BRAND AMBASSADOR: NADIA KAMARIA

MEET NADIA! Her luscious short locs leave a lot to be desired.  She was one of the premiere models for The Colors of Nature Collection, so check out the Lookbook to view her poses! She has proudly worn her Tiffany's Loc Jewels on Instagram and out in the community and carefully chronicles her loc journey online.  I had to catch up with her to find out a little about her loc regime, as well as her personal goals in life.  Read on to learn more about Nadia.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself (Name, where you grew up, do for a living, your passion)
Hello! My name is Nadia Kamaria. I grew up in the bay area of northern California. I recently graduated college with my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I am currently working as an academic support provider at the elementary school level. I assist my school in developing an academic monitoring and intervention system for low performing and credit deficient students. We do this by developing a school success plan for the students who are not benefitting from the regular school program. I also plan to further my education. I am passionate about creating AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BUILT On EQUITY SO THAT ALL CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE THE PROPER SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED AND PROGRESS. I AM ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT Teaching African American girls and women to love and accept their God-given physical aesthetics. I want those who struggle with self-love to embrace their natural hair and melanin despite the Eurocentric beauty standards prevalent in the media and society.

2. When did you start your locs? What do you like best about them and least about them?
I started my locs January 3, 2015. The last year and a half has been a journey of self-acceptance and struggle. There are so many things I love about my locs. BUT I WILL SAY One thing I LIKE BEST IS HOW LOW MAINTENANCE THEY ARE. BEING ABLE TO WAKE UP AND GO WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT MY HAIR IS SUCH A STRESS RELIEVER! MY LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT MY LOCS WOULD BE FRIZZINESS AND DRYNESS. MY HAIR HAS ALWAYS BEEN “DRY”, BUT IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO COMBAT THIS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE MINIMAL PRODUCT TO AVOID BUILDUP in my locs. I am constantly trying to find new ways to combat this problem.

3. What are some of your staples for loc maintenance?
My loc maintenance routine consists of a few steps. I wash my hair about every two weeks now. After shampooing I use a diluted conditioner spray to separate my roots, which get super tangled after the shampoo process (this is always a pain). After rinsing, I use natural oils and rose water to moisturize my roots. I usually only retwist the front of my hair to achieve a neater look. I do a full retwist every couple months or as I feel necessary. Throughout the week I will spray my hair with rose water and oil as needed.

4. Do you palmroll, tighten or freeform? And what products do you use to maintain your style?
I twist my roots and palmroll every once in a while. I mostly use rose water and coconut oil.

5. What is the long-term purpose of your mission?
I am still in the process of branding myself. My ultimate mission is to inspire and encourage other women to not only embrace their natural beauty but to also educate themselves on proper hair, skin, and body care.

6. What piece of advice would you give someone who wanted to start locs?
My advice for someone wanting to start a loc journey would be to remember without struggle there is no growth. This journey is one of ups and downs. Cultivating locs is a process, not something that happens overnight. You have to embrace the bad days just as much as the good ones. Locking your hair is a humbling experience. Patience is key.

7. Which Tiffany's Loc Jewels piece is your favorite and why?
My favorite piece is the sap moss jewel from the colors of nature collection. I look forward to expanding my collection with more beautiful pieces!
(if you don’t have a jewel, pick one that you’d want to wear)

8. Coffee or Tea?
Tea!

If you would like to contact (your name), or read more about this brand ambassador and her current projects, you can find her at:

Nadia Lewis
Instagram: @nadia_kamaria

Also in CAUGHT UP IN THE LOC...ALL ABOUT HAIR