Nadeska Alexis, 26, editor

What made you want to go natural?
"I just got really tired of having unhealthy hair. As much as I’d get trims regularly and deep conditioned, I’d lose handfuls of hair every time I combed through it because of the relaxer. Plus, I’d pay so much money to get my hair styled, but by the third day, it started sticking to me and looked horrible. So, I stopped relaxing my hair in April 2011."

What do you love about having natural hair?
"This past summer was the first time I’ve worn it curly, and I couldn’t have been more excited. It’s basically the first time I saw my real hair since I was about 14. I was so surprised to see the texture. But the best part was that I could wash and go. I love being able to wash, detangle, throw on the some product, and air dry. It’s very freeing and good for me because I’m low maintenance."

What are the drawbacks?
"My curls shrink up a lot and when I first started wearing my hair natural, I was a little alarmed by the change. I don’t think I look great with short hair. But other than that, this experience has been pretty awesome."