Go Natural!
DARK AND GORGEOUS NATURALISTA!
As I struggle with my transition to natural hair, visions like Ms. Lauryn Hill’s natural gorgeousness keep me inspired.
Actress Viola Davis blew the lid on the politics of African hair at the 2012 Oscars when she arrived in her own hair! So it’s official, girls. No more excuses, if she can do it, so can you all. Wear your own natural, beautiful, God-given head of hair – just the way it came out of your head.
A recent hazard alert issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration warned about the dangers of hair smoothing and straightening products that contain formaldehyde. This is yet another compelling reason to go natural. Other reasons centre around self-image and ethnic awareness.
Many people do not have the slightest idea how their hair looks in its natural state due to relaxers put in at early ages. The key to successful natural hair is finding the right products. When trying to determine what products might work, remember that the effect of products on hair is usually determined by the individual not the hair type. So when it comes down to it, there is a lot of experimentation to find the best hair products for each individual’s hair.
Also don’t believe the myth that black women can’t grow long hair. While the length of hair is determined somewhat by genes, many of the times maltreatment of the hair, like relaxers, causes it not to grow. Also growing hair takes an enormous amount of time. It takes about a month to grow a half an inch of hair, not counting trimming split or relaxed ends. Have a healthy diet, take vitamins and be patient.
What you need to know about taking care of your beautiful natural hair:
1) No more chemicals after going natural. That means no relaxers, texturizers, s curl or jheri curl potions. Replace that with the essentials of good hair care: a sulfate free shampoo, silicone free instant and deep conditioner, daily moisturizer or grease with no mineral oil or petrolatum, daily leave in conditioner, good natural oils, and silicone based heat protectants.
2) Doing a lot of research to find out what products fit this criteria will help in the search for good hair products. The website growblackhair.net is a reliable source with products that fit this criteria. Also reading the ingredients listed for products at the local beauty supply store or drugstore and watching product reviews from other women will help determine which products have helpful ingredients as opposed to harmful
3) When taking care of natural hair, treat it like silk. Buy a plastic wide tooth comb, a denman brush or boar bristle brush (some would advise no brushes of any kind), hair clips that are hair stress free, metal free elastic bands, and a satin or silk scarf, pillow cover, or bonnet. Also make sure hats are made of material that will not pull hair. This will eliminate stressing out the hair.
Finding a Natural Hair Transition Style
The biggest challenge about going natural may be how to style your hair when it’s very short or when some of it is nappy and the rest is straight. There are several options. Here are a few:
* TWA- do the Big Chop and just wear a Tweeny Weeny Afro
* Braids or SisterLocks- SisterLocks can be started with as little as 1-1/2″ of new growth at the scalp.
* Two Strand or Comb Twists- simple yet effective. If you decide to cut your hair, you can just use some styling gel (like Black Earth’s Lock It Up Gel) and part your hair into sections. Either twist on a comb or take two strands and twist them around each other. Your hair can be worn like this for several days before having to re-style. CAUTION: Hair that is left twisted for too long can begin to lock. So, unless you want locks, take it down every once in a while.
* Straw Set- this is a great style if you want to keep your permed hair. The tight curls make the different textures (your roots and ends) less noticeable.
* Crinkle Set or Twist Out- by braiding or twisting your hair using a setting gel, you can create a wavy/crinkly look that minimizes the different textures of your hair. This is a very simple and very cute style. You can wear your hair in twists or braids for a while, then remove them and wear the “twist out” look.
* Flat Twists- basically the same as cornrows. The difference is you use two strands of hair instead of three.
Versatility of Natural Hair
When going natural remember how versatile natural hair really is. Without relaxers, black hair, no matter what texture it is, can be straightened, twisted, braided, coiled, curled, etc. Most of these things are impossible with chemicals in it. Most importantly the hair can be healthy and grow.
Read the rest of these articles at TreasuredLocks and Suite101.
