Grow Black Hair Online » discussion

A Natural Dilemna

Samara — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:44:11 +0000

Note: This entry doesn’t focus on growing hair or haircare at all, but it’s a fun interactive entry that requires the feedback of it’s readers.

To start off, I would like to apologize for not blogging as much as I used to. This “drought” is only temporary. I am getting married on November 20th, and I’ve been so focused on preparing for my wedding that I’ve neglected my site, but I promise to try to post more often than I have.

I know I have helped hundreds or even thousands of women in their hair growing journey, and I am grateful for that. Helping black women grow their hair is the biggest reward for owning this site, but now I’m asking for some help from my fellow readers.

Currently may hair is about 4 inches long and I estimate it will be about 5 1/2 inches long by November 20th. I am also all natural and I do not wish to put chemicals or heat into my hair at all because I fear that heat will ruin my natural texture. My dilemna is my hair style for my wedding.

Natural sistas as well as relaxed can help me in this ordeal. How should I wear my hair? I intend on wearing a tiara and a veil. I was thinking a pinned on bun, but I know that their are other creative styles out there. I’m just lost to which ones I should try.

Any suggestions?

Leave comments and let me know what you think.

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Real & Fake – Black Women & Weaves

Samara — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:51:39 +0000

In my personal blog life I like to read a couple other interesting blogs and one woman’s blog I read had a discussion about black women and weaves. I myself pointed out how not only do black women use weave, but when we relax our hair not knowing where this practice originates from. You can read the article here if you’d like.

I’m glad that she made this a topic because as a black women I wonder if we as black women are ashammed of our own heritage when we decide to put relaxers as well as the European textured extensions into our hair. I believe a lot of it stems from the media, and our own mothers, and grandmother’s etc. These are people we look to for approval and they raise us into believing long straight hair is beautiful.

Even so, in the natural community I see curl definition focused on way too much. Why are these companies that market to black women glorify mult-racial textured hair(3a-4a). Where’s the love at sistas? Why can’t we accept our kinkiness and learn to love it for what it truly is? Our crown and glory that God blessed us with.

In the black community relaxers and weaves have become a way of life. Everyone is wearing hair extensions, whether it be glued in, sewn in, braided, etc. The question is: Are you wearing a weave because you feel your hair is ugly and you don’t believe your own hair is capable of growing to that length or do you wear it just for pure enhancements with total confidence in your hair without it?

If you choose to wear a weave then it’s totally your choice in the long run, just like it’s completely your choice to relax your hair. I’ve worn weaves, I’ve also had my hair relaxed, texturized, pressed, flat iron, you name it I did it! When I finally came to the conclusion after all my years of struggle with my hair that God made me who I am for a reason. That was the first hurdle, then came the next one: To accept myself for who I am. This was even harder, but once I did I grasped an even greater reward: Total self love.

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African American Women Whom HATE Natural Hair

Samara — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:00:21 +0000

I was walking to my job the other day because I left my purse at work by accident and a van happened to drive by with a African American woman whom took it upon herself to scream derogatory remarks at me. I couldn’t quite hear everything she said, but I did hear the word “crackhead”. I did not know this woman and I’m sure she didn’t know me, but what surprised me was the reason for her insults: My natural hair! This isn’t the first time I’ve been insulted for being natural. I’ve been called “nappy head” as well as the “crackhead” word on previous occasions.

I never thought that embracing my natural hair would make me target of disrespect comments from my own kind. Here I am being called names by another woman whom from what I observed was wearing microbraids. She was African American just like me and I’m assuming she had a relaxer, but we both know that her hair is similar to mine if her hair wasn’t relaxed. I was in such a shock that she went to the lengths of sticking her head out the window to scream those obscenities that I didn’t even know how to respond to them.

I continued walking and thought to myself. Where is this world going? Why are black women so conditioned by society that they’ve forgotten their roots? Is it really that hard to accept? The true image of who we are and where we came from. Our hair as well as our skin is what makes us unique and sets us apart from the rest, and now that I’ve learned to embrace it I find myself being harassed by other African Americans.

This really angered me, but it actually saddened me even more. Yes, I was insulted and I was upset for I am human, but I love my natural hair and no one can change how I feel about it, but why do we do this to our own sistas? Who are we to really judge women whom choose to embrace the natural beauty of their true texture? What is so wrong with being true to who you really are?

I have no issue with women whom relax their hair. I relaxed my hair in the past and I blog about the care of relaxed tresses as well as natural ones. I would never down a woman for relaxing her hair, because it’s her choice and no one should make her feel bad, wrong, or inferior for doing so.

Natural women: Have you ever been a victim of harassment due to the texture of your natural hair from other African American women?

Relaxed women: Have you ever harassed a woman for having natural hair?

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Natural Hair: I must go straight!

Samara — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:26:36 +0000

Today’s article is going to tackle the issue of why natural women believe that when it’s a special occasion, they must reach for the pressing comb or flat iron. Some natural women believe that their hair isn’t as pretty unless it’s straight. The reason I come to this conclusion is because when I was looking for ways to style my natural hair for my own wedding, I’ve read on forums and received emails from women suggesting to straighten the hair for the wedding. Why can’t we be beautiful while our hair is in it’s natural state?

I believe natural hair is beautiful. It is unique and can be styled in a multitude of ways in it’s natural state that enhances the beautiful of it. Just take a look at the photo’s below of beautiful natural brides, whom wore their hair in it’s natural state:

Natural Hair Photo 1

Natural Hair Photo 2

Natural Hair Photo 3

Natural hair is gorgeous. You can be just as beautiful if you choose to keep your hair in it’s natural state for your wedding, a party, formal dance, etc. Who says we must straighten our hair to be accepted among the group? Being natural sets you apart from the plain Jane. By embracing your natural hair the positive energy of self love flows and people sense that, thus making you appear to them as a natural Goddess!

Credits: Photos from www.blogcatalog.com, www.blog.mlive.com, & www.khamitkinks.com

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Good Hair Movie Review

Samara — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:31:17 +0000

With all the planning of my wedding(which will be on the day this article is published) I was finally able to sneak out and see the “Good Hair” movie produced by Chris Rock where his daughter questioned him to why she didn’t have good hair. The movie was educational to women whom are ignorant to some of the effects of chemicals and how the black haircare industry is operating, but it wasn’t what I expected at all.

When I think of “Good Hair”, I was expecting to see a movie discussing how women strive to have the so-called “good curly hair”. I thought this movie was going to be about how black women teach their daughters that their hair is “bad” or “inferior” to other hair types. Instead this movie focused more on the use of hair relaxers and weaves.

I did learn some new information when it comes to where the human hair women sew, glue, and braid into their hair come from, and from what I learned, I won’t be purchasing human hair ever again. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get braids and weaves. This is totally your choice, just like it’s my own personal choice not to wear human hair weave.

The movie did not explore the world of natural hair at all. There was one actor whom was natural, but little was really said about embracing your own natural texture. I was pretty disappointed by the lack of this knowledge in the movie.

The movie revolved around the Bronner Brothers Hair Show which to me served as mere entertainment instead of education. The grand finale of the movie so to speak.

Overall, it was a pretty good movie and it’s worth seeing if you haven’t already. I would recommend this movie to all black women, especially if you’re relaxed.

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