After an amazing interview, we invited digital portrait artist Mojuicy (Mohammad Fayaz) to our creative playground over at Konversation.us. We now present to you “Sulfate-Free”. Peep what he had to say:

Bad hair days were bad face days and bad outfit days and bad everything days. Waking up on the wrong side of the head wrap days. Hot as hell in the club you really wanna keep your cap on? days. It was just so dumb and dry and full there was a lot of it (so much of it) so yeah of course I was gonna shave it all off, every six days, clockwork, with the clippers I bought and then broke and then bought again. Proof of purchase???? In my bathroom singing feeling good feeling great feeling xtra cute and edgy I’m edgy you see, not generic not like the full handsome heads of hair all the dudes in my family got.
AS IF shawty had any reason to be feeling generic

In my bathroom every six days all the while ten feet away on my mother’s dresser was the sweetest loveliest concoction of amla oil in that greasy bottle I never touched never knew still to this day almost afraid of its potential (does my newfound confidence need more lubrication into vanity?) still have not touched having betrothed instead to my two best friends Messieurs Argan Oil and Leave-In Conditioner.

But I wonder what’s in that bottle tho
What centuries of Indian women’s hair secrets lie in that bottle, and wait what secrets beneath my mother’s scalp chilling in my genes and in my blood sitting there brewing and marinating waiting to soothe me

And Beneath my own skull tho? Sweet smooth natural oils produced on the hormonal level (always the best relationships with my hormones) beneath my head, a pool of shine for my thoughts to rest in, inching its way upwards into this world for my locks to get nice and smooth and greasy and cutie and lush. And there I was buzzing away, 0 on the sides barber just a lil bit on top, swept to the side, Brooklyn Queens faggot mimicry at its best.”I FEEL CUTE!” I would fake

“I FEEL CUTE” I now know

Bharat ki baal
# Doggedly wash my hair three days before a flight to the Bay so that midweek on vacation my hair will be in its peak form
# The two parts water one part argan oil concoction in the spray bottle on my desk to be applied a late afternoon before a big night out did you get under the back mobaby?
# Swiping mom’s hijabs and dupattas to tie my hair down at night sweet leave in conditioner doing its magic beneath the sheets
# Wanting to shower at a boy’s house after an evening of debauchery and asking if they have something to tie your hair up coz you know it’s not time and then taking the train smelling of sex when they don’t got anything
# Growing growing growing growing good hair days all good hair days now coz bad hair days chalked up to transitionary I’m_Growing_My_Hair_Out_ small talk at bars with boys I_Can_Do_This

And really all of this from within. Right where I had it. The leave in is heaven sent but my natural oils can’t be bottled or sold or washed away you couldn’t wash me away if you tried, sulfate free paraben free my shit will be back in two busy greasy fucked up new york city public transportation days. And that’s my boo my body taking care of itself as it always has it always does it always will should I treat it right, this bountiful shell of mine always providing for me even when I have not for her. Come here baby gimme a kiss run yr hands through my hair get into this coiff but just kidding please don’t touch it this took a lot of thyme

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