Self Acceptance and the term “Nappy”!

Hey Curlies,

I know its been a minute since I just really checked in and shared my thoughts! Recently, at the store, a lady stopped in with her husband and she had relaxed hair with a length of just below her ears. I told her about the Embrace the Natural You product line or rather gave her the “spill”! She shared that she was new to the natural hair world and didn’t know how to style her hair.

I shared with her some styles that she could do and pointed out that she could transition and not do a big chop. I talked about flexi rod sets, perm rod sets, curlformers, etc. She was interested in those styles but then she said something like “I just can’t wear my hair nappy!” …hmmm…She then went on a rant that she hates seeing naturals wearing their natural texture without doing anything to it and just wearing it out. She then went on to say how bad and messy that looks.

…sigh…I’ve heard this from many women before. The unfortunate thing is that what this person called “nappy” is essentially a “fro” or a “true wash and go” or rather hair that has not been manipulated. I find that a lot of women interested in going natural still do not like either of the aforementioned styles. That’s really unfortunate because that hair style is the most freeing when you do it because it truly means “going naked with your hair!” A lot of women who begin their journey want to give up when they realize that their hair is a head full of tight kinks or coils and not curls or perfect ringlets. In fact, I know a few women who went back to the “creamy crack” when they realized this.

The beauty of natural hair, is that it is freeing, versatile, and gives you confidence once a routine is mastered! Embracing a “nappy” texture, which I would be in that category involves self acceptance. We are born with the hair that grows from our scalps because that is what HE intended. How can something that beautiful be ugly to anyone?

I think the issue is that many women possessing such hair have been conditioned for years that straight hair is more professional and natural hair is messy. Many women over 30 that wear their natural texture have never even seen their natural hair texture until they begin a natural hair journey! I hope this cycle changes as more women continue to educate themselves, embrace natural products and their naturally textured hair.

When I first big chopped I was a “shy natural” never ever attempting a wash and go until my third year natural or rarely wearing a fro. This second time around, I find myself wearing more of my natural texture and less manipulated styles this time around because it just feels so damn good!!! I love how I don’t have to worry about a hair out of place because a hair out of place means more volume! It honestly takes time to get to this happy place of acceptance but its a very fulfilling place because you give others courage :).

In the picture below, I used the Embrace the Natural You LOC Liquid-Oil-Creme Set to style my hair which is pinned into a fro hawk below!