EMBRACING YOUR AFRO CURLY HAIR
Do you know the best kind of love is self-love? According to the dictionary, self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. Self-love includes all parts of ourselves, our natural afro hair included.
Yes, caring for afro curly hair can sometimes be frustrating (just like caring for any other hair texture can be), and we all have bad hair days every once in a while, but once you learn how to care for your hair properly and see it grow and thrive, we guarantee that you will fall heads over heels in love with your afro curly hair.
Your beautiful, beautiful crown of hair is special. Your crown of curls stands you out in the crowd again and again, and you should be proud of your mane. Let your self-love envelop your hair, and never forget that your hair is worthy of praise.
In this article, we are simply reminding ourselves why we should embrace and love our afro hair in this season of love more than ever.
Versatility
I have never seen a hair type as versatile as afro hair. You have endless styling choices. You can wear your hair in Bantu knots, in twist outs, high or low buns, braid outs, and whatever else you can think of. Also, natural afro hair can hold styles that other hair textures might not be able to, such as intricate braiding patterns, hair extensions, curly hairstyles, heat styles, waves, twists, afro puffs, and more. That’s a massive plus in our books!
A thick, strong crown of hair
We’ve had so many people who transitioned from relaxed hair to natural hair express disbelief at how thick and strong their hair became. Once they took relaxers and other harsh chemical treatments out of their hair care routine, their hair was able to grow thicker and fuller than they had ever experienced. Afro hair textures can be fragile but can also be extremely strong, depending on how well you care for it. So go ahead, be proud of your thick, strong crown of beauty.
You can be happy about new growth
If you’ve ever had relaxed hair, we bet you were always worried about new growth, and would go for a relaxer treatment to get rid of the new growth. That’s not a thing in the natural hair community, where growing hair is actually welcomed. This is because the texture of the hair that is growing is the same texture as the one you already have, so you are happy about it instead of trying to hide or banish it.
A healthier lifestyle
Most naturalistas are very conscious of the hair products they use. You find yourself reading hair product labels, and after a while, you find yourself reading labels on skin care products and food products as well. It is just a natural progression. Once you start researching the ingredients in your hair products, you will naturally start to be careful about the ingredients in your foods. So, it’s a win-win on every side.
Get your hair wet all you want
People with chemically processed hair usually dislike getting their hair wet because wetness can cause it to revert to its original curly state. If your hair is natural, you don’t have to worry about this and can get your hair wet all you want. Threatening rain? Bring it on! Swimming pool? Not a problem! You and I know that water is the best ingredient for natural hair.
Achieve any volume you want
Natural hair has a lot of body and bounce, which means you can manipulate it into huge hairstyles, something others with other hair types might not be able to achieve.
With your natural hair, you can also achieve any length you want. You can have 24 inches of natural hair and still wear it like a small afro. All you need to do is tuck it in and pat it down and you are good to go. Want length? How about a silk press? Long(er) or short(er)? It’s your choice. Isn’t it absolutely mind-blowing that you can achieve so much height and volume with your natural afro hair!
Connect with your culture
Your hair means more than just hair. Wearing your hair natural shows a sense of pride in who you are and your identity as someone with African roots. When you wear your afro hair natural, you are making a fashion statement and telling the whole world that you are proud of your heritage.
It inspires the next generation
Being proud of your roots and being confident in who you are is inspiring to the next generation. The younger generation wants to emulate what they see depicted before them as ‘normal’, so if you wear your hair with pride, you inspire them to do the same. How awesome is it to be a role model for the next generation of world changers!
Loving your hair
As we said before, we all have bad hair days every now and then, and that’s completely fine. But a bad hair day should never be enough reasons for you to dissociate yourself from your beautiful curly hair.
Even on those bad hair days, you can keep loving your hair. So, in the spirit of loving our natural hair, here are a few tips you can follow to make you fall even more in love with your natural hair:
What bothers you about your hair?
Perhaps there is a hair issue that you are dealing with that is prevents you to fall madly in love with your hair? Dandruff? Dry hair? Greasiness? Frizzy morning hair? You need to think long and hard about what specifically bothers you about your hair.
Address that issue
Solving hair problems is not always complicated. It can sometimes be as easy as moisturizing more, changing hair products, or incorporating specific new ingredients into the hair care routine. So go ahead, address that specific hair issue instead of complaining about your hair.
Change it up
Perhaps it’s the sameness of your natural hairstyle that is making you not as enthusiastic. How about a silk press if you have never tried one before? A full-blown afro? A slicked-back gelled look with your baby hairs popping at the sides? There are so many amazing new hairstyles to try to get you out of your hair rut.
Surround yourself with other naturalistas
As much as you can, create or join a hair support system. Be friends with people who love and accept their natural hair, and you will find yourself doing the same. And if you are not physically surrounded by people with the same hair texture as yours, use the internet. Turn to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find like-minded people.
Positive talk only
It is important that you only say nice things about your natural hair. Do away with sentences such as “I have unmanageable hair” or “if only I had lighter curls.” Switch your language and start talking about the strengths of your hair. Do this consistently enough, and you’ll find yourself falling in love with your hair.
Accept your natural hair; it’s what you’ve got
At the end of the day, your natural hair is what you were born with. Yes, you can make it something else with a little bit of effort. But instead of trying to make it what it is not, why not simply accept it and revel in its beauty?
Embrace it. Celebrate it. Be kind to yourself and to your hair.