Kinky Gal Kana Gaines

This is a new feature that will highlight kinky headed ladies and all their kinky awesomeness! If you would like to be featured contact us and we will make it happen. Enjoy!

Tell us about yourself.

Kana Gaines. I'm from Houston, Texas and Madisonville, Tennessee.

Why did you go natural?
I went natural because I moved away from home to go to college and my grandmother had been my hairdresser all my life. I didn't want to spend my hard earned refund check in beauty shops!!! Also, I read a personal essay "Straightening My Hair" by bell hooks in a creative writing course that year. It made me reconsider the real reason I had believed I was most beautiful when my hair was freshly permed.


How long have you been natural?
I've been natural for 4 years now.

What is your hair care routine?
My hair care routine is pretty primitive: wash with natural products (Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap or black soap). Condition with unrefined coconut oil or shea butter or olive oil (with added essential oils like frankincense or whatever I feel like).


 

Kana and her Dad

 Did you transition? How was it?
My transition to natural was pretty rough. I kept it flat ironed for about a year, but it broke off pretty badly in certain areas because I didn't know exactly how to care for it. I didn't condition it well. I didn't detangle it well. So it was rough. About 6 months without a perm, I was ready to get one when I went home for one weekend, but my best friend (who still permed at that time, but loved me enough to keep me strong to my word) told me to stay strong and that I would be alright. So glad I listened!

Then, after a year of no perms, I had the "big chop" done. I went to a small curly fro. Since then, I've done two major cuts. The first was in '09. I cut off a huuuuge afro. Then about a month ago, I cut off 2 years worth of locs. Both of those times I went down to a fade.





1st year Big Chop


What are your fave hair care products?
My fave products are water and extra virgin olive oil.

Who is a celebrity natural hair icon?
Hair icon....hmmm...Lauryn Hill is pretty amazing...she is the one who sticks out to me right now. She's just so beautiful and her hair is like a crown.

What helps your hair to grow? What hinders your hair growth?
Being mentally, spiritual, and emotionally happy helps my hair growth. Eating well and drinking plenty of water. Just paying loving attention to my hair helps it grow.
Stress hinders my hairgrowth.

What are your thoughts on relaxers?
I feel towards relaxers the same way I feel towards red food coloring, white sugar, and prescription drugs...deadly, addicting, and treats only the symptoms of the true problems.

Kana and her granny




Kana with her family

 
How has going natural changed your life?
Going natural changed my life because it made me think about what other things in my life I was overlooking and/or depreciating simply because other people did or told me that I should.

What are your current hair goals?
My current hair goals are to love my hair everyday; to moisturize more!; and to be more creative with styling every once in a while!

Kana and Val

How have men responded to your being natural?
My hair has attracted so much attention all my life. From being long and permed, to being afro'd past my shoulders, to being taper faded, to being in fat locks. Men have pretty much always liked my hair. But I think it has to do with the fact that my hair in each of these situations has attracted certain type of men (and women). That's really what changes. And my changes in hair have really just been reflections of the changes going on inside me. I haven't ever made major hair changes for asthetics. I don't think about it that much. I just feel my mind changing, transforming. And shortly thereafter, my hair looks completely different. Seems like when it is faded, I get the most variety of people. On one night last week, I was hit on my an Indian man and two black women. Short hair comes with less socio-cultural baggage I think.

Kana and friend Ryan

Also, a lot of times, my hair and how I care for it has been a reflection of my sexuality...when I was at my big fro point...well, I was wild and free :o) And when I cut that fro, it was literally me wishing away all that sexual energy. It had yielded some fruit I didn't really want to eat and I didn't know what else to do with it. This most recent cut from the locs was a freeing of sexual repression and frustration I had been imposing on myself. Getting back to just being my self and not needing another pair of eyes to look at me in order to feel desirable. I am really coming into desiring myself now. And dammit I'm hot!

What are some things you wish you knew when you first went natural?
If I could go back in time and whisper in my ear as I was making the shift to natural, it would be, "Now, really love yourself on the inside too. Really."

Anything else you would like to add?
I love you Amber. I think you're frickin' awesome. I love dancing with you. I love that you love to teach. And I love learning from you. I think you're beautiful. I love how eclectic, dedicated, and well versed you are about so many things. I really do want to travel with you and have a dance and language company with you.

Awwwww thanks so much! I love you too hermana! I learn so much from you as well. I am about to cry lol.

Do you have a website you would like to share?
My blogsite is www.wednesday7.wordpress.com

Wow! Kana has had soooo many looks over the years. Every time I see her she looks different lol. What do you all think?