NATURAL HAIR CRAZE
Welcome back to Princessliz Diaries, today, I want to take you back memory lane up to five to six years ago before natural hair became funky. In my last post, I talked about how timid I was while at Uni because I felt way too old fashioned and ugly partly because I was too natural in my appearance. I was wowed that one guy was attracted to me despite all that so much that I fell in love...Ooh! Read the post here...The first time I fell in love
One thing I'm grateful for is that the natural hair craze enlightened us about better ways to care for our hair. We suddenly have more than enough information concerning the texture, porosity, moisture and styles for natural hair.
I would try to share some important information concerning natural hair care soon. At least, I no longer suffer from dry hair and my wash days are enjoyable and more frequent because I've learnt how to pamper my hair.
Once upon a time when natural hair was a 'curse'. I mean it was something to be ashamed of because most people saw it as a sign of poverty and underexposure. It meant you didn't have enough money to purchase a relaxer.
I can not count the number of times hairdressers advised me to relax my hair because it is 'too thick'. I had to get used to being frequently asked "What is the name of your Church?" because some others attributed it to religion. This is just one of the many thoughtless comments I grew used to back then. Read my article on Unsolicited Advice and Thoughtless Comments
I literally would try to explain that I'm natural by choice not because I'm bound by religious rules (My parents were strict but I chose to obey). A good number of my peers secretly nursed the idea of relaxing their hair when they left home probably for the university.
Many girls from 'Christian' homes would feel sorry that their Dads or Mums would kill them if they tried to put chemicals in their hair. They secretly wished for straight brown hair that wouldn't hurt. However, some were encouraged by their parents to join the relaxer trend. It depended on who you had around you.
I'm one of the few who never really gave relaxers a thought. I am not the adventurous type of girl and so I didn't think of rebelling.
My family really believed in the teachings that remaining as God created you is a sign of spirituality. In addition to remaining a loyal dog, I didn't like the idea that I couldn't undo the effect of the chemical if I hated the feel in my hair. I felt more comfortable in what I was used to. <smiles>
To my parents, leaving my hair natural kind of meant I was being raised to pursue a holiness lifestyle (that's not true in all cases). I grew up to believe that no matter how painful it was, I was doing keeping my hair for the Lord. That felt good in a way you know... At least God is involved.
I have learnt by myself however, that holiness requires much more than just obeying rules. It has to be a lifestyle of offering yourself as a living sacrifice before God daily. That's deeper than your hair type.
In order to feel pretty a little bit, some of us natural girls would sneak out and get our hair straightened. Mean looking equipment would be plugged in and the heat oozing from them would be directed to your skull.
Amidst the hoo-haa-hoo from the discomfort of pulling hard at your hair with a hot comb, you will notice that nearly half of your hair volume was gone.
When the hairdresser is done with you, you will pay her a lot of money for helping destroy your hair. For a few days it will feel weightless and if you are lucky, a great part of what you have left will fall out due to heat damage.
I'm writing this to celebrate the girls who have kept their hair in its natural state for a great part of their life. They managed to maintain it with little or no information plus lots of discouragement and pain.
In the next five or ten years, I can assure you the hair story around the world will be a lot different. People would likely have grown bored with the current trend. They might begin to colour their hair or introduce something funny. These may be unhealthy for some of us' faith.
The Bible says it all "The world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he (or she) that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1John 2: 17 KJV)
I would love to hear some of your natural hair struggles before the natural hair craze and for those of you who chose the easy way out, its confession time!
Thanks for stopping by
Oluseyi.
One thing I'm grateful for is that the natural hair craze enlightened us about better ways to care for our hair. We suddenly have more than enough information concerning the texture, porosity, moisture and styles for natural hair.
I would try to share some important information concerning natural hair care soon. At least, I no longer suffer from dry hair and my wash days are enjoyable and more frequent because I've learnt how to pamper my hair.
Once upon a time when natural hair was a 'curse'. I mean it was something to be ashamed of because most people saw it as a sign of poverty and underexposure. It meant you didn't have enough money to purchase a relaxer.
I can not count the number of times hairdressers advised me to relax my hair because it is 'too thick'. I had to get used to being frequently asked "What is the name of your Church?" because some others attributed it to religion. This is just one of the many thoughtless comments I grew used to back then. Read my article on Unsolicited Advice and Thoughtless Comments
I literally would try to explain that I'm natural by choice not because I'm bound by religious rules (My parents were strict but I chose to obey). A good number of my peers secretly nursed the idea of relaxing their hair when they left home probably for the university.
Many girls from 'Christian' homes would feel sorry that their Dads or Mums would kill them if they tried to put chemicals in their hair. They secretly wished for straight brown hair that wouldn't hurt. However, some were encouraged by their parents to join the relaxer trend. It depended on who you had around you.
I'm one of the few who never really gave relaxers a thought. I am not the adventurous type of girl and so I didn't think of rebelling.
My family really believed in the teachings that remaining as God created you is a sign of spirituality. In addition to remaining a loyal dog, I didn't like the idea that I couldn't undo the effect of the chemical if I hated the feel in my hair. I felt more comfortable in what I was used to. <smiles>
To my parents, leaving my hair natural kind of meant I was being raised to pursue a holiness lifestyle (that's not true in all cases). I grew up to believe that no matter how painful it was, I was doing keeping my hair for the Lord. That felt good in a way you know... At least God is involved.
I have learnt by myself however, that holiness requires much more than just obeying rules. It has to be a lifestyle of offering yourself as a living sacrifice before God daily. That's deeper than your hair type.
In order to feel pretty a little bit, some of us natural girls would sneak out and get our hair straightened. Mean looking equipment would be plugged in and the heat oozing from them would be directed to your skull.
Amidst the hoo-haa-hoo from the discomfort of pulling hard at your hair with a hot comb, you will notice that nearly half of your hair volume was gone.
When the hairdresser is done with you, you will pay her a lot of money for helping destroy your hair. For a few days it will feel weightless and if you are lucky, a great part of what you have left will fall out due to heat damage.
I'm writing this to celebrate the girls who have kept their hair in its natural state for a great part of their life. They managed to maintain it with little or no information plus lots of discouragement and pain.
In the next five or ten years, I can assure you the hair story around the world will be a lot different. People would likely have grown bored with the current trend. They might begin to colour their hair or introduce something funny. These may be unhealthy for some of us' faith.
The Bible says it all "The world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he (or she) that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1John 2: 17 KJV)
I would love to hear some of your natural hair struggles before the natural hair craze and for those of you who chose the easy way out, its confession time!
Thanks for stopping by
Oluseyi.
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