Moyinoluwa Oripeloye: Hair Tips and telling stories for people who can't

We're exciting to reveal this insightful conversation with a talented, creative human. We'll jump right into it and hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Here we go! 

Could you tell us more about yourself?

Hi, thank you for having me. I'm Moyinoluwa Oripeloye. I always say I'm essentially a writer because that's the one thing I knew I would do as a child. Telling stories for people who can't and sharing experiences is at the core of my existence. So I fused my passion for storytelling and writing into brand management and creating visual content around natural hair. I also have my hair care line where I oversee the creation of products that restore healthy hair in the simplest ways possible.

How did you decide to start speaking actively about natural hair?

I had relaxed hair all my life till I returned natural. So it was an exciting time of my life when I cut my hair and I wanted to share my process; the wins, losses and everything I had learned. I also have very thick strands so a lot of people thought it would be difficult to maintain my hair natural. When I saw it was not as hard, I wanted to change that narrative and I am proud of how far that has come. All hair is good hair, even the ones that don't obey the laws of edge control like mine.

 What are some of your favorite styles or techniques to care for your hair? 

 My all-time favorite style is twists. They are versatile, maintain my hair's volume and are a great protective style. A low bun is also another favorite but because it is not hairline friendly, I don’t do it as much. For techniques, I would say deep conditioning. It's very relaxing to get done and you can spend time doing other things (like sleeping) while the necessary goodness gets into your hair.

We couldn't agree more! 

What would you tell someone who is new to wearing their hair naturally?

To someone who is new to wearing their hair natural, I'd say, "Water is your hair's best friend. Protective styles will help you retain length. Don't try to do everything to your hair at once, filter the information coming at you and do what works for you?"

That's excellent advice! 

Why do you think some parents stop their children from growing their natural hair while they are still young? What are your thoughts on this?

I think it's mostly because of the time involved in caring for their hair and not always because of certain biases towards natural hair. I think it's a matter of choice. There's nothing wrong in relaxing your child's hair till they're old enough to handle it natural. For instance, I returned natural when I was ready to, out of curiosity, not because I met my hair that way and because of that, everything I've done with my hair so far comes from a place of genuine interest.

That's a great point!

Hair related or not, what is the best compliment you've ever been given?

Recently, someone told me they were proud of my accomplishments. These were things I belittled and refused to give myself credit for, for the longest time but hearing about me in that person’s words, I unlocked a new level of respect for myself and acknowledged my drive to always do better.

Tell us a bit more about your writing, what inspires it?

Life experiences. I like to write about the things that we tend to speak of in hushed tones. The very things that scare me, the dark sides of reality, that is where I draw inspiration from and hope to write as many truths as I can through that.

What do you wish more people knew about mindfulness?

It's about being in tune with yourself, being more aware of your environment and adopting a mindset that allows you lead a happy life despite any setbacks. It's not pretending to be happy all the time or feeling positive all day, no. It's about realizing you're unhappy, allowing the feeling to be felt and letting go without being consumed by it.

On to a random question😅, what would you rather throw away between money, wellness, fame, and love? Why?

I would throw fame away because despite all that I may give to the world, I would always want certain parts to myself. Fame would not allow that.

Thank you for sharing these great ideas, we just may need to continue this conversation :)

Where could people find you to learn more?

My Instagram @mohh.oye and my blog 

 


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