Women of color have been moving towards and/or back to their natural hair states in droves, over the past few years now. Yet, the year 2016 has been a revolutionary influx to the notion that our hair in its naturalist state — is the most adored and beautiful. Especially, when it is kept at its utmost healthiest form, through hair rituals many of us all do or will learn to do over time. 2016 and now as we move through this new year of 2017 has shown us through varying lights, that natural hair is booming and the love for our hair in this state, is one that will continue to grow, thrive and revitalize the many thought processes about natural hair. When we may be transitioning back to the natural, sustaining it and the women that rock it everyday.
It’s no coincidence that Solange Knowles wrote a song entitled Don’t Touch My Hair for mere aesthetic purposes alone. The song is resounding sonnet of the many reasons why our hair in its naturalist state, is so admired and warranted of regal value and affection. It is that of a crown of glory, a being in of itself, a halo leading to one's infinite soul, body and sound. The flood of women returning to what was known to women in the 60’s and 70’s is being acknowledged once again single handedly — the movement of pure joy, affirmations and beauty is seen throughout the women in our lives and now in the media full fold. Not, that it ever mattered to us if it was seen by mass media, what did and does continue to matter is that when it is seen, it is seen in its most authentic way possible and/or acknowledged of its origins and beginnings. This will continue to be our new battle when it comes to our hair and its overall culture.
From big blow-outs, roller sets, soda can curls, soft bushy afros, braids from every angle, part and dimension including individuals, box braids to cornrows and silk locs, and everything in between. Women of color have embraced it all again and it’s truly a revolution. So much so, that we’ve continued to see a rise in the appropriation factor, especially on the runways of New York to Milan. The admiration for our hair culture can be flattering; however, not acknowledging the origin suppresses and damages our cultural history. That is our next uphill battle, and continues to be our issue to fight for in the world of beauty and media. The natural makes a statement, its beauty can be beyond words, and it stops all tracks, silences rooms and causes stirs of copycats. Like Solange sang, “Don't let anybody steal your magic…But, I got so much y’all you can have it, yeah”.
Want to transition back to natural? Try these DIY tips below to do so, in a healthy manner and at home!
1: DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE SHEARS
Many women find cutting their hair nerve racking because they’re worried about perhaps cutting too much or jaggedly. Which can result in them having a lot of split ends. Don’t worry about that: your hair grows out of your roots, not your ends. So your hair will continue to grow. However, if you don’t cut your split ends they can split upwards and cause even more damage. You can prevent this by cutting it on a regular base. Note to remember: once a split end, always a split end. The only way to get healthy hair again is by putting a pair of good shears in it.
2: DON’T WEAR PROTECTIVE STYLES TOO LONG, SUCH AS (FAKE) BRAIDS OR HAIR EXTENSIONS
If you wear a protective style, with extensions (fake hair only), this may cause damage to your hair. Especially, if the braids or sew in extensions have been applied too tight. This can put pressure on your hair, which will not only lead to breakage but, also to hair loss. Excessive pulling can create a receding hairline. Taking care of your hair while in a protective style is also very important. Washing (if possible), letting your braids down and wearing a silk bonnet or silk scarf at night will provide a healthier hair outcome..
3: DON’T TOUCH AND/OR PULL YOUR HAIR TOO MUCH
It can be quite tempting to pull and twist your hair or to re-twist your twists while watching a TV show or movie… without knowing it you’re breaking your hair. Try to let your hair rest as much as possible or wear a cap if you must. Curling your hair might look adorable but, can also cause hair loss from too much heat, and constant movement.
4: VARY IN PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLE
If you wear your hair in a blown out (and well nurtured) protective style, you are giving your hair the rest it needs to grow. When I started my natural hair journey, I wore my hair in wash ‘n go’s, which resulted in me having to softly comb tangled knots thoroughly. Nowadays, I wear my hair in large braids or twist most of the times. Sometimes I make an exception and rock a wash ‘n go on weekends, where I can manage it if it goes left. This ensures that I have less tangles, knots and hair breakage. After wearing my hair loose for a day, I softly finger comb it and put it back in big twists or braids.
5: APPLY A WEEKLY CONDITIONER
To stimulate your hair growth be sure to deep condition your hair weekly. Using a deep conditioner like… or even making your own homemade deep conditioner can be a great option as well. Bottom line: Give your curls the Tender, Love and Care it needs on a weekly base and enjoy the positive effect it has on your hair. I used my Huetiful hair steamer, but if you don’t have one, make sure you put a plastic cap or bag over your hair so the deep conditioner can soak in well. Up to 30 minutes can make a huge difference in softening your texture and keeping moisture in.
6: TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF YOUR ENDS
This sounds very logical, yet a lot of people overlook taking care of their ends. The ends need all the care and nutrition that they can get. If you have dry ends, they can easily split and break off. To ensure this doesn’t happen, you need to make sure that you nurture your hair. Also watch out for certain clothing like wool coats and hats; even, accessories like sequins (blouses or jackets) can pull at the ends of your hair and cause breakage and split ends. (Be Careful)
7: PRE POO-ING’
A trick to detangling your hair easily is the so-called ‘pre-poo method’. Before you wash your hair with shampoo, you wet your hair a bit and add (warm) oil or a heavy conditioner. Leave that in for about an hour. This technique doesn’t only detangle your hair it also hydrates your hair before you wash it. It also ensures that the shampoo does not completely strip your hair of its’ natural moisture and oils.
Finally, make sure that you nurture your scalp by oiling it properly every few days and/or weekly. Because, as mentioned before: without a healthy scalp you won’t get a healthy (head) of hair. If you’d like to know more about "pre-pooing" and which products work best for this, check out this link by Black Girl Long Hair.
