It has come to my awareness that many more women in the African American community who have transitioned back to their natural hair/roots are now engrossed in the effort to help other young women out with this task.
DISCLAIMER:
I, myself, have never gone through the traditional "transition". This being the perm to natural roots phase. I've always been a natural. However, I have found myself tranisitioning in a different way. More in a natural to Au Natural way; refining the products I've used down to homemade solutions and taking better care of my hair, mentally and physically.
In a recent text from my girl, and fellow natural, Netchem Hairston (check her out
here), this want of helping out her "female neighbors" came through the simple fact that she was purchasing a new computer; this one having a built in webcam. Now that she had the capabilities, she knew that creating natural hair videos would be another way to progress her already helpful nature. So she asked me and most likely, other friends: "Do you have any ideas on natural hair videos I can do?" Then I began to think of the aspects that made a good natural hair youtuber.
And this is my reply:
Here are some ideas of how
I would do it (if I had a webcam)!
I would first start with an introductory video, of course. Who I am, how I became involved in the natural hair community and obsessed with the renewal of knowing that the perm is no longer trending. No offense though. I would then follow up my first video with how I "transitioned". This would include pictures and narration; crossfades and animated text; and of course a stamp that this video was made by ME.
This video would then be followed by my daily, weekly, and/or monthly regimine. This of course would first start off with all the abbreviations I'm about to mouth off.
- Do I pre-poo or in other words, pre-shampoo and what it is.
- Do I co-wash or in other words, conditioner-wash and what this is.
- How I detangle.
- How I deep condition
- And most importantly, how often do I do these steps? And why?
The video following this would most likely be a "Staples" video, telling my now few subscribers what hair products I have kept close and which ones I have disgarded.
As a side note, I'd most likely end up making a video on my favorite youtubing naturals and why my subscribers should go check them out! Then I would follow up with my own plugs to blogs I have written. It is a MUST that you brand yourself and keep a constant following.
Another video would entail a series of "On-Cam" impromptu hairstyles, made simple and quick. Every natural and ....un-natural (lol) wants a quick tutorial that can keep her day going without any abrupt reason.
And lastly, to be a successful youtubing natural, I'd always make sure to keep a few "FAIL" videos on hand as well. This will ensure fore a well-rounded channel and it will help your subscribers learn why a style most likely didn't work out the way they had expected it to.
Now, I'm sure you're saying that I have watched enough youtubing naturals to see the formula they have chosen to take to acquire successful notariety in the
YouTube community but the most I can say is that, I believe there is usually a formula--intended or unintended--in everything we choose to do.
So don't deny it! Just make sure you're your best when it comes time to put it out there!
--Courtney James
