September of 2012. That’s about a year and half now.
Why did you decide to go natural?
Going natural wasn’t a traditional process for me. I had never had a perm, but I did not have really bad heat damage from years of Dominican blowouts and flat ironing. I was inspired to go natural after I got to college and saw so many black girls embracing their natural. I had never seen that before! I had so many questions and I wondered if going natural would be better for me then spending so much time blow drying, avoiding water, hiding my tracks, not trying to sweat and all the other things I had to do to keep my hair straight.
At first it was difficult because I had lost a lot of curl definition, but that grew out and I have been loving my natural ever since. Coconut oil for life!
What are your favorite go to styles?
My favorite protective style is Havana twists. They are fast, easy and great for the summer. When I am not protective styling I usual do Bantu knots.
What are your favorite products?
I swear by coconut oil! I use Shea Moisture products
What is your advice to new naturals?
It’s not about length. It’s about health. Your hair is beautiful at any length. It is also important to not compare your hair to others. Find bloggers with hair types similar to yours and love your curls defined or not.
Tell me more about your latest business venture.
I am the founder and Creative Director of Healthy Roots. Healthy Roots is a toy company that design dolls and storybooks that empower young girls through positive presentation. Our dolls have different skin tones, facial features and hair textures that you can style just like yours. We aim to represent the diversity of the African Diaspora and combat internalized racism and colorism.
You can follow us on Facebook to learn more. We will be launching our Kickstarter campaign in August and look forward to bringing beautiful dolls to beautiful girls.
I have seen the effects of harsh beauty standards on my family and myself. When I was a child, I remember being told, “don’t stay outside too long. You don’t want to get too dark”. Friends and family would often refer to my hair as “good hair”.
I have watched too many women in my family burn their scalps and bleach their skin in the name of beauty. We should never believe that our natural hair or skin color is unacceptable. That is why Healthy Roots matters to me. Young girls should not feel less than because of the kink of their curl or the color of their skin. I want Healthy Roots to show girls that they are beautiful just the way they are and to embrace their natural beauty.
FIND HEALTHY ROOTS HERE
How do you keep the curls looking defined and pretty no matter how the wind blows or something that can ware out your curls
You can preseve it by making sure you take care of it at night. Wrap it, moisturize lightly if needed and put into large twists. However, at some point your curls are bound to get worn out! I would say you can rock them a week max if you are lucky.
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.