what do you like about being natural?

[BrockStar]

What a great thread!!! I've been totally natural for about 8 months now.

I love the thought of wearing the hair that I was born to have
I love the versatility
I love being able to wash n go and have my hair still look fab-u-lous
I love all of the compliments on hair that I do almost nothing to! When I was relaxed I had to work so hard for compliments like the ones I get now from simple wash n gos and puffs
I love being natural!!!!

 

[dinaaike]

Even though I'm supposed to be sleeping now, I had to comment. This thread it too inspirational.

I love not fearing the rain.
I love the way it moves when I straighten it (over a couple of days by pulling it tightly).
I love not being obligated to do anything to it every so many weeks (that's why I could never keep a relaxer; not enough discipline).
I love how people looked shocked (and sometimes a little startled) when I let it down.
I love how it surprises me with it's softness.
I love how it intrigues people who have a preconceived notion of what kinky hair should be.
I love how it spirals around my finger when I play with it in the shower.
I love how each curl bounces, announcing its presence.
I love how it reminds me with its health to take care of myself.
And I especially love how no matter how hard I try to be sleek and put-together, as soon as it's unbound, it ALWAYS reminds me of my true nature; wild, unruly, untamed. Like LynnieB, I have my own lion's mane!

I could keep going. I wouldn't trade hair with anyone. Not even RedHotLala, my number one hair idol (check out her Fotki and you'll see why). I absolutely adore my hair. That was never something I could say when it was relaxed.

I've been natural since around 1998...'99? I didn't actually do it for "the movement" or hair health or anything like that, so I don't know for sure. I was just to lazy to relax .

 

[abordeaux]

I just want to hijack the thread for a second to express how jealous I am of all of you natural ladies. I've been drooling over your hair ever since I joined.

I just started transitioning in October when I realized I was relaxing out of habit, not because I really wanted to. I'm dying to do the BC and rock a TWA but that's just not possible right now.

I'm insanely jealous, but very excited to be natural. My new growth is so soft and the curls are just beautiful. You ladies inspire me and give me a lot to look forward to.

Okay, I'm done.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I love the versatility
I love the thickness
I love that it's low maintenance
I love how stronggg it is
I love the texture
I love the softness
I love how fast it's growing
I love it most of all because it’s uniquely mine

:heart2:

 

[discodumpling]

I love the versatility. Str8 one day, nappy the next, and all points in between.

I love the freedom; the texture, the (almost) optimized health of both my hair & scalp.

I've been completely natural since April 1st 2007.

 

[love2praz]

What a great thread! This is really inspiring for a 3rd time transitioner as myself! I am in it for good this time around!

Thank you ladies for sharing!

 

[napbella]

I love how it's mine and it does what it wants to. I never know what it's going to look like, but 9 times out of 10 I'm pleased

 

[Minx]

To the lady who used the term "authentic".....thank you.
Yes, this is how I feel, authentic.

It's awesome for me to finally feel confident enough to embrace my natural hair texture, it's truly freeing.
I have been natural since August 31, 2006( last relaxer Nov 2005).

I love my tight, pen-spring type coils!
Yes, it's its kinky, by design.
Made just for me!

And I would be remiss if I did not thank all of the LHCF ladies who have been an inspiration.
Thank you for paving this path for me to follow.

Now I know how to care for what is uniquely mine, bringing out it's best qualities so that I can proudly put it on display.
It's head turning, people take notice, I STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.
(I love the stares I get when I wear my Fro out in public, it's just fierce!)

My goodness, I can't get enough of this stuff growing out of my head!
I just love running my fingers through it, the feel of its softness.
It has so much charisma, so much personality.
I love the way it frames my face.
It enhances my features and it goes great with my cocoa colored skin .

Yeah, this queen loves her crown.

I am just so proud!


dk

 

[silvergirl]

echoing what everyone has said, i love my natural hair!

its longer than when i was relaxed,
has tons of versatility,
its stronger,
healthier,
bouncy,
fuller,
can go to straight in less than half an hour,
an when its straight its full,
it has shocking shrinkage,
its grows fast,
no new growth to worry about,
i like being unique (barely anyone around here wears their natural hair, i live in fake hair heaven)
i love the texture,
rain is no problem,
no relaxer upkeep
its natural

 

[wannabelong]

Don't ask me why I'm in here even though I'm not natural ...just takin a quick peek...

This thread is making me want to transition, for real...

ITA!!! I may need to research transitioning...I'm scarred!

 

[silvergirl]

I love that it's low maintenance

:heart2:

ouu yes i forgot to add, low maintenance is the absolute best!

 

[LynnieB]

Waves to dinaaike and echos her Rrrrooooar

For ALL the reasons my fellow naturals listed i enthusiastically COSIGN!!

Natural hair is really a wonderful and beautiful thing (not dissing my relaxed sisters at all, yall do the do!).

It's as simple as accepting, embracing and loving every kink, curl, napp, spiral and wave for what it is and treating it with respect, care and patience!

To the congregation: You may now respond with a mighty O'Shea

 

[AfroKink]

I LOVE my AFRO! how it defies gravity.
I like that if I'm trying to style it, and it's not working, I can always hop in the shower and come out with an afro. I also like that it looks slightly different every time I do it.

Lys

 

[Sui Topi]

I cant wait...I have a bc scheduled for June...if I can wait that long. Every minute my hand is in my head caressing my new growth, I just want to cut this perm off already. I'm not fully natural yet, but I can say what I love about my natural hair is feeling how soft and yet strong it is in comparison to the relaxed part of my hair. Yesterday I was going to DC, so I just shampooed in the shower without conditioning..guys.....my permed hair was soooo hard and delicate like...i felt like every time i touched it it was breaking off, but my natural hair was so soft and healthy feeling! What a contrast!...I love natural hair!

 

[NewYorkgyrl]

I love my natural hair because it makes me stand out in a crowd.
It is unique and just the way God created it to be.
It is a crown fit perfectly for a queen.
I love how soft it is.
I can't keep my hands out of my head (neither can the strangers and friends who are just dying to touch it LOL)
I love how it brings out my facial features and bone structure.
I feel much more confident.
I don't have to worry about any kind of chemical relaxer/texturizer

I also love how when talking to my family and friends they look at my face but keep looking up at my hair and can't help but give me compliments on my hair styles....lol

I love being able to inspire other women to go natural especially when random women stop me in the street to give me compliments and ask for tips/advice.

I just love it because it is me!!!

 

[thefineprint]

i love that my hair is growing long with minimal maintenance...that i only have to check the weather report if i'm wearing a rollerset...that a quick spritz in the morning still keeps my hair looking great and it only takes 5 min. to style

i never played with my hair so much as a permie. i was always afraid of (a) messing up the style or (b) breakageerplexed

 

[nappity]

This post is about to make me just break down and cry -

Everything is so heartfelt.

 

[TaraDyan]

I.ABSOLUTELY.LOVE.THIS.THREAD!!!!

I'm not natural yet, but I've been transitioning for 10 months. I'm trying to see how long I can hold out before doing the BC. It's either going to be September 2008 or January 2009. Like some other posters have mentioned, the difference between my hard, brittle relaxed ends and my soft, supple new growth is astounding. I am perplexed as to why I felt the need to sprint to the stylist to subdue my beautiful coils as soon as they sprang forth. If I only knew 10 years ago what I know now ...

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

I love the fact that many days, I can literally roll out of bed and go out!
I love the fact that rain is okay with me now.
I love that frizz can work with me instead of against me.
I love that I can go without combing my hair for days and it doesn't look like it.

I have been natural for 5 years.

 

[lildhe]

I agree with every post on this tread. My hair is very fine and when I was relaxed it seems like you could see thru my strands .Now my hair appears to be thicker. The thought of that creamy crack touching my scalp makes me wanna holla . I LOVE my natural hair and I really wish alot more of us would embrace it instead of running from it . GOD made our hair the way He wanted it to be ,why should we be ashame of it or think we can handle it ? We are Wonderfully made ,right ? Oh yeah, I've been natural for 4 yrs.

 

[Priss Pot]

I've been natural since April 1, 2007.

I love being free from feeling the "need" to get a touch-up.

I love being different from my peers and others around me, and having the courage to do what others are too scared to do.

I love the shock value when I wear it semi-picked out and big.

I love learning new things about my hair; how it acts, what it likes/dislikes, etc.

I like letting it be itself and not making it do something it doesn't want to.

I like the versitility and STILL being able to rollerset (when I was relaxed, I thought I wasn't going to be able to rollerset once natural; I was wrong!)

Now I'm just waiting for it to get long enough to where I can wear a bun...then I will be truly satisfied and happy

 

[zzirvingj]

Like alot of others have already mentioned, I like not having to worry about sweat or rain touching my hair and ruining it. I like being able to wash my hair every day. I like that I can do a twistout one day, and wear it straight the next day if I wanted to.

I like how shrinkage is always surprising me and other people around me . In other words, it's fun to wear my hair in a bun all the time not even knowing for sure myself how long my hair is getting...then all of a sudden whip it out on 'em! LOL

My natural hair is like my fingerprint--although it may appear to be very similar to other people's hair, truth is no one has a head of hair that is exactly like mine...and that's a really neat concept when you think about it That is part of the true beauty of being natural to me. In it's natural state, my hair gives me a real sense of individuality.

ETA: I have been natural for 5 years

 

[DarkVictory]

(Re-posting from a very old thread)

I've been natural this go 'round since 1989.

I like the way it makes me look. I have very broad nose and lips so the natural hair kind of matches my face. I never have to worry about rain or wind. On humid days "what will my twistout do now?" is more of a game than a problem.

I can work up a sweat on the dance floor or wherever. I'm an old married lady now, but when I was single I enjoyed discovering that men like natural hair. The first time I was with someone who was really into my TWA at the time, I remember thinking, "Hey, this is easy!"

I love, love, love hair accessories, especially scarves. When my hair reaches an odd length or decides it wants to stick out in some weird way, I tie a scarf around my puff, add some flashy earrings and head on out. I don't have to fiddle around trying to make it "look right". It is what it is.

I like my natural hair because it suits my look and my lifestyle.

 

[DreadlockedLady0171]

I LUV this thread
I absolutely love being natural, I have a serious case of hand in fro disease
I am no longer a slave to the salon
I don't have to worry about swimming in the summer since I can now wash my hair as often as necessary.
I don't have to comb my hair if I don't feel like it
I love being different than the average

I have been natural for 10 years

 

[blazingthru]

oh I agree with everyone
I love being natural I been natural since April 2006, almost two years.
I love not having to worry about what to do with the head.
I can be ready in a flash all I need a pair of knee highs and some water and I am good to go.
I love not worrying about the rain
I love washing it everday, the feel of the water all over my head is so wonderful.
I love wearing twist today and a full bush tomorrow.
I love that I am really embracing me. The real me as I was meant to be. It still shocks me sometimes.
I can actually see my hair growing,
NO worries about new growth
I love going out and people looking at my hair and I get to say Is It my Hair and their eyebrows raised as if I caught them and then I laugh. I love it.
I can plait my hair and wear it and not feel silly. I don't care what people think, that was never me.

 

[mscocoface]

I have been natural since the mid 90's but in the last two years have gotten really serious about maintaining health.

I like not having to worry about the weather, at home pressing and curling and blow drying, breakage, hair falling out, going to the salon and spending major money and time on my hair, I like having afros, doing protective styling, deep conditioning, long walks in the park...opps wrong thread.

Anyway life is much better for me being a natural head.


OT: I went into a salon the other day where there was a barber I wanted him to do my son's head a bald fade, well wouldn't you know not only did he not have time, but he couldn't do his head for a whole week he was so booked. Does that sound familiar?

I left there and drove around the corner to one of those new shops called sports clips where they only do hair for the male population and we were in an out in less than 30 minutes and the woman did a beautiful job on his head.

Less time, Less money - PRICELESS!!!!!

 

[NuMe2004]

I love the versatility of natural hair. I can wear a wash and go and the next day it can be straight. Also I love not having to worry about getting a perm. And I don't have to worry about my hair getting wet in the rain or humidity. I've been natural for about 2 years.

I couldn't have said it better! I've been natural almost five years now .

 

[BK Bombshell]

I love feeling the soft, cottony goodness when I touch my hair. I love the sheen. I love the way it looks when it's at full volume. I love that people are shocked, maybe amused, but ultimately fascinated by it. I love feeling like Foxy Brown (Pam Grier, not the HAM) when I pick out my hair. I especially love it in the summer when every day is a new hair adventure. I love finding new textures on my head. I love that my hair can be completely straight one day and then back to normal the next day. I love that I don't need accessories because my hair is decorative enough. (I do wear scarves sometimes though.)

I've been natural 21 years.

 

[EMJazzy]

I love my texture
I love how much money I am saving by not relaxing
I love how versatile my styling choices are
My hair and water are best friends so you won't see me running when it's raining
I love how deceiving shrinkage appears to be when it comes to the length of my hair
I love all of the compliments I've been receiving on my wash n' go
I love how soft my hair is to the touch
I love how thick it is

I JUST LOVE MY HAIR. I've been natural since 1996.

 

[berry87]

Its simplicity. Its versitility. The way it feels when I sink my fingers into it. The way it turns into tiny perfect circles on the shower walls (though I do be cussing trying to wash them off!) The density - it feels ALIVE. It makes me feel proud, oddly enough. It's unabashedly constantly beautiful, without needing to be changed, and I can't say that about any other part of me, with honesty.

*smiles* I love my hair.

Beautiful!