1. When and why did you go natural?
*My last relaxer was 09.2004. The person that did it overprocessed my hair, so...At the time I was in beauty school. I began to wonder why my hair wouldn't get passed shoulder length and why so many Black women had short, damaged hair. So in the beginning, I went natural for hair health. I transitioned for nine months and did my big chop on June 5, 2005.
2. What was the initial response to you hair from friends, family, and peers?
*I'm not going to lie; the responses weren't all that good. I remember telling a few people I was going natural, and they asked, "Why do you want to do that?" "You're going to walk around with nappy hair?" In fact, right after, I mean minutes after, I big chopped my hair my aunt told me I looked "awful" and "like a boy". My family wasn't supportive at all and kept making sly remarks about me needing to do something with my hair. One friend of the family even went so far as to buy me a flat iron as a "gift".
3. Did you notice a boost ion confidence or any other personality change?
*Yes. I was too excited about my new journey to get bent out of shape about all the negativity that was around me. I frequented roshini.net (now glamazini) for hair care tips and styles. That site is what kept me going. I adopted this "It doesn't matter what you think" attitude. I was able to go out in public and not worry about what was going through other people's minds. I was 18 when I BC'D and I'm 22 now, so I think it really had a hand in helping me to mature and not be so shallow. I began to apreciate my God-given hair--and even my complexion, which I struggled with for a long time. I now see that beauty doesn't come in certain hair textures or shades, and that God makes no mistakes.
4 What do you like or hate about your hair?
*I see my hair as unique--and beautiful in it's own way. I love the dark color, the way it looks so shiny in twists, the springy coils...And the natural styles I can wear it in give me such versatility. One thing that I don't care for is that the very front is not as coily as the rest, but other than that, I'm pleased.
5. What state are you from?
I was born/raised in Michigan; however, I now reside in Georgia.
6. As a hair dresser, do most women hate their natural hair?
In a way, I think many misinformed women do. And that's because a certain standard of beauty has been forced on us every since we were brought to the Americas. Since then, hair straightening has become engrained into our culture, and is even a rite of passage for young girls. It's very sad to me. I don't think Black women would feel this way about their hair if standards of beauty weren't so rigid. If natural hair was all they every knew, and all the media showcased, I'm quite sure things would be different. I also think that because they don't know how to take care of their hair, they detest it. They are trying to make it do something that it doesn't do naturally, and that creates a problem.
Ms. Barnes is a CoilyHairedBeauty from nappturality.com Check her out whenever you have a chance
No comments:
Post a Comment