When I first went natural – I was really clueless. No, really. My first big chop was during the Summer of 2012 (notice I said first big chop). I had just enough hair for a beautician to grab. After cutting off my relaxed ends, I wore my hair in protective styles for 9 months. Once this time period was over, I thought I was comfortable enough with my length to reveal my natural hair to the world. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

During those 9 months, I never learned how to properly take care of my hair. There weren’t very many resources, nor was there anyone around to teach me. The natural hair community on YouTube at this time was really just starting to grow. It seemed like every naturalista had these perfect, loose, commercial curly ringlets. They could “wash and go” with ease. My hair however, seemed to be dry and matted, with lots of shrinkage and little to no definition. I was disappointed. I truly thought that “going natural” was just not for me. I ended up relaxing my hair during the Spring of 2013.

I was frustrated. I was upset that I had let those 9 months go down the drain. I was annoyed that my support system didn’t encourage me to stay the course. I was displeased that I had failed. I big chopped for the second time the very next day. Crazy right?

This time – I was forced to learn how to care for my hair because it was too short to wear in a protective style. I tried Aussie, Miss Jessie’s, Kinky Curly, Carol’s Daughter. If you can name it, I’ve probably tried it. However, the most important tip I’ve learned throughout my natural hair journey is that everything does not work for everybody. You have to develop your own personal hair regimen. Curly Halo by Kimberly Elise, will help you do just that.

Kimberly Elise is a film and television actress, and a four-time NAACP Image Award recipient. You may recognize her from movies such as Set It Off, John Q, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and For Colored Girls, just to name a few. Kimberly has always stood out to me because she was one of the only prominent actresses I had seen in Hollywood wearing their hair natural. She was also one of the first black actresses that I discovered was vegan.

Kimberly and her team sent me a complimentary copy of Curly Halo to read and review. Curly Halo is such a great guide for naturals, both new and old. To my delight, I learned a lot about retaining moisture, elasticity, and gentler ways to wash my 4C curls. Now that I have read her tips, I’m excited to see even more progress in my own natural hair journey.

When it comes to natural hair, sometimes it feels like there is so much to keep up with. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. This book can help you streamline your process.

Curly Halo is for you if:

• You are considering wearing your hair in it’s natural state
• You are already natural, but want to better understand your hair type
• You need to design a hair regimen that will help you retain moisture and length
• You want to acquire more knowledge of natural hair terminology
• You need a list of ingredients you should avoid in your regimen at all costs