The Secret to Growing Out Natural Hair

Ebony Bradley Thinks Growing Out Natural Hair is a Journey of Self Love

Let’s face it: growing out natural hair can be stressful! From the big chop, to the twa, to the awkward stage – the natural hair journey is not for the faint at heart. Yet, the movement against creamy crack, and the political and cultural nuances represented by it, continues. Just in case you missed it: we’ve teamed up with a few beauty content creators to bring you content that is curated by people like you for people like you. Ebony Bradley, also known as EbsCurlyTV on YouTube and Instagram, is one of our contributors.

Ebony has a mane of hair and we are not exaggerating when we say that! With butt grazing hair, you can’t help but to drool over her luscious locks. If anyone knows anything about growing out natural hair, certainly Ebony is the person to go to! This natural hair beauty spent eight years growing out her mane and, well, she isn’t stopping now. Get to know Ebony a little bit better in this fun, five-question interview below:

Q. What’s your favorite hair product right now?

My favorite hair products right now are the Honey Baby Naturals Wash & Go Honey Styling Creme and Really Hold It Honey Intense Styling Hold Gel. These two products really define my hair and add so much shine! That’s hard to find.

Q. If you could only choose 5 hair products to use for the rest of your life, what would they be?

1. Curly hair shampoo: I would want something that wouldn’t strip my hair every time I used it. For days with crazy buildup, I could always clarify my hair with an apple cider vinegar rinse.
2. Leave-in Conditioner: Because you have to give your hair what it needs to survive until the next wash day.
3. Deep Conditioner: My curls really benefit from a good deep conditioner from time to time. This is an absolute must!
4. Styling Cream 
5. Styling Gel: 4 and 5 are literally the 1,2 punch for defining my curls. Without these two, I’m not happy.

Q. When you’re not creating fun hair tutorials, what is something you do for fun?

I’m absolutely obsessed with True Crime right now. I’m always on the lookout for documentaries on Netflix, television, and even podcasts to see who did it and why! Lol!

Q. Have you always been natural? If not, what made you decide to go natural?

I didn’t go completely natural until 2011. My decision was made partly out of curiosity, but mostly wanting to do something healthy for my body. Relaxers had been a constant in my life for about seven years before that and I thought it might be fun to make a change. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.

Q. If you could give one piece of advice to girls who either want to go natural or are already natural, what would it be?

For girls who want to go natural, get excited! You’re about to love yourself in a whole new way. The natural hair journey allowed me to see myself in a way I hadn’t before and while it has its ups and downs, I’m so glad I stuck with it. Also, remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. Growing out natural hair takes time, no matter the type, so don’t rush. I know, I know, easier said than done but managing expectations early can help push you through those frustrating stages.

For girls who are already natural, try to enjoy every stage that you find yourself in: the big chop, the twa, the curly fro, so on and so forth. My hair is really long right now, but some days I wish I could go back to 2012/2013 when my curls were short, bouncy, and voluminous. Every stage has it’s bright spots…try to live in those. It goes by so fast!

If you want to see more content from Ebony, be sure to follow her on Instagram or stay tuned to our User-Generated section for new releases.