Going Natural: Trend or a Lifestyle?

Lately women of color have been ditching their relaxers and settling for a more natural, ethnic look. Across the internet, Youtube is flooded with natural transitions and blogs are filled with success stories and natural hair journeys.  Whether it is the renowned “big chop” or braids or weaves, many black women have retired the term “fried, dyed, and laid to the side”.

What is this natural “business” coming from? Is it a rebellion from society’s idea of beauty of having long, straight hair? Or is it a change — a change for the better? Some women chose to go natural out of the stress relaxers chemically cause on their scalps and hair. There are also women like myself who wanted to get in touch with their roots–literally.

As women, we all know that our hair is our crown and glory. You could be rocking a fade or whipping luscious locks down your back but your hair means something to you. As much as we want to claim that hair does not define us, we slowly but surely strive to make somewhat of a statement with our do’.

The sudden fascination with natural hair may be received as an ongoing trend that will one day come to a quits while the rush of straight, sleek hair will rise once again. The natural phase was booming in the 60s and 70s and finally re-surged in the early millennium for another round.  And it looks like it’s not simply just another plush toy fad. Natural hair is here to stay. It is because black women are becoming more comfortable with their independence, an idea that was new and shivered at during the liberation movement of the 1980s. The barriers that existed long ago are no longer an issue, as we walk boldly and proud with our low cuts and artistic styles. With the resources we have today, the pros of natural hair are available at our use to decide. The oil sheen and Soul Gro of yesteryear are not the only things available on store shelves. There is products, homemade putties, different tools, conventions galore. Natural hair is not just a trend; it’s a movement!

With natural hair, it is exotic and beautiful with many different textures rather than the one type of texutred hair: straight.  Going natural is not something that will just fade out like when women rushed to the salon to get pixie cuts like Rihanna. What we have now is a time in which we can express our beauty in more ways than one.  We have arrived at a new point in society where people are fascinated by the fact that black hair is so  versatile and black women are just so badass. Natural or straight, we own it. Pow.