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HH: Can you share a little about your natural hair journey and how your hair plays a role in the way you express yourself as an artist?
CE: I feel like people now know me for the little mini blonde afro. It’s sort of the thing that stuck a long time ago. When I was younger, my hair was much longer than it is right now. I cut it when I left drama school, because I felt like I was spending a lot of time on it and spending a lot of time hiding behind it.
I wanted people to see my face. I wanted to give myself the opportunity to not hide behind my hair. So, I feel like this little afro I keep is a part of me and a part of the package of Cynthia, and the blonde is just an expression of how much fun I want to have.
HH: A lot of women are opting for “the big chop” these days. What was your experience like when you decided to go for it?
CE: When I cut it, it was like rediscovering what my hair was. From the moment I decided I wanted to get my hair chopped, I think my hairdresser was more scared of cutting my hair than I was, because it was really long. She was like, “Are you sure you want to cut all this off?” I was very sure, and she still wouldn’t cut all of it off. She kept bangs in the front. So I went back two days later and said, “I need it gone. Cut it all off. I don’t need it. I’m good.” I guess I was ready to make a change and see something new. I kept going back and cutting it shorter and shorter. The first time I did it, I had a relaxer and it would lay flat, but then I just stopped relaxing it altogether and have kept it short for a while now.
HH: We love how you have so much fun with your brush cut by playing with color. How often do you get it colored?
CE: I think I get my hair colored maybe every six weeks
HH: What products do you use to keep your hair healthy between salon visits?
CE: I use Vernon Francois’
HH: What are some of your beauty and skin-care favorites?
CE: Felicia [Walker] introduced me to a lot of the products that I use now. My skin tends to be dehydrated; when I’m performing, I use makeup
In the morning, I use Fresh Rose. Anything with
HH: We hear you’re big into fitness. What are some of the health and wellness things you practice in your daily life to maintain balance and keep up with your busy schedule?
CE: I go to the gym every other day or every day of the week except for Sunday, and I make sure I eat really well. That’s important to me, to make sure I’m filling my body with things that will actually take care of my body. I practice a vegetarian lifestyle, although there are times when I need more protein, so I will consume fish from time to time
I keep hydrated. That’s the main thing. Keep hydrated and keep happy. I meditate. I jump rope because it’s an easy thing to take with me. It means I don’t have an excuse. So if I don’t work out, it’s because I literally don’t want to work out, not because I can’t. If I can’t work out, I always know there’s a difference between can’t and won’t. There are days when I don’t want to, so I won’t.
HH: Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
CE