Well, I’m not over having natural hair exactly, but just the cult-like following part. Although there was that one time I was seriously considering cutting and perming my hair. I just wanted something different. At this point, I have thrown my hands up in the air and waved them like I just don’t care and surrendered to the gods of natural hair. You win. I quit.
See, for me, hair has never been that serious. You know how Black women say they are not their hair? Well, I don’t subscribe to that – mostly because I don’t know what the hell it means. For me, hair is just hair. The number one thing I think about before doing a hairstyle is maintenance. What do I have to do to keep this style? Do I have to wake up early every morning and dedicate extra 30 minutes to my hair? Do I have to apply this and that to it every day and night? No, I don’t like that. And that’s why I love braiding my hair – because once it’s done, I don’t have to do much else to it. Of course, I still have to moisturize my scalp and edges, but that’s nothing compared to other things.
How my hair doesn’t look — and how I wish it looked
I’m not crazy about weaves because I don’t care for the maintenance and the shedding. Don’t tell me that expensive hair does not shed. They all do. It’s hair. Just like our natural hair on our head sheds, too. I don’t see a woman with Brazilian hair and think that she has a complex. I don’t see a woman with natural hair and assume that she has a high self esteem and accepts herself as she is. In my head, it’s all about preference, although I know there are people whose hair defines them, people who believe that long, fake hair is the only way a Black woman can look good. Sidenote: that’s probably what they mean about people being their hair. Oh. Aha moment.
As great as natural hair is – power to the Black woman for finally embracing her natural state – it has become a cult. People judge you for not having natural hair. I have watched so many YouTube videos about styles and how to make your own conditioner and blah blah blah — NOPE. I’m over it all. Bananas, eggs, honey, mayonnaise, palm oil, vinegar, avocado, pineapple … Ah ah! On top of this one head of mine because the hair is natural. Ah, no oh. I’m done. I have concluded that the reason people have time for this nonsense – myself included – is because they have eaten to our fill, so they now have time to put the food on their hair. I’m done.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ll still apply my oils on my hair, and I’ll still wash my hair and apply deep and leave-in conditioner, but that’s as far as I go. I’m signing off the YouTube tutorials (because my hair never looks that way anyway), and I will not be purchasing any more products. Okay, I lied. I might buy new stuff, just because it smells good and I’m a sucker for things like that. In my defense, I always bought products when my hair was permed, too.
So yeah, that’s where I am now. I’m done with trying so hard. It’s just hair. And in case you’re wondering, I am not over the desire to cut and perm my hair. It’s just that I want to cut it more than I want to perm it, but if I cut it without perming it, what will I then do with it? I’m not a low cut girl. I like having hair – just not too much of it.
All that being said, I’m in search of a fierce hair braider in Baltimore. I just want some twists. Know anyone? The Kenyan lady I know isn’t that good. In fact, I wouldn’t let her braid my hair. I used to know a Togolese lady that was amazing and had everything I wanted in a hair braider (fast, affordable, and really, really good) until she just disappeared off the face of the earth.
I remember when you were so team natural. Lol.
For me, all those natural hair clubs and stuff is just a waste of time and resources. I see myself as very confident even with my Brazilian weavons.
Am glad for your decision. Waiting for Chimamanda to make her own
Do your hair the way you feel fits you and you are comfortable with. I never get what #teamnatural is all about, and the looking down on people who are not on your ship, no bueno. I also hate the labels. Please dont look at me and say, I am so and so because I have locs, for me it is just low maintenance, nothing deep.
I agree! I personally think it should either be straight or curly/kinky hair…not natural v. unnatural(?)
If you say u have natural hair cos its not permed…does that mean someone wth straight/permed/relaxed hair is unnatural?
It doesn’t make sense at all. I stopped using relaxers because I wanted to see if I would like my hair curly/kinky. I have to admit that I get frustrated with limited styling options because my hair is still short. So I do a lot of ‘protective’ styling.
My two cents…don’t go with the flow. Do what pleases YOU cos it’s YOUR hair 🙂
U left out the onions! That onion therapy is one therapy I am not trying any time soon.
As for those you tube videos, I give up! I spent so many hours watching how to make twist outs, braid outs and three strand twists. Lets just say mine came out the exact opposite of the end results in the videos. Same thing with my crotchet wig attempt. Lets just say ‘a full head of hair’ is a mild way of describing my crotchet wig end result.
*sigh* this ‘au naturelle’ club looks so easy on paper and in the videos……….. LOL!!
this is the question i have been asking myself secretly. would i really have the time to be applying all these things plus i hate when my hair is oily.
http://www.carolesrepublic.blogspot.com
While I think the whole “natural hair movement” is awesome, I also think that everyone should do what they want first and foremost. The thing that gets me is that natural hair is, well, natural, and perms, wigs, etc. may look more clean cut, but they may also send a message that in order to be beautiful you have to resemble a white girl. White girls have nice hair; we know that already. It’s time for black women and their beautiful, voluminous curls to get the attention! As a white girl maybe it isn’t my place to have an opinion, though. Ultimately I just say do what you want!