What is the definition of perfect hair?
Is it bouncy, straight, kinky, curly, nappy, or frizzy? Ever since I was younger, I was never able to fully accept my hair for how it truly was. I always felt like my hair texture was unmanageable, nappy, and just not enough. My dissatisfaction with my hair began in Elementary School where I was teased and called Princess Leila because of the two uneven pigtails my mother used to put in my hair. Even in high school, when I finally had the courage to rock my natural fro, I would constantly get shut down by my “friends” who told me that wearing my hair out and natural made me look childish, immature, or unnatural. I would hear the constant comments such as “what’s wrong with your hair?”, “oooh you look so different”, “did you cut your hair”, or (my personal favorite) “Oh my goodness! Why did you change your hair? I liked it better before”.
The constant negative attention that I received from wearing my hair natural out lead me to spend the rest of my high school days (along with the other girls who had overly kinky or nappy hair) wearing extensions, braids, or whatever I could to hide the kinkiness beneath. I would even try flat ironing my hair (which resulted in MAJOR heat damage) or greasing it down so I could resemble Susanna from gym class whose hair was silky all the time. After graduating high school back in May, I realized a major difference on how people treated their natural hair. Instead of hiding and drowning their hair with texturizers, relaxers, or other perms, people were actually confidently wearing their hair out. I found myself surrounded by people who were unashamed of their unique beauty. Whether it was short, long, poofy, nappy, kinky, curly, or straight, natural hair was in and extensions were out. Numerous questions like what’s the obsession with natural hair, and why isn’t anyone wearing weave, raced my mind while I’d unconsciously touch my freshly braided extensions. After months of confusion and frustration, I decided that I wanted to find out the real reason as to why the natural hair trend was slowly taking over the world. I decided on taking it upon myself by interviewing people who refused to conform to society’s idea of “beautiful hair”, and also find out the secret to their confidence.
Rodnicka Jean-Pierre
Q: What is one thing you love most about your natural hair?
One thing I love about my hair is its versatility. With a little manipulation, I can have my natural coils pop with a wash and go, or loose waves with a twist or bantu knot out. If I wanted a more sleek style, a blow out and straightening will give me that outcome. Although it can be versatile, it also has a mind of its own. One twist out will never exactly look like the next, even if the same steps are taken in the styling process. This has taught me to not be so rigid with my curls and celebrate all its quirks and differences. Frizziness, shrinkage and all.
Q: What is one of your biggest challenges/ insecurities while wearing your hair out natural?
One of the biggest challenges/insecurities while transitioning is being patient. Being used to taking care of straight permed hair, the new growth of your natural curls is a thrill but also a shock. The learning is STEEP. You not only have to learn to be patient with yourself in learning how to care for your hair, but also patient with your hair to go through some tough stages/phases before it can really flourish. Transitioning opposed to big chopping provides a real problem because you are not only dealing with the natural and permed parts, but the dreaded middle part that is the most sensitive and prone to breakage. Without patience, trying to deal with these opposing textures frequently does cause people to give up on their journey. This is what makes transitioning such a great teacher. It breaks you down through the uncertainty and doubt of your choice to go natural through straggly ends, HORRIFIC hair days, dry ,brittle hair, and not understanding how to take care of it, until one day you see how far you’ve come regardless of the struggle, and you realize that through all that you learned so much about not only your hair, but also yourself, your strength, and your perseverance to keep going, and most importantly the confidence in yourself as a person beyond your looks that you’ll have to rely on during those really hard days. Know that it may be hard now, but it will be worth it.
Q: Why do you wear your hair our natural?
I wear my hair out natural because I want to be true to myself for myself without input from what society believes to be “beautiful” traits for black women. Ever since I can remember my natural hair was seen as unmanageable, unable to grow, and just plain unattractive. It’s hard to hear about a piece of you being unpleasant without attributing it to your whole person. This is especially true in the black community, your hair is very much attached to your identity and how people see you. I decided to perm my hair during my 6th grade year to be able to flip my hair like all the people I saw in the media and in my society. Straight long hair was what made you desirable, not an afro or kinks. By the middle of 9th grade I was high key over it. The biweekly endless hours being wasted waiting at the salon to have my scalp burned for the sake of what others thought I should look like just was not my cup of tea. I figured I could save money by learning to do my own hair. What I didn’t expect was to go through a learning journey about myself. I wear my hair natural to show myself that I don’t need to change anything in order to be accepted. My God-given hair is not something to be ashamed of but to be celebrated and enjoyed for its representation of the unique beauty that is a black women.
@m_webbe
Q: What is one thing you love about your hair the most?
One thing I love most about my natural hair is how big and curly it is. I always wanted to fit in as a kid so that pushed me to get a perm my senior year of high school and I regret that so much. As an adult, I want nothing more than to stand out from the crowd and my hair legit does that every time {lol}.
Q: What is one of your biggest insecurities/challenges you had (or still have) while wearing your hair out natural?
One of my biggest insecurities was that people wouldn’t like me without my long straight hair. I always had long hair and I loved (remember this is 16yr old me lol) how people thought I was mixed and exotic {smh}. As a kid I always had these big afros because my grandma didn’t know how to style my curly hair so she would fluff it out and adults loved it but girls my age made fun of it.
Q: Why do you think it is important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I think it is important for people to feel confident with their natural hair because we are examples for little girls. If I perm my hair and have a daughter she’s going to think she has to also take those steps to be beautiful. I want to teach your black girls and women that what God gave us is good enough! And that straight hair is not the standard of beauty.
@atemmac
Q: What do you love most about your natural hair?
I love my 4c type hair because, although it’s not easy to manage, I love the way it holds style and doesn’t get messy quite easily. I love how I can style it in many different ways. I like how responsive it is with products as well.
Q: What are one of your biggest challenges/ insecurities while rocking your natural hair?
I’m still in the transitioning process because a while ago I had damaged my hair from hot Ironing ,and I guess the hardest part is having patience to wait for your hair to grow and not giving up so easily- so like have endurance to keep your hair healthy, and giving it the right things it needs to grow fruitfully.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I’m all about self acceptance and self love and if I felt like for so long natural girls were raised to hate their hair , their curls, their coils, and their kinky naps because it wasn’t cute and it was not the standard of beauty. But I just do think it’s important for girls to rock their natural hair because it’s beautiful. It mirrors self love and self acceptance. I love how now there is a movement which should have started a long {explicit content} time ago for the acceptance of women with their natural hair without it being chemically altered
@glamaris
Q: What do you love most about your hair?
One thing I love most about my hair is how versatile it can be. I love the different hairstyles I can try with my hair whether it’s all curls to one side, curls in a mow hawk, curls in a ponytail or head wrap, the ideas are endless. I love my hair most especially when my curls are most defined because the definition of the curls for me are so fun and makes any look even better! I also love how my hair naturally falls into an afro of curls, its unique and beautiful.
Q: What is one of your biggest insecurities/challenges you had (or still have) while wearing your hair out natural?
One of my biggest insecurities with my hair growing up, and even still today sometimes is how my hair can get too big and overwhelming for people to accept. Sometimes, at home I’ll try new things that will give my hair even more volume or I’ll comb it out completely and it will look like this big, full afro but if I wore that hairstyle to school I felt that I would be judged, out of place and not accepted. Now I say that I should rock my own style no matter what anyone else says because it’s unique.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I believe it’s important for girls to feel confident with their natural hair because it’s a part of what makes them, them. Your natural self is so gorgeous because that’s the way God made you. For you to love and respect yourself means that you need to love and respect every aspect of your body, not just disregard some of your traits and body parts you wish you didn’t have. I say, embrace your natural self and gain comfort in your natural self because that’s where true beauty and confidence lies.
@vanessabeyonce
Q: What is one thing you love most about your hair?
I love the volume of my hair, I also love the look of my texture. It is important for people to accept that black (in all areas) is beautiful, black people can and should feel special. We are made wonderful, and we are made different.
Q: What is one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while wearing your hair natural?
I don’t really have any insecurities. I love my color, race, and my hair as well. I make a point of teaching this to my children, we natural sistas must stay together.
Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I love my color, and I love our race, I make a point of teaching this to my children that we are special and we must learn to accept ourselves for how we were made. We all must unite and stand by each other, not bring each other down due to our differences.
@ria_lemonss
Q: What do you love most about your natural hair?
One thing I love most about my natural hair is how versatile and care free it is. People often say that they don’t have time to wear their natural hair or that natural hair is too high maintenance; but in reality natural hair is what you make it! For instance, I had been studying all night for an exam and waited until the last minute to leave my apartment; I literally brushed my teeth, fluffed my hair, and was out the door. I love my natural hair because it can be as wild and care-free as I am or as simple, poised, and polished as i want it to be. My hair flows with me as I go through the many different moods and phases of life. Not to mention the smell of natural hair products nowadays is euphoric! I almost never wear perfume and still get asked what fragrance I’m wearing.
Q. What were one of the main challenges/insecurities you had while wearing your hair out natural?
I’ve been wearing my natural curls my whole life, and I feel as though the natural hair community wasn’t as strong and mainstream as it is today. So I struggled with wanting to “fit in”. I remember pulling my hair down and wishing it would just lay flat against my head like everyone else’s and trying to hide my curls. It wasn’t until the summer before my junior year of high school that I just kind of went through a breakout period. I remember that summer, I wore my hair down instead Of in pig tails, and began to see the beauty in my kinks, waves, and curls. My confidence grew when I began to wear my hair loose and really embraced it; I found Beauty and love in the very thing I wished would change. It was truly a great year, I got contacts, and Invisalign that year too. I really came out of my shell and my hair led the way!
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
Girls should feel confident with their natural hair because, no matter what you do to change the texture; that new growth will continue to grow from your roots. It’s important that women, especially young women and girls, feel confident and continue to embrace their natural hair so that when they grow up, they have a positive outlook of themselves and all the different hair textures they encounter. Often times a woman’s self-esteem comes from how they feel about themselves. If we can teach young girls that they are beautiful just as they are, with their natural hair, we can help them build a confidence that goes deeper than what is on top of their heads. We can help them find confidence in their educational and mental abilities as well.
@april.fools1
Q: What do you love most about your natural hair?
The things I love most about my natural hair mmm… well for starters I love how my hair has different curl patterns all over.
Q: What was one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while wearing your hair out natural?
Growing up as a little girl with natural hair was definitely a challenge. I struggled with insecurities a lot and I also got talked about because I was different in the way I looked and dressed. My hair was either braided up or in twists which enticed girls to make fun of me and call me bald headed because I didn’t wear my hair out and straight like theirs. I always wanted to do something different with my hair to stand out because at that time I didn’t care about how unique my hair was and how it stood out just like me.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
Girls/Women in general should embrace what God gave them. They should feel confident and comfortable in their hair and it also shouldn’t matter what anyone thinks about your hair, it’s yours not theirs. Rock it and make a statement! Let them know what’s up! Natural,Nappy and Beautiful.
@sparkle.sparkle
Q: What do you love most about your natural hair?
Everyone has something that makes them unique, for me it is my hair. My hair describes who I am as well. I love standing out from others and I am not afraid to be different. My hair sets me apart from others. Like me, my hair is strong, full of life and speaks for itself. Why blend in, when I can stand out? My hair makes me stand out!!
Q: What was one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while wearing your hair out natural?
Going from long relaxed hair to natural short hair was not an easy adjusting for me. I was a “pageant girl”, and back in those days long, full, glamorous relaxed hair was the norm for pageant hairstyle. I did the “big chop” a few days after handing over my last crown. My biggest insecurities/challenges after the “big chop” was feeling that I looked like a little boy and looked ugly. Back then, I was brainwashed into believing that long relaxed hair was my beauty. Fast-forward to years later. I know that I am beautiful despite how I wear my hair. I have learned that true beauty is the beauty from within. I love my gorgeous natural hair that is full of life and body. No way would I go back to relaxed straight hair that is flat and lifeless
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
For too long, black women’s natural hair has been frowned upon. A person’s hair is a form of self-expression in which they are entitled to. There is no longer a need to conform or believe that natural hair is not good enough. Girls need to be confident with their natural hair to change society’s negative perception of natural hair. It’s time for girls to start owning their natural hair (“big chop” or afro)!!!
@Kellai.ori
Q. What do you love most about your natural hair?
The one thing I love most about my natural hair is the texture and versatility it has, also how it unravels once I wash it and treat it. It’s almost effortless while styling it because of how kinky and coily it is which makes for a simple go-to-ready look.
Q. What was one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while wearing your hair out natural?
My biggest insecurity once I went natural was how my head would look. I had always been subconscious because I thought my head would look too big making the short hair bring out the roundness of my face.Lol.That was before, now I’m more confident falling in love with my natural kinky hair more everyday. Another challenge was getting the right products for my hair. I tried some products that didn’t work for me , sometimes they would leave my hair dry and crispy (texture-wise).
Q. Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
Its important to feel confident in our natural hair especially as black women because it is the crown that God put upon our heads. It is a sign of royalty. I love my natural hair because it allows me to be free. I do not feel the need to conform into anything that I’m not because I stand out. I get alot of questions about how I achieve the end look with my hair every day. The answer is so simple I just wash it and adorn it with lots of coconut oil, shea butter and Jamaican castor oil for increased growth and that’s it ! Women should take it upon themselves to feel empowered by their natural hair. Wear it in whatever fashion you like, nourish it and be proud of it. It goes a long way when it comes down to the process of self-love.
@SandySainvil
Q: What is one thing you love the most about your natural hair?
The versatility! There’s so much fun in having fun with your hair. I love being able to have my hair out in an Afro or twist out. Or wearing my beanie up in a pinned retro updo, or wearing a regal updo. The possibilities are endless!
Q: What was one of your biggest insecurities/challenges you had (or still have) while wearing your hair natural?
One challenge for me is having thin hair. I have to work to get the volume I want and even then, when taking a picture, the camera lens doesn’t capture the volume I worked so hard to achieve. Why is the world so cruel?!
Q: Why do you think it’s important for people to feel confident with their natural hair?
It’s important to feel confident about the hair that grows naturally out of your head because it leads to you loving yourself a bit more. Being proud simply because you’re you and you can’t be duplicated! For me, embracing your natural hair is equivalent to embracing yourself.
@r.s.lima
Q. What is one thing you love most about your natural hair?
I love that I can wear my hair curly and straight. When it’s curly I look totally different than when my hair is straight. This is great way to easily switch my style.
Q: What is one of your biggest challenges/insecurities you had (or still have) while wearing your hair natural?
Challenges are the rain. My hair can get really frizzy and become a puff ball. Also with curly hair you never know what you are going to get each day. One day it’s gorgeous curls and another day it’s OH NO pull it back into a ponytail.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for people to feel confident with their natural hair?
It’s important to love your natural hair because that’s how God made you. And also, he made you in his image. Lastly, beauty is confidence so love your hair and walk with your head held high.
@lucojp
Q: What is one thing you love most about your natural hair?
What I love most about my natural hair is that it sets me apart from other guys. As an artist, I try to stand out from other guys without being obnoxious about it. Not too many guys nowadays can shape their hair in 3 or 4 completely different ways. I like that freedom.
Q:What is one of your biggest challenges/insecurities you had (or still have) while wearing your hair natural?
I don’t have any insecurities about my hair. But having a lot of hair like I do requires a lot of maintenance. I can’t just wake up and leave without moisturizing, combing, and shaping it up which can take at least 10 minutes. I can’t just go to sleep regularly because the oils and moisture from my hair will cause crazy breakouts on my face so I always have to sleep with a durag. When I get my hair braided, it can take hours. Also, the products I use to keep my hair healthy are not cheap.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for people to feel confident with their natural hair?
Our natural hair is what God gave us. It’s okay to change our hair or not go natural, but it’s also important to be proud of what we’re blessed with. If we are not happy with the current state of our hair, we can invest time, energy, and resources into it until we are satisfied with it. And who knows? Perhaps your confidence in your natural hair will help others who struggle to find confidence in theirs !
@aubrie_robinson
Q: What is one thing you love most about your natural hair?
One thing I love about my hair is it helps me express myself. I feel like I’m embracing myself when I wear it natural.
Q: What was one of your biggest challenges/ insecurities while wearing your hair natural?
The biggest challenge while wearing my hair natural is the negative comments I get. People will say wow your hair looks crazy or different etc. it really affected me so I would just wear my hair up and never let it down but I got over that and now I love it!
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
It’s really important for females to be confident in wearing their hair natural because it’s a part of them and it’s such a beautiful thing and it shows that you love yourself and self-love is such an important thing especially for females!
@kurvy_kat18
Q. What is one thing you love about your natural hair?
It’s funny because what I love most about my hair now is what I continuously tried to hide and change when I was younger, and that’s how voluminous ,crazy, and different my hair is.
Q: What was one of your biggest insecurities that you had (or still have) while wearing your hair naturally?
I’d have to say the biggest challenge I’ve faced while wearing my hair natural was embracing it and viewing it as something beautiful.When I was younger I always admired how long,silky and straight my mom’s hair was and felt as though straight hair was the “thing” or the only type of hair viewed as “beautiful”. Coming from interracial parents, there wasn’t anyone around with my type of hair so I just looked up to what I’d see on TV which was models, even Barbie dolls, that had straight hair.But as I got older I began to love my curls. It was hard at first because I was so insecure about how big and different my hair was, but now it’s what I get complimented and asked about the most.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I think it is soooo important for girls to rock their natural curls because although your hair doesn’t necessarily define you it’s apart of who you are, and to truly love who you are you need to embrace everything about yourself , including you’re crazy curls . Now I’m not saying its easy, I know it’s hard especially living in a society that seems to praise a certain style of hair. But luckily times are changing and more and more attention is being brought not just upon straight hair, but to all kinds of hair because they’re all beautiful. As for the girls that want to go natural, I’d say do it, do it for yourself, do it for the little girl who is looking for someone to show her that her natural hair is beautiful, do it for the friend who’s too scared to take that leap, just do it. You may end up loving it more then you thought.
@prettysash05
Q: What is one thing you love most about your natural hair?
The thing I love most about my natural hair is all the styles I can achieve . Rather I use rollers or I just wash & let it air dry , it always comes out looking different .
What was one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while rocking your natural hair?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding what products worked for my hair . Instead of thinking what worked for every other hair blogger would work for me , I had to experiment until I found what worked well for my hair type .
Why is it important for girls to feel confident with their natural hair?
It’s important to feel confident about your hair because it’s apart of you . I would much rather love what I have rather than spending my days trying to look like everyone else .
@_itsgayanaaa
Q: What is one thing you love most about your hair?
The thing I love the most about my natural hair is its versatility. I can wear it up or down, curly or straight, braided, or even just rock a fro. I can change up my hairstyle whenever I want and to however I want depending on my mood.
Q: What is one of your biggest insecurities/challenges while wearing your hair out natural?
When I did the big chop last summer my biggest insecurity had to be the length. I was scared about how I would look and what others would say about how my hair looked. After constant perms and relaxers I decided my hair needed a break. I still wouldn’t wear my natural hair out because I felt like I was bald.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to rock their natural curls?
I wear my hair natural now because it gives me confidence. It makes me feel unique and different. Every strand tells a story and makes me who I am.
Noundjica
Q: What do you love most about your hair?
The thing I love most about my hair is it defines who I am by giving me a confident and bold look .My hair shows my natural black beauty.
Q: What was your biggest insecurity/challenge while wearing your hair out natural?
Well when wearing my natural hair I feel insecure when it shrinks and feel as if others think I have no hair. Also there are times when I just don’t know what to do with my hair and stress about how to make my natural hair grow longer
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to wear their hair out naturally?
It’s important for girls to show their natural curls so that they can show their true beauty to the world. They should realize our hair makes us who we are and we should be proud of who we are in every single way.
@sainthia12
Q: What do you love most about your natural hair?
My natural hair is my crown! I love that I can wear it without limitations. Whether it be a twist-out, braid out, high puff, bun, afro, curly, or even straightened sometimes; my natural hair allows me to be free and confident to wear any style I want!
Q: Why do you wear your hair natural?
I have always been natural, but there was a point in my natural hair journey when I had to do a semi big chop, because of heat damage. I think the most difficult part was having to start the growth process almost all over again. It was also hard having to see how damaged my hair had become because of all the straightening I had done to it. It became very difficult to do certain styles as well. Eventually, as I took care of it, my hair grew out and I was able to retain the length.
Q: Why do you think it’s important for girls to feel confident in their natural curls?
I think it’s important for all girls to rock their natural hair, especially African American females. Using chemicals to alter the natural texture of your hair, takes away from the essence and beauty of the hair we were created with! When we rock out our natural hairstyles, we express ourselves in a breathtaking and unashamed way. Whether we wear it edgy, cute, sexy, or classy, our natural hair is our crowning glory!