Feature Friday! Bianca

So happy to be able to feature the beautiful Bianca, also known as Bummblebee. She has flawless hair, a beautiful humble spirit and great tips and advice! You will love this interview!1. Name and where you are from:Hey GorJess! My name is Bianca Alexandra, some of you may know me as Bianca Alexa. I hail from Birmingham England, spent half my life in Puerto Rico and now I’m a Cali girl2. Tell us about yourself! Umm lets see, I am 5’4’ a professional shower singer and ballerina, when no one is watching of course. I’m a seventh day Adventist with a British accent that turns into an American one whenever I get nervous (long story)3. How long have you been natural and what made you decide to do so?I have been natural since March 2012. It was nothing planned I can tell you that. I loved my long relaxed (fried and dyed) hair. But, it was just so damaged from all the chemicals and heat. It started falling out and just wouldn’t curl anymore. (Now I know that it was severely heat damaged) but back then I had no idea why my hair was so damaged and falling out, I’m not going to lie I got really stressed out about it. I cut my hair a couple of times, with the intention of growing it out and going back to dying and straightening it (since I cut my hair my self) I was surfing the net, looking for some styles and that’s when I came across natural hairstyles and what’s known as the big chop. After researching I though, why not go natural, initially I wanted to “transition” and gradually cut off my ends, which worked for a little while. But once I saw how curly and thick the new hair growth was compared to the rest of my hair I acted on impulse and gave myself the big chop.4. How would you describe your hair? What does it mean to you?Well obviously my hair means a lot to me because I almost had a heart attack when it was falling out everywhere. After I gave myself the big chop I hated it. I felt so unattractive because I didn’t have my long straight hair anymore. I’m going to be real with you, the first couple of months after my big chop sucked. I didn’t know how to care for my own hair texture, and I felt really insecure about it. I really had to push myself to redefine what I though made me beautiful. This sounds really vain but all my life I was really proud of my long relaxed hair, so it took me a good while to feel confident in my own skin. Once I was a peace with myself everything just began to fall into place, I experimented with different products and found some that my hair responded well to and now its full and thick and frizzy and curly and I love it.5. What is your natural hair regimen (including the products you use)?I try my best to finger detangle my hair the day before washing it. I divide it into sections and feel for any knots using coconut oil to help detangle, then I do two-strand twists with the coconut oil still in my hair and the next day I take them down and co-wash my hair. I use As I Am coconut cowash (as a shampoo) then TRESemme Naturals (the old formula) which by the way I can no longer find so I now need a substitute conditioner I’m so sad. But I would use this one as a detangler and leave in, then I apply a bit of almond oil to my ends and some kinky curly knot today as a styler. Let my hair air dry and that’s it.6. How do you retain your length and keep your hair healthy?I think finger detangling really helps, whenever I skip this step I will shed so much hair and have lots of breakage. So it’s really important to try and minimize breakage as much as possible, also I don’t use any heat on my hair, and keep it as moisturized as possible. I try not to manipulate it as much and just let it be, the simpler the routine the better.7. What is your favorite natural hair style?It will forever and always be the “Wash and go”, I’m convinced my hair doesn’t like anything else.8. Who is your hair crush?I think I get a new hair crush every other week usually its girls on Instagram or a random picture on tumblr.9. What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned during your natural hair journey?That there is no product out there that can make your hair curl once its badly heat damaged, the only way to get rid of the damage is by cutting your hair and staying away from heat, or using the necessary caution to not burn your hair if you are going to use heat. I could’ve saved so much money if I had known that information before I decided to stock up on unnecessary products that did nothing for my fried hair.10.What is your favorite life lesson? “God will provide” time and time again this has been proven to me. I’m not saying to just sit around and wait for him to provide for you, you have to work for what you want. But know that he never leaves his children. Prayer is such a powerful thing I know he hears me and knows my heart. he will provide, but in his timing.11. Is there a website/blog/Twitter/Instagram where we can find you?There sure is Youtube: www.youtube.com/simplybiancaalexaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplybiancaalexaInstagram: http://instagram.com/bummblebee7Twitter: https://twitter.com/BiancaAlexaa12. Is there any other advice you’d like to leave us with?Yes, you should all go subscribe to my youtube channel and check out my videos :)Love it! Stay turned for the next feature Friday! Xoxo,