Well, helloooo there! 🙂 Thanks for joining us as I wrap up my Q&A with Simeko Watkins-Hartley, owner of Meko New York Natural Hair Care Spa & Boutique.
Last time, Simeko talked about her own journey and the rough road in the pursuit of nappiness (if you missed that action-packed story, click here!) Now, let’s get into how she feels about the natural life these days along with some tips for YOU. We’ll also debunk a few natural hair misconceptions and see what’s on the horizon for Meko New York…
Simeko addressing attendees at her grand opening event in Sept. ’11
TBN: Tell us why you love being natural. Although being a professional, have there been any challenges along the way?
SWH: Well, I know personally, for me, being natural is the best thing. It’s the healthiest thing, and I’m into health. Everybody who knows me, I eat healthy… I’m very into health and I know being natural is the best thing. I can’t do chemicals, chemicals are not for me. I love the versatility. As you see, Toia, I’m always changing my hair! And that is the beauty of being natural. If I wanted to temporarily straighten my hair, I can do that. If I wanted to crimp set my hair, I can do that. If I wanted wear it curly, I can do that and still not jeopardize the integrity of my hair.
Challenges? Of course! I would be kidding or lying if I said I don’t go through challenges! Even as a professional, I’m human. So just when I think I got it right… guess what? I go through changes too! I was just telling someone the other day, “ I wanna cut all my hair off ‘cause I’m tired of doing it ‘cause I gotta do everybody else’s hair! But I LOVE my hair, I LOVE my hair… I’m IN love with my hair. This is the hair that I was blessed with so if I don’t look at it like that, then I will become frustrated, I will not like it, I will complain about it, I will be looking at other people’s hair wishing I had their hair and not doing what I need to do to properly take care of MY hair. So that’s what I’d like to give to everybody else, helping them to learn to embrace their own hair so that they can truly do what they need to do to care for their hair. If you don’t, you’re not. And that’s just a fact. Most people who are not happy with their texture or their length, they go through so many changes and go through so many products and so much styling and they can’t figure out what works best because they haven’t truly embraced what they have first.
TBN: What are a few important pieces of advice you can give to help women be as successful as possible in going and staying natural?
SWH: I would say three things: love, patience and simplicity. If you love your hair, that means to embrace it and to nurture it. If you’re patient, that means be consistent at something. Don’t try a hundred-thousand products, you know. If you find something that works, stick to it. So many times, because we see or hear somebody else try something and their hair looks beautiful and we want our hair to look like theirs, we go and try it instead of doing what works best for our hair. Keep it simple. This “movement”… it seems like it’s getting so complex and so complicated because there’s so much information out there and it’s really not that hard. It’s really not that difficult. It’s very simple. If we keep it simple, then we’ll stay focused on the real matter at hand and that’s to make sure that our hair is healthy.
The boutique carries an array of quality products from Jane Carter, Karens Body Beautiful, Giovanni and others
TBN: There are so many common misconceptions about going natural or natural hair in general. What are one or two that you’d like to clear up here and now?
SWH: The main one… “if you have dry hair” and most natural hair is dry, “don’t shampoo your hair and just co-wash”… that is hogwash! I’m sorry! That’s like telling someone with dry skin to take a shower and use lotion instead of soap. (-_-) {yes, she made this face LOL} Does that make sense? Absolutely not. You need to cleanse your scalp just like you need to cleanse your body. How often you do it depends on the individual. Some people can go every week, some people can go every two weeks, some people can go once a month. When you get in the shower and you take your washcloth *makes rubbing gesture on her arm*, it helps to exfoliate and get rid of those dead cells. When you don’t shampoo your hair or your scalp, those dead cells are building up. All of the oils and stuff that you’re putting in your hair, it collects residue and debris. We have to cleanse that out and conditioner is just-not-gon’-do-it! *laughs*
The other one is… you know, people go through these extremes. First they relax their hair. Now they’re natural and they just don’t wanna do anything- they don’t wanna blow dry it, they don’t wanna put a weave in it because “you’re no longer natural if you have a weave!” Just the concept of what it really means to be natural. People just feel like if you have flat iron your hair you’re not natural anymore- that’s a misconception. I mean, to each his own. But when your hair is natural it just means that it’s in its natural state as it grows out of your head. So, if you put anything in your hair that alters the state of your natural hair, it’s no longer natural. Period. Point blank. Bottom line. And that’s any chemical. If you flat iron your hair or blow dry your hair, your hair still goes back to its natural state so it’s still natural. If you have a weave on top of your natural hair, your hair is still natural underneath. So just being natural means you’re not altering the state of the natural hair that grows out of your head and that’s it.
TBN: What can we expect from you and Meko New York in the near future? Any events or new endeavors?
SWH: I have been very, very, very busy. I have a teen workshop program called Born to Be a Natural Leader {pictured above} that I do yearly with teen girls. It’s a twelve-week workshop program and we give them scholarships at the end of the program. I also have a styling group called Mokara Blossom that I’ve started and its image consulting for professional natural women. Then I have the One World, Many Naturals Hair Show that we’re doing annually. We’re doing monthly hair events called Hair Huddles here at the salon where we not only talk about natural hair issues but we also feature up and coming companies, businesses or entrepreneurs. So, it’s gonna be a pretty busy year this year and probably going forward. I’m embracing it.
The beautiful thing is I have a great support system. I do not do this on my own nor do I wanna do it on my own *laughs* ‘cause it’s a lot of work. Having a great support system allows me to do this. I’m excited! I know I have to remember to pace myself and balance because I don’t wanna get caught up in the hype. I don’t want any of that. I’m doing this because this is what I love to do and it allows me to take care of my family and do the more important things in my life. I think it’s so humbling because like you said, Toia, not everyone gets the opportunity to do what they love for a living and I’m able to do that. So I wanna help those who want to do what they love to do in any way that I can because I feel like that has been given to me.
And there you have it!
Special thanks to my homie Mel for schlepping out to NJ with me and assisting with the interview! *hearts* 😉 Of course, thank you Simeko for taking the time out to sit with me and share your story. A pleasure as always! xoxo
Melissa, Simeko and I snap a pic after our interview
If you’re in the area, please do yourself a favor and head on over to Meko New York. One visit with Simeko and you will be forever changed! LOL Her passion is undeniable. The sista knows of what she speaks. Go to www.mekonewyork.com for all the info!
Until next time lovelies!
xoxo
~Toia
