Are you still natural if you do a BKT?

[Bachelorette]

>>>Natural<<<

Doesnt sound like it from the responses of some people plus the OP said anything that makes your haire seem straight in other words flat ironing obviously is against the "being able to call oneself natural" rules.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I am not going to respond to this silliness...

I would like to see BTK'd hair - 4 months later...Without another treatment. That will be the proof for me - to see if hair 'goes back' to its natural state....

all the other talk is because it does not matter.

eagerly awaiting Pinkskates over all review in 4 months.....

 

[addaboutmyhair]

You're still natural.

1. BKT is temporary and washes out. a relaxer doesn't. You have to grow it out.

2. BKT actually will not makevery tightly curled (4a/4b/3b) hair straight, just soften it, unless you have a prior chemical.

I think of BKT as a long term press n' curl. and if you want it to revert immediately you just have to wash it with a shmapoo that has sodium laureth in it, such as Suave. So for about 5 bucks you go back to your natural hair state.

 

[cuteazz1]

I was not born blond,wavy,straight,or highlighted.If I press,color,dye,flat iron,relax,or BKT....I am no longer natural because my God did not make me that way.Natural hair,IMO,is the hair that God gave me unaltered,so if I flat iron then I am "not natural" until my hair is back in its natural state.If I BKT then I am not natural until my hair reverts...

 

[addaboutmyhair]

I don't know the answer but from my impressions from reading some of the BKT entries this process has a collective effect -meaning your hair gets straighter the more you apply.

The fumes....the heat to activate.....IMO, this does not seem "natural" to me, but this just my opinion.

Are there any examples of anyone who let the process WEAR off?

For example, if I permed my natural, virgin hair ONCE....it would start to look still "natural" especially if air dried over time, but it would still not be the same as my virgin natural hair.

"collective effect" - May people who do BKT kep getting it without letting the process fully wear off. Because it does where off you do your whole head again, so if you get it evey 2 months for a year, your ends have undergone BKT 6 times and your roots once. Your ends will probably take longer to revert.

As to perming your hair, even once. It would not "look natural over time" even if "air dried". Eventually your perm would grow out. But perms got their name because that's short for permanent .

As I explained before, it's possible to completely remove BKT from your hair by 1) washing over time 2) washing with a sodium laureth containing shampoo.

 

[addaboutmyhair]

I was not born blond,wavy,straight,or highlighted.If I press,color,dye,flat iron,relax,or BKT....I am no longer natural because my God did not make me that way.Natural hair,IMO,is the hair that God gave me unaltered,so if I flat iron then I am "not natural" until my hair is back in its natural state.If I BKT then I am not natural until my hair reverts...

God didn't make you with your hair combed or brushed either...couldn't resist

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Which came 1st, the chicken or the egg?

The above question will never be agreed upon 100%. Your question is along the same line.

 

[clarity2008]

Also, for all you people who are annoyed by the labelling, you forget that the labels serve a purpose here on this board and elsewhere.

There a many threads titled "natural, how do you...?", for example. Obviously, labels/categories matter, especially when people are trying to gather information. Stop pretending that the "hair police" are the only ones to whom labels are important.

Thank you for this. ITA. I think OP was just asking a valid question, not trying to put lables on people.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Now that the BKT is gaining popularity with women of color around the world, I think it should have its own category. I'd say temporarily heat straightened. I see the BKT eventually replacing relaxers if it ever becomes more affordable and accessible.

 

[simplie_lovable]

A relaxer is permanent. It can not be reverted. That's why people have to cut all their relaxed hair off to get back to natural.

LOL well that's true because it's not like you can just wait for it to come off. Sorry I was not thinking I'm going to shut up now and just watch.

 

[ChocoKitty]

Disclaimer: I have not read any other responses as of yet... But here's my 2 cents in the bucket...

In my opinion "YES". BKT does not straighten your hair. It smoothes the hair by coating it. It adds to the structure of your hair versus altering it/destroying its natural properties.

People are still considered natural when they use henna for conditioning.
People are still considered natural when they Aphogee for Damaged Hair. People are still considered natural when they use leave in conditioner.

BKT is a conditioning product that coats the hair for 6-12 weeks. Curly hair can be porous and miss keratin from its structure. The BKT adds keratin back to hair.

Anywhoo--If anyone wants to know... I will still say I'm natural when I have a BKT.

 

[Morenita]

I don't get why people are so eager to classify someone as natural vs non-natural. Would you not do something just because the rest of the nappy police no longer see it as acceptable.
I just think you get into a slippery slope when you try to define someones naturalness.

To me hair color isn't natural. It a chemical that permantely changes the color and at times the texture of your hair. It also can't be washed out and by Laurends definition does not "revert with water" but I'm sure lots of people would get their panties in a bunch if I took away they natural card because of color.

Live and let live. Stop letting other people try to define you

In a sentence: our hair is waaaaaaaay over politicized. Some women go natural/stay relaxed because of deep-rooted negative and positive social history. Others of us make our decision based on more personal reasons. There have been so many threads dancing around the natural/not-natural issue it's not even funny. I recall a thread that mentioned the opinion that some women of European descent consider the natural/not-natural discussion to evolve around hair color, rather than around relaxers as we do. That just adds yet another dimension to the whole thing...

I don't think it matters to me whether a person classifies themselves as natural, not-natural, 3b, 3c, 4z, etc. What I look at is the health of their hair, how relevant it is to mine in texture, length, etc, and then I compare techniques, products, results and the like. The only reason why I could see even disclosing that you use BKT being relevant, is to help other women make their decision about whether they want to use it or not, and possibly to not mislead other women with the similar hair textures. After all, processed hair will respond to things differently than hair not touched by chemicals.

 

[princessnad]

I don't really think it matters, but to answer the question: I don't think you are natural but you certainly are not relaxed. You are BKT'd. It's a process in and of itself. When it wears off you are back to natural.

I fail to see why this topic is so politicized.

 

[Shandell]

God didn't make you with your hair combed or brushed either...couldn't resist

 

[Keen]

I don't really think it matters, but to answer the question: I don't think you are natural but you certainly are not relaxed. You are BKT'd. It's a process in and of itself. When it wears off you are back to natural.

I fail to see why this topic is so politicized.

New terminology alert! Relax, texlax, natural, texturized, BKT'd.

So, ff I have a relaxer and I also did a BKT treatment, does that make me relaxed or BKT'd?

Princessnad, I'm not picking on you. I just find this entire thread interesting.

 

[Bachelorette]

I mean if people are gonna be called "not natural" for dying their hair, flat ironing etc,. you might as well give them a name.

naturals with just highlkights/hair color should get a name
naturals that use flat iron, curling iron deserve a name
naturals that use attachments to braid deserve a name

I mean if you're gonna deny them the "natural" title, might as well give them something

 

[Dove56]

I don't see why it matters. I swear some people wear "natural" like a it's a badge of honor. I wasn't that way when I was natural, I didn't care what anyone else decided to call themselves. Soap isn't "natural", I've never seen Aphogee growing on a tree, a flatiron isn't "natural", clothes aren't "natural" either but we wear them. As long as your hair is healthy and YOU like it that's all that matters.

 

[KnottyGurl]

Personally, I was curious about that too. I don't care about what others choose to do, I just wanted to know how it affects the hair long-term. If it reverts back easily, that would be great. Since people are really starting to get into it, I'll just watch.

I think HOW the original poster posed the question is the problem. Just my opinion though. Good luck.

Gg

 

[Supergirl]

I don't see why it matters. I swear some people wear "natural" like a it's a badge of honor. I wasn't that way when I was natural, I didn't care what anyone else decided to call themselves. Soap isn't "natural", I've never seen Aphogee growing on a tree, a flatiron isn't "natural", clothes aren't "natural" either but we wear them. As long as your hair is healthy and YOU like it that's all that matters.

when I picture a bottle of Aphogee growing from a tree
you have some good points

 

[Dove56]

when I picture a bottle of Aphogee growing from a tree
you have some good points

I wish it did grow from a tree and ORS too because I would pluck them like some Florida oranges..lol.

 

[msa]

I don't think it matters to me whether a person classifies themselves as natural, not-natural, 3b, 3c, 4z, etc. What I look at is the health of their hair, how relevant it is to mine in texture, length, etc, and then I compare techniques, products, results and the like.

While it's important to look at texture, health, etc. Many times results will be different based on whether or not the person's hair is chemically processed in some way. Just like you said here...

The only reason why I could see even disclosing that you use BKT being relevant, is to help other women make their decision about whether they want to use it or not, and possibly to not mislead other women with the similar hair textures. After all, processed hair will respond to things differently than hair not touched by chemicals.

The only reason I think it's important for people to make it clear that they've had BKT is so that other naturals/transitioners don't get confused, thinking their unprocessed natural hair can do the same things that BKT'd hair can do or will respond in the same way.

IMO, the designation is necessary for the sake of clarification.

 

[yuriko]

To be honest, how does one ever know that some chic walking down the street is natural. What if she has a weave or wig over her hair? What if her hair is flat ironed? You wouldn't know if she didn't tell you right? Unless she rocked a fro or some twists, you would never know.

So to be honest, if I saw someone with BKT, I wouldn't know they were natural either, at least not until it wore off.

Sometimes I wonder if the war is against relaxer or straight hair. If it is against relaxer, then a BKT lady is still natural, but if the war is against straight hair then no they are no longer natural

 

[msa]

To be honest, how does one ever know that some chic walking down the street is natural. What if she has a weave or wig over her hair? What if her hair is flat ironed? You wouldn't know if she didn't tell you right? Unless she rocked a fro or some twists, you would never know.

So to be honest, if I saw someone with BKT, I wouldn't know they were natural either, at least not until it wore off.

I think the designation is only necessary on the board. IRL, I don't care unless I specifically ask the person.

Sometimes I wonder if the war is against relaxer or straight hair. If it is against relaxer, then a BKT lady is still natural, but if the war is against straight hair then no they are no longer natural

There is no war and I'm sure OP was not trying to imply that by asking her question. Let's not use loaded terms and make this conversation any deeper than it needs to be.

 

[yuriko]

I think the designation is only necessary on the board. IRL, I don't care unless I specifically ask the person.



There is no war and I'm sure OP was not trying to imply that by asking her question. Let's not use loaded terms and make this conversation any deeper than it needs to be.

I never said that OP implied that. But natural has a different meaning depending on who you are talking to.

In the minds of some black people there are issues associated with relaxer or maybe the issues are with straight hair regardless of how it is achieved. That is the point I was trying to make. "Natural" is a relative term.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I was not born blond,wavy,straight,or highlighted.If I press,color,dye,flat iron,relax,or BKT....I am no longer natural because my God did not make me that way.Natural hair,IMO,is the hair that God gave me unaltered,so if I flat iron then I am "not natural" until my hair is back in its natural state.If I BKT then I am not natural until my hair reverts...

UHH OH....



Lots of words Flyin' Back and forth.
I am natural.
My only beef with BTK is the chemical fumes. But that - would be another arguement.



WHOOOOOO CARES!!!??????

 

[Skiggle]

I think you're still natural because the changes are not permanent. But enough with the terminology, as long as you're happy with your hair does it matter?

I agree we always
try to box people
into definitions.
Let it be.
If the hair is healthy, I ain't
tripping.

 

[msa]

I never said that OP implied that. But natural has a different meaning depending on who you are talking to.

In the minds of some black people there are issues associated with relaxer or maybe the issues are with straight hair regardless of how it is achieved. That is the point I was trying to make. "Natural" is a relative term.

It's true that natural has a different meaning depending on who you talk to. But, this thread isn't about relaxed v. natural or anything like that. I only said what I said because you and other people keep veering off topic. When people start trying to make it about relaxed v. natural, it always starts a problem. It's best if we just leave that subject to the side.

 

[yuriko]

It's true that natural has a different meaning depending on who you talk to. But, this thread isn't about relaxed v. natural or anything like that. I only said what I said because you and other people keep veering off topic. When people start trying to make it about relaxed v. natural, it always starts a problem. It's best if we just leave that subject to the side.

LOL, I am relaxed and sure don't want to have that discussion, it is just what you assumed; maybe its on your mind. I already clarified my point, but there you go taking it there.

ETA: we all know that there are socio-political issues surrounding a black woman's hair. So depending on what company you are in, you may be natural or you may not be.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

It's true that natural has a different meaning depending on who you talk to. But, this thread isn't about relaxed v. natural or anything like that. I only said what I said because you and other people keep veering off topic. When people start trying to make it about relaxed v. natural, it always starts a problem. It's best if we just leave that subject to the side.

Well MSA - you are fighting a losing battle - every time there is a questions asked, etc. It turns into something silly - and pointless.

Some people will have a relaxer till they are dead.

Some people will press and curl till they are Dead.

Some people will wear natural hair ( which now the definition is on a sliding scale) till they are dead.

Some people will wear wigs, or shave off all their hair, till they are dead.


I plan to wear HEALTHY hair - till I am dead.

Who cares what the hell other people think. I certainly don't give a damn..

Flat ironed, twisted, braided, phony pony.... What ever.... I will do what is best for MY hair.

I got a golf ball sized Fibroid telling me - no BTK.

So... There.

 

[Supergirl]

I never said that OP implied that. But natural has a different meaning depending on who you are talking to.

In the minds of some black people there are issues associated with relaxer or maybe the issues are with straight hair regardless of how it is achieved. That is the point I was trying to make. "Natural" is a relative term.

Yes, we could sum up the entire thread with that statement. Individual definitions differ.