Back To The Root

I'm so happy to be alive in a time when natural hair is becoming so popular. I mean really guys, relaxers are selling for 99p in some places so we know their struggle for consumers is becoming really real. I'm happy not  because I am an absolute enemy of chemically processing hair, I have been relaxing my own hair for years. I'm happy because people are finally learning to embrace their natural beauty and fall in love with their hair the way it grows out of their head. 'Going natural' (which means stopping the use of chemicals in your hair) can be a scary thing for us girls, you wonder if your friends and guys will still find you beautiful or if you'll have to live your life from one weave to the next because you don't want anyone to catch sight of your fro. I get it.

Everyone has their opinion on which is 'best' but the choice is ultimately yours, it's your hair after all no-one else's and the most important thing is having hair that you can wear with confidence, whether that's your own natural or relaxed or whether you bought it just yesterday.

But it really is so nice to see beauty breaking out of just one form. I think we all remember as little girls wishing our hair would hang straight and sleek like our non-black friends. Afro hair was not beautiful, it was a burden. It's nice to see times have changed. Hopefully by the time we have kids they'll see the beauty in what God gave them, and see they're lucky enough to have even more options with their hair including the natural one.

Trends come and trends go but this is one I'd love to see stay. To the girls that have waved goodbye to the so-called 'creamy crack' (aka relaxer) good for you, embrace your beauty in all its elements. My friend did so recently and I can't get over how beautiful and comfortable she looks.

I also thought I'd squeeze in a little hair-ducation for those who aren't in the know:

-If you see us with short hair one day and long hair the next, please don't ask if it grew. Overnight? Really??

-If you see us with braids, no it is not our real hair and no we don't glue them to our heads. They are plaited around our own hair, that's how they stay on our heads (unless their crochet braids or a wig).

-Bad/offensive weave jokes have a very short life span, when they're time is up let them rest in peace; ignorant-sounding people tend to get on other people's titties.

-Please don't be surprised if our real hair is not straight or anything like yours- I mean why would it be really, if we come from a different part/s of the world from you. Black people and people with black ancestry have a variety of hair types. Some are big beautiful thick afros, some are tight curls, some are softer loose curls it all depends on the person.

-Most importantly, do not go around sticking your hands in people's hair without permission, you may be intrigued and amazed but this is not a petting zoo.

So boys and girls what do you think of the natural hair trend? Are you loving or hating it?

p.s you don't have to own afro hair/be a black girl to answer, all opinions are welcome.