If you would like to know more information about being natural as a Black woman, there are many resources available. Below are the links to YouTube channels that are helpful for me during my hair journey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4eT6C9-BQY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oVxoi9-Sp8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMZQchR7DuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urYxL5WXwto
Additionally, below are the links to two blogs and an online hair forum.
To achieve a straighter texture, hair texturizers and relaxers alter the hair cuticle by breaking down its protein and moisture bonds. A lack of moisture and protein in the hair causes breakage. Learning more about natural hair for African American women can help you start your journey to healthier hair. Source: (http://www.ehow.com/about_5387512_hair-texturizer.html). 2. Fuller hair: From observation, it seems like a lot of African American women appreciate thick, full, voluminous hair. Fortunately, also from observation, lot of African American women have mentioned having thicker/ fuller hair while natural, opposed to when they used to get relaxers. This isn't hard to believe considering the fact that relaxers and texturizers break down the protein and moisture bonds of the hair cuticle in order to keep the hair straightened longer.
3. Versatile hair: Many women may enjoy having the option of styling their hair in different ways. The thicker, fuller texture of natural hair allows you that option. Below are some pictures of my favorite natural hair bloggers.
As cited by The Huffington Post, it is expected that Black women will spend up to 500 million dollars on hair products by the year 2017. From observation, one contributing factor to this overwhelming amount of spending on hair products is the fairly recent resurface of the natural hair movement. Furthermore, it seems like companies such as Dove, Sauve, and Pantene Pro-V, that have never sold natural hair products for African American women, have now recognized the market potential and created a zillion products that are claimed to enhance curls, moisturize hair, and provide shine even though a lot of unhealthy hair ingredients are in them.
Since many naturals do not understand the harm and the motives behind companies that have never shown interest in providing products tailored toward their hair texture, they tend to go out and buy every product that reads fornaturally curly/kinky hair. These women are referred to as product junkies.The good news is that you do not have to be a product junkie. After 2 years of being natural I've found that no matter what the labels may read, not all products will work for you. So, if you decide to go natural please don't feel the need to run out and buy every product that's on the shelf. Besides shampoo and conditioner, a good deep conditioner, a curl enhancing product, and a natural oil is enough.
Natural Hair Policing
Natural hair polices are people that critique and make judgments about others based on their personal opinions about what natural hair means. For example, there is a large network of Black naturals on YouTube who create tutorials showcasing information and tips about being natural based on their personal experiences. In the comment section of the videos there is a lot of negative feedback. Some critiques are statements arguing that women with colored treated hair, flat-ironed hair, and hair extensions should not should not be considered women with natural hair. The negative opinions of others should not stop you from going natural. Everyone has their own process/journey. I encourage you to continue to do research on having natural hair so that you may follow your own journey.
The Big Chop
The Big Chop is when a woman choices to cut off all of the straight, relaxed/texlaxed parts of her hair and keeps the remaining hair as it is her natural texture. Although many women choose to go this route, there are still many women who do not go through with the big chop. To avoid the anxiety of cutting off a lot of hair to get rid of straight ends, many women transition to natural hair. Transitioning is accomplished when women style their hair in ways that blend both the natural texture and straight, chemically processed texture. Two widely-known styles that are used to blend transitioning hair are braid-outs and twists-outs. "Transitioners" wear their hair in blended styles until the relaxed ends grow out completely; therefore, there is no need to cut the hair. Below you can find a video tutorial for doing a braid-out if you are interested in transitioning to natural hair.
One complaint of women with natural hair is shrinkage. Because of the tightness of our curls, our hair appears to be shorter than it actually is. One way to combat hair shrinkage is to find styles that will stretch the hair. Below are three tips (with videos) that can help stretch your hair if shrinkage bothers you.
1. Flat twists: this is achieved by parting the hair to your desired thickness, taking two strands of hair (again, to your desired thickness), and then twisting on the scalp (pulling the hair strands around each other until you reach the ends of your hair). Repeat this all over you head. Here's a video of flat twisting by a natural hair blogger, Naptural85. You can find her on YouTube where she posts many more natural hair tutorials.
2. Two strand twists: this is similar to flat twists except you don't twist on the scalp. Part a section of hair (with your desired thickness), split the section into two pieces, and twist by pulling the two strands of hair around each other until you reach the end of your hair. Repeat all over your head. Check out this video by MsVaughnTV and follow her on YouTube for more tutorials!
3. Banding: part your hair to your desired thickness. Next, grab a lot of hair ties and/or rubber bands. Starting at the top of your head, near your scalp, wrap the hair tie around your hair. Then, about an inch lower, wrap another hair tie on your hair. Continue to do this process until you reach the end of your hair. Repeat all over your head until finished. See the video below by LaBellaNatural for an visual aid of banding! :)
Typically, in the African American community natural hair is hair that is not chemically altered. Chemicals can be found in products such as relaxers and texturizers. A relaxer is a type of cream that is applied to tightly curled/kinky hair textures to make the hair straighter. A texturizer is also a type of cream; however, it doesn't straighten the hair to the extent that a relaxer does. Texturizers loosen the hair cuticle's texture. Because of its milder chemical effect and temporary commitment, some people choose texturizers over relaxers. Both relaxers and texturizers prevent the hair from reverting back to its natural texture even if it is raining, and there is high humidity weather. For a visual representation of the difference between relaxed and texlaxed hair, below are a few pictures. *Source: http://blackhair.about.com/od/glossary/g/natural.htm Figure 1 (relaxed hair on the left, texlaxed hair on the right)
Source retrieved from Youtube channel titled JourneyToWaistLength ******************************************************
Figure 2 (unrelaxed hair on the left, relaxed hair on the right)
My name is Salena Tucker and this is a guide to natural hair for Black women. Two years ago I decided to stop flat-ironing my hair regularly, and started to embrace the natural curl pattern and hair texture that I was born with. In this blog I share with you all the tips and information that I learned (and am continuing to learn) as a Black woman with natural hair. This blog is welcome to all women but I hope that women who are new on their natural hair journey find this blog especially helpful. Please feel free to leave comments, questions, and suggestions in the comment section of the blog posts that you view.
