I POSTED THIS ON MY OLD SITE MONTHS AGO, BUT I DECIDED TO REPOST IT FOR MY NEW FOLLOWERS.  AND I AM CELEBRITING NATURAL HAIR SINCE MY NAPPIVERASARY IS TOMORROW!!!!

“Patience, health before length and do what works for you”, says Aevin Dugas.  Many people might ask the question who is Aevin Dugas; the answer is, the beautiful woman who holds the world record for the largest afro.  This is a title that Aevin has held since 2011 after Guinness World Record measured her afro at an amazing 4 ft. 4in.  It was by chance that Aevin acquired this title and made history as the first person to ever do so. Aevin became the record holder after one of her sister’s Facebook friends suggested she enter the contest in 2010.  Four years later, rest is literally history.

Today being natural is popular; it wasn’t 14 years ago when Aevin made the conscious decision to transition her hair back to its natural state.  With the help of her friend; who made sure she kept fresh cornrows, her journey began.  Aevin admits that it did take her a while to become comfortable with her hair; now that she has, she said she “never even considers” creamy crack. Her thoughts are, “why relaxer your hair when you can get the same effects with natural hair?”  “Relaxed hair restricted me but being natural give me a whole lot of options.”  Aevin is so pleased with her kinky hair that she rarely even blows it out and almost never straightens it.  I thought that maybe that was because of the time it takes to accomplish a silk out.  However, she says that she can wash/ condition (35 minutes), dry (45 minutes) and press (30 minutes) her hair in less than 2 hours.  Now that really shocked me!!  The reason that Aevin shy’s away from blow drying and pressing is the simple reality, heat causes damage to hair.  She says that normally after her weekly wash, she braids her hair and allows it to air dry. During the course of the week Aevin executes a variety of style including twists that take 2 hours to install.

In talking to Aevin I learned that she is not at all a product obsessed natural diva that has to use or try every product and technique that bloggers and vloggers suggest.  Maybe that is because many of the techniques that we are just becoming familiar with, she mastered long ago.  Aevin said when she made the transition; “Lusters Pink Oil Moisturizer” was her best friend.  Even now she says that she uses a variety of products that “aren’t regularly used by African American women like Suave shampoo.”  Another shocker because I was told that regular shampoo was natural hair’s worst enemy.  She does admit that over time she has incorporated hair butters for sealing and oils (grapeseed, almond and avocado) for moisture into her hair care routine.

My conversation with this Louisiana native left me enlightened by her knowledge and inspired by her dedication.  Because I spend so much time obsessing over the do’s and don’ts of natural hair.  Now I know that all of that isn’t necessary and I need to do what makes my hair happy.  She also educated me on some things about my daughter’s hair, like the fact that children’s hair change until puberty.   With all of that hair, years of experience and knowledge, you would think that she would be the face of some brand but she is not.  She hasn’t been presented with an offer that she felt was right for her.  Nevertheless, she is committed to informing other woman about the benefits of embracing their natural hair.  She may be small in size but she is in a sense the godmother of a big movement.   Aevin Dugas, a petite woman with hair that stretches half her height; Passion, Happy, Appreciative & True……P.H.A.T. Girl Fresh!!! 

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