Define Your Natural (Part Two)

My decision to wear natural hair is more out of the consequences I experienced when I was relaxed: hair breakage, thinning, bald spots, chemical burns, and so on. Over the years from using a wide range of products I know that my hair prefers natural products that have few ingredients or a stand alone all natural organic product like shea butter.

We are here to support each other and learn from one another. The first part of this topic was written in order to get us thinking about what is natural. Natural to me means natural hair unaltered by chemical straighteners. Some may argue that coloring one's hair is a chemical process and that by doing so you are no longer natural. Their is a difference between 'virgin' and 'natural'. The main discourse surrounding our hair has been about our texture and not coloring it. Our hair texture has been attacked and ridiculed, sometimes by the people closest to us.

The movement is not to have people accept coloring our hair but to accept a texture of hair that is unique to people of African descent. Wigs, weaves, and coloring hair can be a symptom of this greater phenomenon but it does not categorize individuals as having self hate because they do so. If I wear my hair natural one day and the next day I'm rocking a wig that's because I feel comfortable within my self to move between these two styles. Their are women of color who will never let you see their natural hair texture. They use a variety of excuses to hold on to the lie. It is this lie that I am attacking - that kinky hair isn't pretty, IT IS.

If you use a product that has petro chemicals in it and it works for you than more power to you because at the end of the day it is not the product that is being attacked by many in our society, it is your hair. Many products give similar results, and do 'they' care when they look at your afro as to what type of pomade, moisturizer or oil you used? NO. They are looking at your afro point blank.

I am a proponent of natural and organic products, I sometimes wonder out of this zone to try some great products that may be seen as "questionable' by some. They give great results and if my hair reacts well to it than I'll use it. My bias toward natural and organic products does not lessen my commitment to natural hair they are two separate issues. My joy of natural and organic products came from my sensitivity to many products on the market; my scalp, my hair, my sinuses and my skin. I am just sensitive to things that others would be like "what is this girrrl complaining about?" And I understand that if someone has not experienced what I have concerning sensitivity to skin and hair products that ignorance can rear its head.

Let's support each other. If you choose to also use all natural and organic products than more power to you! Ridiculing one another because of a product is not placing our energy toward the real issue - their are people in this world who do not like to see our naturally kinky hair and unfortunately that includes some people of African descent.