I just wanted to speak on a topic very dear to most women of color……. OUR HAIR! Up until recently, I haven’t been too accepting of my hair, nor have I ever really taken the time to care for my as properly as I should have. Why do a lot of us shy away from our natural tresses? Let’s talk about hair acceptance and hair care…..
Do you accept your Natural hair?
My oldest daughter, Jordyn, and I both have really thick, really fast growing hair – I mean from bald to butt, in 2 years kind of growing hair. For her, she embraces it. But for me, I avoid my hair at all costs. I often refer to it as being too much, or a “mess”. In fact, I would cut my hair down to about 4 inches every year, just so that my wigs fit more comfortably. A shame, I know.
My hair, since a little girl, has been one of my most prominent features. Everyone loved it. They wondered what I was mixed with and wanted to touch it to make sure it was real. I used to bask in the praise I got from having “nice hair”. But somewhere down the line, I started to resent it. I hated how much heat I had to apply to it to get a “presentable” style- heat that would only damage it, horribly! I hated how I could only have a good hair day if the weather allowed it. I hated second guessing my appearance when my hair was in its natural state, because, what do other people think about it? And most of all, I hated that I had these feelings in the first place.
As I got older I started to realize how insane it was for me to have think this way.
“A BLACK WOMAN’S BIGGEST HAIR PROBLEM, IS BELIEVING THAT HER HAIR IS A PROBLEM”
Despite how naive and unaccepting I may have been before, I now vow to embrace my crown. Because baby, it’s beautiful! It’s what makes us unique. It enhances our character and speaks for our mood. We can be straight, we can be kinky, we can be curly. We can be knotted up, braided up afro’d or bun’d. Our hair truly is magical, how dare we not love it 💫.
Hair Care & Protective Styling
I get asked so much about my routine for Jordyn’s hair. It’s one of the first things people notice about her. They often assume that I use some type of magic growth oil, or stick to a strict washday routine. But the truth is, I don’t do much to her hair at all. I Honestly try to keep my hands out of our heads as much as possible. Not only because I absolutely despise having to do it, but one thing I’ve learned about caring for our kinks is that, the less manipulation, the better. Any style that afford you the freedom of not having to to comb it on a frequent basis, is the best thing for us. My go to protective styles happen to be box braids, Bantu knots and for me, wigs.
Our wash day routines are pretty straight forward, but one thing it doesn’t include, is HEAT! Since my last big chop, almost 2 years ago, and going on 3 years for Jordyn, I have not applied ANY head to our hair. Including using a blow dryer. After straightening, I’d put our hair in big braids, let air dry, then style later (occasionally I may straighten for a length check, but that happens once every couple of years). This has helped maintain the integrity of our hair tremendously!
Now, as far as products go, whew, there isn’t enough time to go through all the things I’ve tried. My shelves have be stocked with various brands of hair care items, that all claim to magically repair and grow your hair. I’ve even made my own concoctions a few times in a desperate attempt to save my hair from myself. But is all they hype worth it? Just the other day, a friend of mine texted me and asked how often we wash our hair. She said she was curious because she had found a family on Youtube, with hair to their waists, where the mother claimed that washing their hair once week is what contributed to their hair growth. Back in the day, when we were rocking those iconic afros and flowing blowouts, I don’t think we stuck to such tedious measures to care for our hair. What methods were used decades ago before all of the fads took over? I mean seriously, anyone who can answer this, please do!
For years, I’ve used Jlexi products, more specifically – the Fermented Rice and Chebe growth system. The organic ingredients are the main reason I love them so much – Because, who wants all the extra unnecessary stuff in their hair, right? These products aren’t a quick fix. Instead, they look to strengthen, grow and maintain your hair for the long term. Go check out Jlexi’s other haircare, skincare and wellness products too!
How do you care for your hair? In your opinion, what is the hardest part about maintaining your natural curls? Have you always accepted your hair? What products work the best for you? Let’s talk! Leave a comment below 👇🏾!
And don’t forget to check out HeadSlay.com for the coolest accessories and Dad Caps!
TTYL,
LEXI 💋
