Natural Hair...To Be or Not To Be? *The Conclusion*

**If you have not yet read part 1, please click here***

Okay, so now that we've gotten my personal story out of the way let's get back to the facts:

#1. The hair industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and we, as African-American women, financially contribute about 67% of this industry. When I first heard this fact I was floored! But even still it all made so much sense. We are so miseducated that we are taught from an early age (on average) that our hair is too unmanageable, too much work and just not "good". Therefore we are even more drawn to the commercial hype of long, silky, straight, flowing hair as the norm. However, the desire for long and silky hair is not the main problem; in my humble opinion the main issue lies in the fact that we do not even know the best ways to go about achieving it. Believe it or not, silky, long hair can be achieved sans chemical processes. The proof is in the pudding, we spend hundreds and thousands of dollars per year trying every 'miracle' product under the sun. I'm guilty of this too! My mama used everything from Blue magic to Indian Hemp miracle grow on my hair. Back then we had no idea that this grease that was supposed to nourish our scalps and provide moisture to our hair, was in fact clogging the pores on our scalps and suffocating our follicles therefore retarding any substantial growth that we were initially seeking. This bad behavior normally continues as commercials get more glamorous, product labels get more cleaver and we become more vulnerable. Some of us figure it out and some of us do not. I have family members that are almost completely bald around the edges and nape of their heads and still continue to 'grease' and succumb to other habits that ultimately harm their scalps. The first 'golden rule' that I learned during my time of 'self discovery' was healthy scalp = healthy looking hair; there's just no way around it. If you treat your insides with TLC then that beauty and care will radiate from the inside OUT.

#2. Over the last year or so I've found out that many people are misinformed about the fact that most products on the shelves of our favorite stores are overloaded with chemicals. Would you put a huge glob of DMDM Hydantoin or a heaping spoonful of sodium benzoate into your mouth? Well after educating yourself by looking into these chemicals I'd hope that the answer is a solid, "No". Chemicals like these and worse are lurking in many over the counter hair care “miracles”, everything from Pantene Relaxed and Natural products (which I was a huge sucker for) to Cantu Shea Butter leave-in conditioner (which in my opinion isn't that bad, as it's harmful chemicals are located at the end of the ingredient list however, the point is that they are still there!). Ingesting ingredients like this would most certainly cause more than just a tummy ache; and I am very aware that there's a big difference between swallowing a chemical & applying it to ones skin however, damage is damage; there's nothing positive there no matter how you slice it. So, we put these things on our scalp, which is especially rich in blood vessels and pores, these pores absorb the chemicals that we place onto them, and once absorbed these chemicals find their way to our bloodstream where they can really wreck havoc. So now, not only are there chemicals traveling throughout our blood supply and accumulating within our bodies, but they are most likely affecting one of our most precious organs: The Brain. (And we wonder why there are so many of us walking around here half crazy, we're feeding our bodies the wrong stuff)! The theory of not placing something upon your scalp that you would not put into your mouth is common sense; I only wish that I would've been sharp enough to think this way at an earlier age, but better late than never. Sidebar: One other thing I think is really interesting is the use of the word 'Fragrance'; what does that really mean? Look into this when you get a chance. I could talk about ingredients all day-it's just a shame what this industry is doing to our personal care products. But moving on.....

#3. Natural hair can be just as manageable as relaxed hair and with even more styling options. This one comes from experience. When I was relaxed I was able to pull off several styles, my hair was longer & seemingly healthy (this was short lived). But there were also many downfalls that I was simply no longer interested in dealing with; aside from putting chemicals on my head, I was also not interested in running from the rain (so to not get my fresh perm wet), not interested in planning my activities ahead of time so that I'd know how to wear my hair (ie: rocking braids for a trip to the amusement park so that I wouldn't sweat out my perm) and definitely not interested in damaging my hair further by relaxing it before its proper 'touch-up' time just so I could be cute for a night out with the girls. I was tired of worrying about how to cover up new growth & not being able to wear certain styles until I got a touch-up. Overall, I was just sick & tired of being sick & tired.
Now that I'm natural I find it so much easier to be me. My hair is easy and gives me numerous styling options. I no longer have to plan activities around my hair, If I choose to go swimming I don't have to worry about how long ago I got my relaxer (because Chlorine & Perm don't mix well). I don't worry about the heat or sweating and I certainly do not worry about new growth—now I welcome it! My styles are low maintenance, heat-less and carefree! Not to mention that I can usually get multiple hairstyles out of one; for example, If I wear my hair in two-strand twist for a week, I can then simply pull those twists apart and rock a curly 'fro; a few days later I can opt to braid the sides & sport a 'fro-hawk, then I can fully re-wash/condition and don a wash-n-go! The possibilities are just endless.

For me, going natural was very necessary. I feel that I have found myself (I know that may sound silly as the only thing that has changed is my hair and diet, but I also feel a change in my self- perception). Outwardly, I'm presenting myself as the free spirited person that always resided within me and inwardly I'm feeding my body what it needs (and not so much of what it wants any longer) therefore I feel better about myself as a whole. I implore you to look into this matter for yourself, read information about your health, and even dare to delve into what it means to be natural on a more spiritual level. I guarantee that nothing but good things will come of it. Even if you're just interested in this journey strictly from an aesthetic perspective, you will indubitably benefit from the practices of being au naturale!

How does being natural/the prospect of going natural make you feel?