Natural Hair!

Time to pay homage to your glorious natural hair black woman. I’m revisiting the movie Black Panther this week, however, this time it’s all about the hair. If there’s one thing Black Panther showed us, it’s that, It ain’t always about the hair.

As we observed in the movie, the beauty of the Women, especially the Warrior Women, hair was not the focal point. If anything, it was the fact that they had no hair that made these women Oh So Beautiful. I’m not saying go out and shave your head, what I am saying is that you are more than your hair.

So why do we focus so much on our hair?

We have a tendency to focus so much on hair, its length and its texture because we’ve been lead to believe that it’s ugly. We spend so much time trying to straighten our natural curls until we often destroy its growth patterns and health in general.

Your hair doesn’t make you who you are, or does it? As you can see, for those of you who’ve seen Black Panther, the carriage, seriousness and focus of these women was just as much a part of who they were as their bald heads.

I remember seeing Viola Davis wear her natural hair to the Academy Awards. What a shocker that was to people who feel intimidated by black women wearing their own hair in its natural curl. Can you imagine being told that your natural hair isn’t formal? Define formal. What does the way I wear my hair have to do with formality?

Natural hair can be styled and worn in all kind of ways … french role, chignon, mohawk, bob cuts, braids, twist, even ponytails. Natural hair can go from sporty to elegant in a matter of minutes.

What’s Culture Got To Do With How You Wear Your Hair?

Culture has played a role in why we are so obsessed with our hair as well. Many of you, like me, have been taught that you should not cut your hair unless it’s on one of the moon phases. We’ve been taught that butter in countries such as Ethiopia plays an important role in nourishing dry scalp.

In other countries mud and clay are used to lock in moisture. The Himba women bare witness to the use of these two ingredients. Essential oils and carrier oils are other ingredients that have a deep history in the care of your natural coils. They been used to adorn and stimulate hair growth for centuries among your ancestors.

Berries, floral waters and herbal extracts are certainly part of your hair care regimens. Since Black Women are found all over the globe, it’s no wonder that you see so many styles and stories popping up all over the world.

Your culture with hair as a black woman is diverse. Don’t be intimidated by people who are ignorant of your connection to the universe by way of your coils. The next time you look into the mirror, know that your kinky, curly, coiled hair is your crown and glory.

That’s it for this week. As always …

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel
Esthetician, Author, Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care