At first, I was hesitant about this week’s challenge. I only knew Jamaican Mango & Lime as a product line for dreadlocked hair and I knew little about ‘dreads. I had always assumed dreadlocks were a counter-cultural fashion preference. So before my package of Jamaican Mango & Lime products arrived in the mail I began to do a little research. I realized in the process that  dreadlocks can also be symbolic of spiritual conviction (as with the Rastafarians) or ethnic pride (as with the beautiful thin, red dreadlocks of the Maasai of Kenya). I cut off my chemically straightened hair in high school because I wanted to learn to accept and take pride in my natural beauty. It was as much a personal statement as a style choice, and I found new kinship between that choice and the choice other make to develop dreadlocks. I thought it would be fun to arrange a photo shoot with someone whose dreadlocks were representative of this, which is why this week’s entry features my friend reggae DJ, Q Bwoy, who knows the products well!

When my package arrived, I was pleased to find that Jamaican Mango & Lime also carried products more applicable to my hair – i.e. products for curls and people transitioning back to their natural texture. As a result, I wanted my photos to be marketable to all the different textures and styles this hair care line caters to. I used the Transition Natural Coiling Crème Pudding to do two strand twists in my hair for the shoot. They turned out beautifully defined (unfortunately, I only have a behind-the-scenes shot of this) and were easily brushed out to create a top donut bun and a side-swept ‘fro. Q Bwoy also donned two hairstyles – a fishtail braid and a double-bun updo. I loved that everyone involved in this shoot found the products useful and I was happy to share them as thank you gifts. It was such a fun and cheerful shoot that I feel it lived up to the colors it featured so prominently – yellow, associated with joy, and green which stands for all things natural. Although, sometimes green stands for envy too. And who wouldn’t envy curls and ‘locks with so much style and versatility?

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Photography & Editing |- Davar Stephen (http://davarstephen.com/ds/fashion)

Makeup |- Cynthia Angelina
Hair |- Erin Courtney 
Male Model |- Quie (Q Bwoy) Anthony