Natural hair has indeed become a trend as of late, especially within the African-American community. Though some turn to this option simply to enjoy the aesthetics of natural hair, others do so for a much deeper reason; they make the conscience choice to go natural for their health, as well as to express their 'true' selves. But before we go and get too deep, let's start with what I feel are the facts:
Fact#1: The hair industry is a multi-Billion dollar industry and African-American women spend about 2/3 of those billions.
Fact#2: You should not place ingredients upon your hair/scalp that you would not find safe enough to place in your mouth.
Fact#3: Natural Hair can be just as manageable as relaxed hair, as well as have the potential to be stronger & have broader styling options.
I received my last relaxer on May 11, 2009 and did the Big Chop/ went completely natural (which for me means that I stopped using all products that contained harmful ingredients and began to really educate myself on natural/organic ingredients) on Thanksgiving Day 2009. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made!
I always had an urge to be this kind of 'earth child', if you will; my mom has referred to me as a 'flower child' for much of my life, but I guess that I wasn't able to embrace this free spirit of mine due to the same reasons why most people don't feel as if they can be themselves. I was never consciously worried about what people thought of me, as I was always one to march to the tune of my own drum, but deep inside I didn't really want to 'stand out' too much either. To make a long story short, it took college to help me get over that fear. Instead of telling myself that I shouldn't stand out or choose to be too noticeable, I began asking myself who am I not to stand out and shine? It became ridiculously clear to me that I am a unique person and the only person that I need to be true to is me. Other than my outward appearance I also started to consider what I looked and felt like on the inside. I started educating myself on African-American hair and what makes its so distinctive and the proper methods for catering to this uniqueness; as well as looking into our diet and what foods we should not be indulging in. Of course while doing this research it became distinctly obvious that no matter how carefully one cares for the outside appearance, it is the care of what is on the inside that is the driving force behind everything. I knew that chemical burns (or scalp burns) from perms, harsh shampoos & conditioners and eating the way younger people usually eat wasn't helping anything. I knew that I was capable of doing better, by my hair and most importantly by my overall health. That is the day that I promised myself that I would no longer worry about the standards of beauty that had been set by society. I was finally going to take control, and simply do what was best for me!
***This topic is longer than usual and therefore may be more easily digested in smaller portions. Please Stay Tuned for the Conclusion as we break down the Facts (above) in the next Natural Hair entry***
Aja...GREAT post! I found great pleasure in reading your thoughts, as well as, a lot of informative information. I will be sure to share your knowledge with as many people as I can! Job well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chica! Stay tuned for the conclusion with pictures :-)
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