Girl Behind the Curl... meet A. Mercedes!

Hey there :o)

I know, I know, I have been M.I.A. for the past couple weeks. I had to take a little break from everything lol literally. Took a break from work, the blog, my hair lol but I know I have to pick back up on life eventually soooo here’s some activity to start off with…a NEW Girl Behind the Curl! I met this lady via Facebook through a mutual friend and I was intrigued by her gorgeous hair color! I secretly have plans to go blonde again one day, once I grow out this curent color and nourish it back to tip top health so this my friends, is serious motivation! You too can have color and healthy hair!

Meet A. Mercedes! Enjoy :o)

Introduction : : Do share a little about yourself!

My name is A. Mercedes Sumpter and I am a 25 year old Brooklyn native.

In the beginning : : What inspired you to go embrace your natural-ness? OR If you’ve been natural since forever, what inspired you to never get a perm?

I “went natural” at 15 years old. I was just tired of having a perm and at that time I had a short hair cut. I went to the barbershop and had him cut it all off. That “in between natural / perm” phase wasn’t the life for me, so I rocked a ceasar for about a year. I remember going to school that Monday and my Latin teacher asking me if I had a fire accident. smh – silly goat.

Your uniqueness : : How would describe your hair and how do you like to wear/style your hair daily? i.e. wash-n-go’s, twists, straight, protective styles, etc.

My hair is very interesting. Its soft and fluffy for the most part, but sometimes it can be very dry. I go thru style phases. In college I would either rock a twist out or I would just tie it up with a whatever piece of string I could find. Nowadays this humidity is very unkind to me, so I bantu knot the back + sides wet and then I blow dry the top and bantu knot that section.

Choosing favorites : : What are some fav products you can’t live without or would recommend to someone else? How do you use them?

I LIVE for Shea Butter. It is the only product that I have consistently used for the past 10 years and it is the sole product I use to twist my hair. In regards to shampoo / conditioners — I prefer more natural products because you can really feel the difference. I was addicted to Organix Moroccan Argan Oil product line for a while, but then I found this amazing shampoo + conditioner at a local spa in Brooklyn called Karen’s Body Beautiful. Their shampoo + conditioner is by far the best I’ve ever used. Oh, and I use either coconut oil / almond oil while blowdrying my hair.

For hair color I go to Sirca Designs Hair Salon located on W. 30th St btwn 7th + 8th Avenues. Veronica, my hairstylist, is the only person I let color + style my hair and she is EXCELLENT. I’ve been coloring my hair for at least 10 years now and I’ve never had a problem. My color is always shiny + vibrant and I re-color about every 3 to 4 months.

Drop some knowledge : : Do you have an awesome hair practice/technique you’ve learned and wouldn’t mind sharing? OR is there something you’d like to learn more about?

Not really, a lot people ask me questions about the do’s / don’ts of natural hair but my advice has always been to really find what works for you. No two heads are the same, and unlike having a relaxer the hair itself goes thru many different phases. My texture now is different from my texture last year and last year was very different from 3 years ago. It changes as you change and to be honest, it is a true representation of you. When I’m not eating, sleeping, drinking water the way that I should then my hair is dry, I dont’ make time to retwist it, etc. When my diet is on point and i’m getting enough rest then my ‘fro is good to go! :)

Shameless plug : : Do you have a hustle you’d like to share while you have the floor? i.e. business, project, etc.

Of course! My business partner and I just recently started our own management / marketing company. Right now we are managing 3 AMAZING artists . Seqo – a super talented rapper from Brooklyn. Steeve Sam - an amazing singer + performer from New Jersey, by way of Haiti. KRK! – extraordinary producer from New Jersey. Remember ALL of their names :)

K.I.T. : : How can we stay connected with you? i.e. website, e-mail, social media, etc.