Why Natural?

[Duchesse]

Because no matter how many times I've tried to alter my texture with relaxer/texlax/texturize/heat straighten it always leads to breakage. My hair clearly only wants to do what it's supposed to do, I'm tired of fighting a losing battle.

Because I will be working with young girls of color and want to be an image of self acceptance, let them know that our hair is beautiful without a perm and/or weave.

I want my future daughter to love her hair texture...I'd have a harder time with this while I'm rocking altered hair.

I'm a boho nature girl at heart, and my hair is just another way that this manifests itself.

 

[kooskoos]

I've never been relaxed, but in middle school and high school I REALLY wanted a perm. But my father never let me because he wanted me to appreciate my natural beauty. I'll never be able to thank him enough for that! In college (before everyone started going natural ) I stood out as the short girl with big hair. I LOVE BEING NATURAL! No one else will have hair like mine, and that always feels good. This is who I naturally am, and I wouldn't get a relaxer for a million dollars (two million, i just might ...it's a recession

 

[countrychickd]

I'm currently transitioning to natural b/c
*I love my NG.
*The chemicals in relaxers make me nervous. I am too through depending on incompetent stylists to properly manage those chemicals on my scalp and hair. Everytime I got a touch-up, my paranoid self expected my hair to fall out from overprocessing and not enough neutralizing. I was miserable at self-relaxing; I always underprocessed my hair and ended up having to pay to have it corrected anyways.
*At this point in my life, I find textured hair much more interesting than straight hair.
*I'm tired of blending in with the crowd.
*I'm transitioning not only in regards to my hair, but in my whole life...letting go of what society, my friends, and family say I "should" look like is my way of taking one more step towards fully embracing myself.
*I think my hair has much more potential to grow in its natural state.

I couldn't see myself using chemicals for the rest of my life.

My hair is healthier and stronger as a natural and I most likely will be able to grow my hair out longer because of it.

​

These two answers summed up my reasons for going natural completely. I'm also studying to teach elementary education and I know that some children don't have any type of role model in their household, so I want to lead by example. Showing young children that they are beautiful just the way God made them....and of course for my future children. That really means a lot to me that I can show them self confidence in a simple action of being natural.

 

[Pooks]

Bump bump bump

 

[monie20032007]

Well I just didn't see the point of me having a relaxer when all I did to my hair was wear it back or in a bun. I really didn't wear my hair down or style it so I just didn't see the point, plus I wanted to know how my natural hair looked.

 

[monie20032007]

I've never been relaxed, but in middle school and high school I REALLY wanted a perm. But my father never let me because he wanted me to appreciate my natural beauty. I'll never be able to thank him enough for that! In college (before everyone started going natural ) I stood out as the short girl with big hair. I LOVE BEING NATURAL! No one else will have hair like mine, and that always feels good. This is who I naturally am, and I wouldn't get a relaxer for a million dollars (two million, i just might ...it's a recession

lol you're silly.

 

[FtrDrO]

I found it crazy that I had no recollection of my natural hair texture ( I was permed young....maybe as young as 3 or 4). How can you not know what grows out of your own head?! I became curious, and after seeing all of the beautiful heads of natural hair on here and around, I decided that I was going to transition and become fully natural.

I am sooo happy that I did it. I LOVE my natural hair, and truly don't see any reason for me to ever go back to a relaxer. Besides, I want to grow my hair long and healthy, naturally and set an example for the many black women that I do know who feel that they can't. I especially want to show my future daughters (whose hair I do not plan on perming) that natural is beautiful. What better way to show them than to lead by example?

 

[Mrs.Fitness]

I love to workout and I dont see the point in relaxing.

I want my hair to reach its fullest potential (health and length)

Thinning temples and nape, due to braid extensions and relaxer damage.

Afraid to relax myself and refuse to pay anyone to do it.

I love my hair and want to do it myself.

To set an example for my young daughter about loving the hair God gave her.

I love the thickness and texture of my transitioning hair so far.

 

[Platinum]

Because:

I'm tired of cooking my scalp with chemicals. :burning:

Relaxers are starting to be ineffective on my hair (after 3 weeks, it doesn't even look like I have a relaxer). I feel like my hair has been telling me for years to stop relaxing and just let it be.

God doesn't make mistakes. He gave me this beautiful texture and I need to embrace it.

Since becoming a member of this site, I've seen so many naturals with my texture that have APL to WL hair and beyond. If this is possible, why am I cooking my hair with chemicals only to continue to stay NL or SL? erplexed

I stopped relaxing my nape back in November '08 and I noticed the soft cottony feeling that it has and I running my fingers through it! I can't wait to have a head full of natural hair.

 

[infojunkie]

I found it crazy that I had no recollection of my natural hair texture ( I was permed young....maybe as young as 3 or 4). How can you not know what grows out of your own head?! I became curious, and after seeing all of the beautiful heads of natural hair on here and around, I decided that I was going to transition and become fully natural.

I am sooo happy that I did it. I LOVE my natural hair, and truly don't see any reason for me to ever go back to a relaxer. Besides, I want to grow my hair long and healthy, naturally and set an example for the many black women that I do know who feel that they can't. I especially want to show my future daughters (whose hair I do not plan on perming) that natural is beautiful. What better way to show them than to lead by example?

And to think I thought I was the only one on here that had no idea what to say when asked what was my hair type. Mommy started pressing religiously when I was around 4 or 5. When I started playing sports in Jr. High she got me a jheri curl cause she was tired of me sweating out her money. When I stopped playing sports (Senior year of High School) I went from a leisure curl to a perm.

I started transitioning for my 34th birthday and my big chop (well it wasn't that big I had between 5 and 6 inches of new growth) was my gift to myself for my 35th birthday. I wanted to not only know what was growing out of my head but I also wanted something other than flat, bone straight hair. I was soooo sick of that look I didn't even need a mirror anymore. Just wrapped it at night, took it down and put it in a clip or ponytail the next morning - FOR YEARS!!!! I won't even talk about running from rain and just any kind of water in general. Ugh!

The last year and a half have been the most rewarding years of my life. My hair's possibilities are endless and for this reason I feel my possibilities are as well...

 

[NappyMD]

1. My hair was boring!
2. I remember reading Malcolm X's autobiography in college. One of the many parts that struck me was the seen where he is conking his hair and the sink's not working so he ends up with his head in the toilet. I identified so much with his desperation to be pretty, to be accepted. I read about how blacks had to straighten their hair to appear acceptable to whites, and saw some of those old ads promising to rid you of "unsightly naps". At that point I began to equate relaxing to trying to bleach my skin. Everytime I heard other blacks putting my natural hair down it just makes me realize how brainwashed we were.
3. Could think of no good reason why every race but my own can wear their hair natural
4. I was tired of my hair appearing thin. Actually, it's quite thick in it's natural state!
5. I love the versatility and the feel of my coils. They are downright erotic. This thread makes me want to take my twists out right now and enjoy! (but I still have a month to go)

 

[BostonMaria]

My reasons....

• I always loved my natural hair. Getting a relaxer was not my choice. My mom did it because she was tired and had two other babies to take care of. I was mad at her for years but now that I'm older I understand.
• I have always loved natural hair on others
• I hated getting relaxers. I hate going to the salon and wasting 5 hours.
• My natural hair when straightened is alot thicker and fuller.
• My curls make me happy! I twirl them all day, which has even made my thumb swore. I kid you not LOL

I am not anti-relaxer, but I really believe that we should allow our children to learn how to take care of their hair in their natural state before slapping a relaxer on them. I think its a shame that at 36 years old I had to learn how to comb my natural hair LOL 2 years later I'm still learning!

 

[Mad Scientist]

1. I was bored with my hair
2. I am lazy and in college. I didn't have time/money to get relaxers. Plus, I didn't have a stylist in my college town. And I can't relax my own hair.
3. It buuuurrrrnnns
4. My hair was thinning and damaged. Not from relaxers, necessarily, but for just all around bad hair care. It was cool to start new.

 

[HeavenlySkies]

The thought never came to mind until I joined this board and saw all the beautiful natural heads here. I then realized to myself "hey I've never seen what my real hair looks like" lol so from then on I started transitioning saw some curls in the back got excited but after big chopping and seeing the rest of my head was a big nap I was thinking erra uhhh lol but it's cool once more length comes we will see what happens but I love the freedom and look regardless. Besides the knots and tangles that I'm not used to I am enjoying my journey.​

 

[CurlyMoo]

I went natural to be free.

 

[it_comes_naturally]

I have fine hair and when I was relaxed I wore my hair in rollersets to have some volume. If I wasn't in a rollerset, I had a curly sew in. So one day I "woke up" and asked myself why am I getting my hair relaxed and I never wear it straight.

I was only getting 3, maybe 4, relaxers a yr. Even though I was pretty much clueless about what I natural texture would be like, I said enough is enough...time for a change.

I'm soooo glad I "woke up"! Natural hair brings some issues to the table just like relaxed hair, but I'm so glad I did it and I don't plan to ever relax again.

 

[mvonnesha]

1. This year, I decided to eliminate chemicals from my life. Well as many as possible. So having natural hair fit into my new lifestyle.

2. My hair broke off from a bad relaxer at the beginning of 2006. And I had to chop off my hair anyway. I let it grow without a relaxer for a year, then decided to relax again. No matter who applied my relaxer, my hair was never completely straight. It would look straight, then as soon as the relaxer was washed out, it would wave and curl up again. In April of this year, it was at my armpits, but I still could not get it straight. It seemed like my hair was making the decision for me. So instead of just transitioning I chopped it off.

3. I was not going to fight with my hair. I would have ended up hairless again. Natural is what is wanted, and that's what I did.

4. And LHCF of course. Before coming here, I never even thought about being natural. Then I saw all of the beautiful natural heads of hair, and realized it was a possibility for me.

 

[Spongie Bloom]

you know when you look in a mirror and something is off like wearing an outfit that doesnt fit or that doesnt go together? thats what I started to feel I love big wild hair but I relaxed my hair to remove this and then would use braids to replicate big wild hair, the act of relaxing too was rather annoying to me and it didnt fit my personality so I've chopped it all off and all the happier for it It was so liberating for me.

 

[Austro-Afrikana]

I first started thinking of transitioning when i watched Malcolm X and the way relaxers were referred to as conk, and how he did it to fit in with whites and look better...i just thought "what on earth am I doing?! I'm not subjecting myself to this ish that white people created!".
However, later on i decided that i would still relax but less often. I just thought "i'm not relaxing to try to fit in with whites, i'm just doing it to be able to deal with my hair more easily".
6 months into my stretch I chickened out of my relaxer appointment, lol. I've now been transitioning for 14 months.

 

[SweetSpirit86]

I first started thinking of transitioning when i watched Malcolm X and the way relaxers were referred to as conk, and how he did it to fit in with whites and look better...i just thought "what on earth am I doing?! I'm not subjecting myself to this ish that white people created!".
However, later on i decided that i would still relax but less often. I just thought "i'm not relaxing to try to fit in with whites, i'm just doing it to be able to deal with my hair more easily".
6 months into my stretch I chickened out of my relaxer appointment, lol. I've now been transitioning for 14 months.

Sounds like what happened with me a little. I didn't see an example of this until after I'd chopped all my hair off, though. There were two women on tv talking about it, and they mentioned how we have let relaxers get out of hand. They were originally used as a way to fit in with the "master" because being closer to the white family often meant learning to read, write, and a chance at freedom. Whereas now, some of us (not all..don't kill me now) use relaxers because we don't feel we are beautiful in our natural state. We feel that we have to exude a Euro-white standard of beauty to achieve this. The funny thing is...I have more white people compliment me on my hair than black people. This saddens me.

 

[BMoreFlyy]

I just wanted to. My hair wasn't thinning or breaking off from the relaxer. I got one every 3 or 4 months anyway. I used to say I wouldn't go natural, but then I started enjoying seeing natural heads, loved twists and seeing people with kinky twists and well voila!

 

[discodumpling]

Why not? I wanted the outside to match what was happening on the inside. I've never felt more like myself as I do as a nappy. I also wanted to give my sons an image of the ideal woman...self confident & independant. My oldest son (15) has taken note & although he doesn't discriminate (his current GF is a permie) I know he appreciates a natural woman.

I'm pregnat with a girl & can't wait to teach her all I know

 

[vainღ♥♡jane]

this is a great thread.​

 

[Pooks]

Sounds like what happened with me a little. I didn't see an example of this until after I'd chopped all my hair off, though. There were two women on tv talking about it, and they mentioned how we have let relaxers get out of hand. They were originally used as a way to fit in with the "master" because being closer to the white family often meant learning to read, write, and a chance at freedom. Whereas now, some of us (not all..don't kill me now) use relaxers because we don't feel we are beautiful in our natural state. We feel that we have to exude a Euro-white standard of beauty to achieve this. The funny thing is...I have more white people compliment me on my hair than black people. This saddens me.

I share this same experience, my white colleagues 98% of the office, compliment me on my hair daily, especially if I rock a huge puff, or something totally opposite to what they're used to seeing on black people with relaxed heads.

 

[bumblb87]

1) curiosity about my natural texture
2) hair health
3) laziness (less stress/time fooling with relaxers)

 

[bermudabeauty]

I was tired of my hair getting long with a relaxer then breaking off at the crown of my hair.

I have a ton of grey hair so I relaxed and color. Overprocessing.

I always wore my hair in curly styles because curly hair appears to have more volume. Which I love volume!

I figured with natural hair I could cover my grey and wear my hair withe curly volume that I love.

 

[Aviah]

I didn't see the point in relaxing anymore, I was tired of stylists who knew about as much of hair care & health as I did (nothing!) and I liked the option of being curly & straight....plus, my hair would get about as straight with a flat iron as it did with a relaxer, so I figure the headache, expense, damage, etc; from a relaxer could be eliminated. I'm not very fussy about my hair. I don't carry an umbrella so if it rains on my wash n go, I figure "Hey...moisture" whatever lol

That is so me (bolded)

 

[RoundEyedGirl504]

Natural hair is extremely versatile. When I relaxed the last time it was to get that short Rihanna/Halle cut and once it started growing out I was over it LOL! So now I am transitioning for the 4th time and hopefully this time it will stick since I am picking up so many good style ideas from this site!

Also I like lightening my hair and it's easier for me to keep healthy when natural!

 

[sexylonglegs]

First let me say Black Hair is BEAUTIFUL HAIR!!!

I won't have it any other way...

 

[JOI]

1. Tired Of my mid back length lifeless hair
2. Tired of my hair breaking off and tired of buying Numerous hair products to maintain it.
3. I love my natural curly textured hair and will never ever go back to relaxers again.