"Hair-versations" is a new series where I'll be interviewing my hair mentors and favorite hair vloggers as they share all about their hair journeys, favorite tips, words of encouragement and more. Today we're highlighting two of my friends and inspirations Eboni and Erica Davis aka TwoLaLa1 from YouTube, who are twin sisters that create videos on hair and lifestyle. On their channel, they share their hair care secrets and unconventional tips on how they grow and take care of their hair. Although their hair is relaxed, their videos can also help women with all hair types.
Photo: Leilani Delay | Makeup: Rebecca Rougeau
When did you begin your healthy hair journey?
I would say right after college (around 22 years old), we started becoming more conscious about having an actual routine and knowing what our hair needs.
Have you both always been passionate about hair?
Not really. I mean we've always loved our hair from day one, but we weren't very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of our hair. Once we moved out on our own we started asking questions and even people asking us about our hair, it became more of a passion to learn about our hair and to pass on what we've learned via our YouTube platform.
What do you have coming up on your YouTube channel?
We have a few cool videos in the works that focuses more on what our subscribers want to see. At first we were doing videos based on what we thought people would like, but now we're paying attention to comments, DM's, questions we constantly get asked, and turn them into videos.
How do you handle people who criticize you for having relaxed hair?
Most of the criticism comes from our video comments and not necessarily in-person. Every now and then we'll engage with them and try to see where they're coming from. But if they're rude or if the criticism is coming from an act of trolling, there really is no need to continue the conversation -- we just ignore it.
What are your top 3 favorite tips for heat-styling?
1.) Heat protectant always!
2.) Satin wrap at night so you don't have to keep reaching for the flat iron to keep it straight. That's how we use heat once a month.
3.) Keep those ends moisturized with Argan oil, serums, butters (shea or mango) or all three. Heat can dry your ends out.
What are the best ways to stretch your relaxers and chemical touch ups?
Our monthly deep condition appointments at a salon really help in keeping our new growth manageable as we go further in our stretch. Shoutout to Lesia our hairdresser, she's the absolute best! Also even before wash day, take time the night before to soften the new growth with warmed up honey, rosewater spray, some kind of hair butter, and sleep with a shower cap on your head. The next morning, it will be easy to work with after your wash routine. Eboni tried it on her last stretch and loved it.
What are your current and long-term hair goals?
Eboni: My current hair goal is to develop a better routine for my scalp and ends which I'm working on. I think that will help me to better achieve my long-term hair goal of mor length, but healthy length.
Erica: My current hair goal is healthy scalp care as well, and hopefully some thickness iwll come along with it for long-term.
What are some words of encouragement you would give to girls and women who are feeling pessimistic and negative about their hair?
Your hair is an extension of you, but not you! So please don't let it get the best of you and make you feel bad about yourself. Now there are reasons (personal, religious, or health) where someone may not be able to change their hair on a whim-- so it's about mindset first. If the situation allows, then change it up because you want to or feel inspired by it, not because of pressure by other people's opinions.
What is one of your favorite haircare videos on your YouTube channel?
Oh that's a hard one. But if we had to pick, it would be our natural to relaxed hair transformation video where we take you through our hair journey of when we were babies to adults (pictures included). But it's just a general overview of how we got to this point in our hair routine.
We are inundated with beautiful hairstyles and models on social media. How important is it to not compare your hair or haircare journey to others?
We usually try to remind people in our videos that everyone's hair and hair journey are not the same. You have controllable factors (diet, discipline, etc.) and also uncontrollable factors (health, genetics) that play into what your hair journey will be like, so it won't do much good to constantly compare your hair to someone else's. What works for our hair may not work for someone else. The same can be applied to us; we're identical twins, but our hair is not exactly the same either. Take what you can from our videos, and if they work then great. If not, there are plenty of other options and avenues to achieve your goals.
When and what was your last hair setback, and how did you ladies come back from it?
Eboni: It would be when I was in my freshman or sophomore year in college. My hair was breaking off in the back probably due to stress and not being focused on having a good hair routine, since I was away from my mom who took care of my hair when I was living at home. My mom was the one who noticed it too. I did get a trim, which I didn't want, but it had to happen. My mom found found some products with vitamin E in it (I think I was still using grease back then...haha), and it just worked itself out. Setbacks suck, but with any journey, it's bound to happen sometimes. Look at it this way, it's a fresh start to correct what went wrong and you get to see your hair flourish even more.
Eboni and Erica, you talk a lot about oils and scalp massages. What are the benefits of them and what are your favorite oils to use on your hair?
This is our favorite part of our hair routine. We started scalp massaging a couple years ago and it was a game changer in seeing growth in our hair. When you scalp massage, you're pretty much stimulating blood flow in the skin of your scalp which "wakes up" your hair follicles and encourages growth. You can do this without oils, but using oil is better because it carries the nutrients to your scalp. We are big fans of essential oils like lavender, tea tree, peppermint, and rosemary. We love Jamaican black castor oil as well.
What is one of your favorite hairstyles?
Eboni: I'm really into braidouts now. Erica just did a video on how she does hers, but I've been into it more this summer. It's something I can do with my hair towards the end of a wash stretch when my straight hair doesn't act right.
Erica: Space buns are me thing at the moment. It's such a cute and fun protective style as well.
Thank you Eboni and Erica for your time and being part of our new "Hair-versations" series with IC Fantasia. My friends you are black girl magic personified leaving sparkles wherever you go.
For more haircare tips, follow Eboni & Erica Davis online:
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Team Fantasia <3