What is Natural Hair?

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Everyone you ask will have a different answer to “what is natural hair?” To some, being natural just means wearing your natural curly hair. To others, it is an elite community and a complete lifestyle change. No matter how you define it, it is undeniable how much love the natural hair movement has been getting lately.

Natural hair may be on trend today, thanks to festivals like Afropunk and Curl Fest and celebrity influencers, but it hasn’t always been. It’s been a long road from being seen as unprofessional and unkempt to picturesque and appreciated. As much as naturals love all of this extra attention, it’s important to know where we come from.

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History of Natural Hair

First off: the natural hair movement is far from new. Marcus Garvey used natural hair as the main speaking point in his Back to Africa Movement of the 1920s.

Black hair trends of the 1920s were uniformed, sleek, and processed. The goal was to define black culture as unique, but equal to whiteness. It makes sense that black women would look to the popular styles as well. Getting curls and coils straight took a lot of work, but the payoff was smooth and kink-free.

In the 1950s, the perm, otherwise known as “creamy crack,” was introduced to the black community and the rest was history. It wasn’t until the 1970s when political movements inspired more to slowly ease back into traditional African inspired styles.

Although today’s natural hair movement is not specifically rooted in politics, there is no shortage of controversy in the community. There is a clear divide in what is considered good and bad natural hair. You might be wondering, well, what type of natural hair do I have?

The truth is, not all curls slay the same way. Knowing your unique curl pattern can help make product decisions and hair styles a lot easier, but there is no such thing as bad natural hair.

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What Happens If You Never Put Products in Natural Hair?

Product snobs are real out here! Does going natural mean you must not use any products in your hair? It depends on what you mean by “products.” There are large scale brands, like Shea Moisture, that became popular for marketing toward black hair, but does that mean they actually work?

No matter what curl pattern you have, all natural hair needs moisture. Whether you take the “au naturale” route and make your own hair care products (DIY is so hot right now), or you buy trusted brands, the key to healthy natural hair is dryness prevention. Buying crèmes, pomeades, and oils won’t solidify your seat at the natural curly hair table any more than anyone else. The key is to explore, expand, and empower!

Do you know a real life product snob? What products are a must for natural hair? #SheaMoisture #NaturalHairProducts #bhs Click To Tweet

What’s the deal about texture?

A lot of people are obsessed with texture in the natural hair community. So much so, some go through great lengths wondering if they can change or manipulate texture. Hate to burst the bubble, but unless your body has gone through some sort of hormonal change like pregnancy or puberty, it is not likely your hair texture has changed. Sometimes the addition of a new product into your normal hair care regime, or a different protective style can give the appearance of a new curl pattern or texture.

The bottom line is that it shouldn’t matter! As long as you and your hair are happy, fitting into a curl pattern or texture is secondary. Sometimes all that glitters isn’t gold! Every curly girl has her own set of unique challenges and rewards that makes their natural hair special and just for them.

What’s your curl pattern? When did you first find out? #bhs Click To Tweet

What does natural hair mean to you?


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