"Im natural, I relax once per year."

[Charz]

ETA: I'm gonna need you to show me where I said that because I can't find it.

I already tried looking for it.

 

[HeavenlySkies]

Well, Mamato, you know that, according to your post, you don't believe I'm natural. Oh, and according to your statement, neither is Pinkskates Oh! and neither is NaturalGlow or Southerntease, or Cutenss All BKTd naturals, so.....

But it's cool... cuz just like color I think a woman with natural hair can have color. Actually we had a really great discussion on this and we found out that, according to MSA "naturals" who straighten aren't natural. So Lucky'smom isn't natural either. I say whatever.

I was virgin natural for nearly 15 years until May of 2009. You're welcome to your opinion of course, but I think you're wrong.

Incidentally, can you please show me the one natural on this board that hasn't ever used a product with an aldehyde in it? Such as DMDM Hydantoin or I. Urea? Before you answer that, please know that both of those are in 100% Aloe Vera Gel. Aldehyde is the "chemical" that is in BKT that you seem to think is less natural than a relaxer.

Wow Truth.com!​

 

[msa]

Oh and just so we all understand what the difference between an aldehyde and formaldehyde is...

its chemistry time....

yes but the term aldehyde refers to a group of chemicals that has a carbon double bonded to an oxygen this same carbon must also be bonded to a Hydrogen. like this Aldehydes are a spefic group , that R represents anything. Formaldehyde is the chemical that is this ..Note that the R is now another hydrogen. It is this component that will mess you up. Now this chemical has many ways of entry, since this is a very small compound it gets into the body through the skin( no open cuts required), lungs. It would take a laboratory grade vacuum system to remove alll of it from the air, not a fan from walgreens. Due to its VERY HIGH affinity for water, this will attach to water vapor and still stay in the air long after the smell is gone and you will still breathe it in.

The aldehydes that you are referring too are long chain aldehydes, they react differently to the body that these do. Their long chain R groups make them toooooooo big to cause the kinds of effects that these small groups can do.

I looked into BKT, but i know at the end of the day Formaldehyde is a no go ...

 

[Liege4421]

ok i know i'm getting in on this late, but why does it matter if she calls herself natural, relaxed, pressed, whatever? These words are just labels. Now I'll admit it's kind of sad because she's meant to be in "hair school," but ultimately, it's HER hair and if she wants to call herself natural and relax once a year, well more power to her...

 

[DeenIsFirst]

I've seen naturals do the BKT and their hair reverted back to it's exact natural texture after 2-3 months of letting it wear off. So how are they not then natural?

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I had this conversation with a young lady at the beauty salon yesterday. She got a quick weave and said she leaves it in for 2 months at a time but doesn't use tissue paper under the cap so the glue gets on her hair.
Me: How does your hair hold up when you take the weave off?
Her: Well my hair grows because it is natural.
Me: Well what about the glue, does it pull your hair off?
Her: Yes, it does. I didn't have any edges but they are growing back, so I am good. Plus I don't care about my hair under there because I always wear a weave and I am natural.
Me: Oh. How long have you been natural?
Her: Well, I don't know. I just put a perm in my hair the other day. I only did it so I can my weave done.
Me: Looking confused, I just said oh okay.
Normally I would have gotten into a discussion with the girl but I heard all types of ignorant comments in there. This young lady and the stylist were both talking about how rip the glue off of their hair. They both said they didn't care about their hair and the stylist said that if the glue is stuck on her hair, she just cuts it off.

WOW.....just......WOW it really makes me sad how undereducated we are about our hair in our community......it truly depresses me sometimes real talk

Well, some people chemically treat their hair with BKT and still say they are natural, so if she relaxes her hair once a year and is only neck length, that means most of her hair (if not all) is probably natural by the end of the year. Basically she is wearing more of her natural texture than a BKT girl per se. Well, as a relaxed girl, I dont consider her hair relaxed as well if most of her texture is natural, but at the same time it would not bother me that much if she'd claim to be relaxed. Why dont we let the girl call herself whatever she wants from the moment she is happy with her definition. It is not like you need some kinds of pedigrees to join either the relaxed or the natural club.

Yea! What's that about? You chemically loosened your curl with formaldehyde......thats not natural lol

Oh and just so we all understand what the difference between an aldehyde and formaldehyde is...

Break it down msa break it downnnnn

 

[laurend]

WOW.....just......WOW it really makes me sad how undereducated we are about our hair in our community......it truly depresses me sometimes real talk

Yea! What's that about? You chemically loosened your curl with formaldehyde......thats not natural lol

Break it down msa break it downnnnn

I started a BKT thread a few months ago and it got too heated and was shut down.

 

[MJ]

If her hair is less than 6 inches long it could be true.

Hilarious!!!

 

[aquajoyice]

That sounds crazy! That's like a bottle blonde saying it's her natural color, yet she dyes one a year??????

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I started a BKT thead a few months ago and it got too heated and was shut down.

Daaaayumerplexed why it gotta be all that? Its no big deal, some ladies opt to do a chemical treatment to loosen their curl, therefore they're not natural, so what? lol If holding onto being natural was that important then why continue to seek ways to loosen your curl?

I tell ya people are interesting

 

[laurend]

I've seen naturals do the BKT and their hair reverted back to it's exact natural texture after 2-3 months of letting it wear off. So how are they not then natural?

I guess when it wears off in 2-3 months then they are natural again but not until.

 

[msa]

I've seen naturals do the BKT and their hair reverted back to it's exact natural texture after 2-3 months of letting it wear off. So how are they not then natural?

It's been discussed...here's the link if you want to read it.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=362371

 

[Nayna]

ok i know i'm getting in on this late, but why does it matter if she calls herself natural, relaxed, pressed, whatever? These words are just labels. Now I'll admit it's kind of sad because she's meant to be in "hair school," but ultimately, it's HER hair and if she wants to call herself natural and relax once a year, well more power to her...

Not really. If u relax ur hair once a year and keep up with it how then are u natural? I mean really, there has to be a distinction. I don't relax my hair at all. I'm natural. She relaxes once a year. She's relaxed. She's not even transitioning! Lol.

I can't speak on bkt. It washes out so I dunno. I think u can be a bkt'd natural but u dang sure can't be a relaxed natural, lol.

 

[TemiLnd]

That pretty Funny. If that was the case, we'd all be claiming natural. LMAO!!

 

[schipperchow1]

I think it does matter what one calls oneself. It indicates whether or not one has an accurate perception of oneself within the world. Whether we want to admit it or not, if someone has relaxed hair and that hair is still attached to his/her head, they are not 100% natural. BKT, IMHO, moves one out of the natural category due to the chemicals involved & the major change in texture, as well as everything that can't be done to the head afterwards... although many see it as just a super deep conditioning treatment.erplexed

 

[cutenss]

I can't believe that the people can find LHCF on the internet, but can't GOOGLE anything else.erplexed Relaxer, perms or whateva you want to call them, break down the INTERNAL STRUCTURE or your hair. BKT or keratin, which is what the hair, skin and nails, for that matter are made up of is natural. Keratin is a coating that is "baked on" onto the hair. I am so sick of everybody "going green" when it suits them. Formaldahyde is is so may products that we use everyday. Again GOOGLE it, don't take my word for it. I am 100% natural and YES I BKT. BKT does "wear" off my hair returning it to its previous state. I have not relaxed my since July 2004. This board should be a place of education, not ignorance and innuendo. Get it together girls. And besides what does it matter, you do you, cause I am going to do me. I am not going to question you about it, or judge you for it.

 

[msa]

Daaaayumerplexed why it gotta be all that? Its no big deal, some ladies opt to do a chemical treatment to loosen their curl, therefore they're not natural, so what? lol If holding onto being natural was that important then why continue to seek ways to loosen your curl?

I tell ya people are interesting

 

[cutenss]

Who made the definition for AA women's hair that natural = curly, coily or kinky? Answer me that. I said who? You know what it doesn't even matter.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

....

 

[MizzBrown]

Here we go...

 

[a_shoe_6307]

Somebody help her!

 

[SmartyPants]

You guys shouldn't at people who don't know any better.

 

[Stella B.]

I know what she's thinking...I haven't put any chemicals in my head for 11 months, which means I'm dealing with almost 6 inches of natural new growth; so I'm claiming it!!

 

[msa]

Who made the definition for AA women's hair that natural = curly, coily or kinky? Answer me that. I said who? You know what it doesn't even matter.

God? I don't really know.

But whoever it was also saw fit to make BKT so I guess there's really nothing to be angry about.

 

[Foxglove]

Lemme pull up a chair and get comfortable

 

[Liege4421]

Not really. If u relax ur hair once a year and keep up with it how then are u natural? I mean really, there has to be a distinction. I don't relax my hair at all. I'm natural. She relaxes once a year. She's relaxed. She's not even transitioning! Lol.

I can't speak on bkt. It washes out so I dunno. I think u can be a bkt'd natural but u dang sure can't be a relaxed natural, lol.

Again...why does there "NEED" to be a distinction????? It is JUST A LABEL. It really doesn't matter. At the end of the day, whether she is relaxed, natural, pressed, dyed, BKT'd, whatever, she still has hair on her head. And to be perfectly honest, no one really cares except us. You wouldn't see white women arguing over if hair is natural or not if the hair has been dyed or chemically straightened, because they recognize hair is simply an accessory. True beauty and value lies within...it's not stuck on your head.

Again, because she's meant to be a cosmotology student, I'm confused by her ignorance, but I don't see why so many people are so flabbergasted by her remark, like she's committed some sort of hair blasphemy.

 

[HeavenlySkies]

Again...why does there "NEED" to be a distinction????? It is JUST A LABEL. It really doesn't matter. At the end of the day, whether she is relaxed, natural, pressed, dyed, BKT'd, whatever, she still has hair on her head. And to be perfectly honest, no one really cares except us. You wouldn't see white women arguing over if hair is natural or not if the hair has been dyed or chemically straightened, because they recognize hair is simply an accessory. True beauty and value lies within...it's not stuck on your head.

Again, because she's meant to be a cosmotology student, I'm confused by her ignorance, but I don't see why so many people are so flabbergasted by her remark, like she's committed some sort of hair blasphemy.

Isn't that kinda like a white person going around saying they are black? You have to draw the line somewhere right? erplexed​

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Again...why does there "NEED" to be a distinction????? It is JUST A LABEL. It really doesn't matter. At the end of the day, whether she is relaxed, natural, pressed, dyed, BKT'd, whatever, she still has hair on her head. And to be perfectly honest, no one really cares except us. You wouldn't see white women arguing over if hair is natural or not if the hair has been dyed or chemically straightened, because they recognize hair is simply an accessory. True beauty and value lies within...it's not stuck on your head.

Again, because she's meant to be a cosmotology student, I'm confused by her ignorance, but I don't see why so many people are so flabbergasted by her remark, like she's committed some sort of hair blasphemy.

Yes THEY DO! I've seen it with my own eyes. Childhood photos flying left and right to 'prove' that someone is a natural blonde and simply gets highlights to mimic their childhood color. Blonde hair is serious business. So are chemicals. They aren't any more 'above it all' than we are.

 

[peony]

When I was natural I had a period when I had a chin length bob with bangs. After 2 times getting my hair pressed, it was loosely curly. I mean LOOSELY curly, i.e. heat damaged. Now, I've had 2 texturizers in the last 10 months. My hair is nappier, coilier, kinkier now than it ever was when I pressed or blow dried straight, even if it was just once. I basically couldn't press my hair when I was natural (18 years) because it wouldn't ever fully revert no matter what I put on it and I'd have to grow it out and cut off the curly ends. The natural/not natural divide can be a complicated fine line.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Daaaayumerplexed why it gotta be all that? Its no big deal, some ladies opt to do a chemical treatment to loosen their curl, therefore they're not natural, so what? lol If holding onto being natural was that important then why continue to seek ways to loosen your curl?

I tell ya people are interesting

I just don't get it. I mean, define yourself as you please but nowadays implying that someone might not be natural has become an insult. If someone labels me as not fully natural because I henna, who cares? The label isn't all that important to me.