A Natural Hair Story
What has become of the “natural hair movement” has made caring for our hair far more complicated than it should be. I was never really on that train. But once I cut off my locks in the fall of 2019, I started buying product after product to whip my hair into a curl pattern, much like I used perms and relaxers to whip my hair until it was straight. No more! What you and I see is what we both get. In 2002, I locked my hair to embrace my authenticity and free up the time I needed as a wife, mother, and doctoral student. My plate is as full now as it was back then. To those who insist that caring for natural hair requires more time and effort than chemically processed hair, I say it does not have to be that way.
I do not have a specific wash “day” or, for that matter, a particular routine. My wash day can occur anytime between one to three weeks from when I last washed my hair. And let me be clear, I do not have an entire day to dedicate to my hair. So my wash time occurs during the time that I shower. Last night while in the shower, I used the plant-based Alba Botanica products to shampoo/condition my hair. After leaving the shower, I added a little leave-in conditioner, oil, and butter by Melanin Haircare to my tresses. I placed a plastic cap over my damp hair and left it on for a few hours to let the products saturate my hair (NEVER LEAVE A RINSE OUT CONDITIONER IN YOUR HAIR LONGER THAN DIRECTED). Afterward, I plaited my hair in three parts, then late in the afternoon, I took out the plaits and used a pick to style the hair into a TWA (Tiny-weeny Afro). I did not add additional products to my hair. I spritzed a little water on my dry hair for added moisture. Then I used a Twist It Up Comb (hair racket) to form Bantu-like knots to add a little pizzazz.
Here’s a little-known Black history fact. The Afro was called “the bush” in the 1960s. We styled our bush using a bush comb and a bush pick. By the 1970s, the term “bush” was replaced with “the natural” and later “the Afro” to give the style respectability. F@#& your respectability. But I digress.
In conclusion, I want to dispel a myth about curly, coily, “kinky” hair. According to numerous studies on hair texture, naturally straight hair is stronger but less versatile than textured hair. Textured hair is not as strong as it looks and feels, so do not be too heavy-handed when styling or using styling products. If you want to increase hair moisture, try drinking more water and adding water-rich foods to your diet (the same goes for protein). In fact, your hair can tell you a lot about your diet, sleeping habits, stress levels, and overall health.
For seventeen years, my hair was locked, and excessive palm rolling in the name of keeping my hair neat and respectable caused traction alopecia. It has been three years since I cut off my locks, and there has been some hair restoration to the crown area. But the regrowth process has been slow, and whether my hair will be fully restored to its original thickness is anybody’s guess.
I don’t want long hair. I want healthy hair. The shrinkage is awesome!
