The term “going natural" means different things to different people. To me, it means no more damaging perms and texturizers in black hair.
The process of going natural seems so easy for some people. There are women whose hair grows an impossible amount each month and it makes ours feel like it's not doing enough.
A part of the natural hair process is achieving healthy hair. It is so easy to get caught up in length and styles that we forget about the healthiness of our hair. Healthy hair means growing hair. Some styles damage the hair more than others, like applying constant heat for a pressed style. Some styles are more helpful for both growing natural hair and keeping it healthy.
For me, a healthy and growth-inducing style is box braids. Box braids help my hair to grow with no breakage whatsoever. But just because this style works for me does not mean this will work for everyone. In order to know what your hair loves, you must experiment!
I have been natural for most of my life. I only really remember my hair in its natural state. But this is the opposite for some other women. Some women have had their hair permed, straightened, and pressed for most of their life. To some of these women, they do not even remember their original hair. This can cause immense frustration while trying to embrace their natural curls.
There are lots of Instagram users who love and embrace natural hair in all its forms. But in reality, people in the world still hold lots of negative views regarding a black woman's hair. Natural hair has such a lack of a presence in society that people often do not know how to react to an untreated 4c afro. The same people will say negative things to the wearer of the fro.
In my personal experience, most of my negative comments about my hair have come from other black women. This is such a sad and upsetting thing to admit. This leads to another topic I want to discuss.
I am natural for myself, no one else.
Wearing my hair in its natural state makes me feel free and empowered. No one else in the world could wear my hair as well as me, regardless of how I wear it. A weave, braids, a puff or ponytail, my hair will always be a symbol of my resilience and my personality. Wearing natural hair is a symbol of both defiance and acceptance. It defies gravity and beauty standards while teaching acceptance to everyone who views it. My natural hair is just one of the many aspects I love about myself.
There are many different textures of natural black hair; with these textures comes styles that can either help or hinder each one. The process of learning what your hair loves is an amazing experience that helps you to learn to love your hair. Each new product helps you feel an attachment to your curls.
If you plan on going natural, go for it.
