What is Natural

[RocStar]

Heat is NO different than relaxing if you're flat ironing your hair 2-3x per week or more.

This is the statement that I do not agree with. Heat damage IS different from relaxing. Can they both cause damage? Yes, but to say the are the same thing (or not different) is not true.

 

[PinkSunshine77]

This is the statement that I do not agree with. Heat damage IS different from relaxing. Can they both cause damage? Yes, but to say the are the same thing (or not different) is not true.

Let me break it down, because you're misunderstanding me. Excessive Heat and Relaxers are equally damaging. How about this, excessive heat is just as damaging, as applying harsh chemicals to your hair. I did NOT say they were the same. If they were the same, then I would be saying "ladies that straighten their Hair are not natural" and um, I've never stated that because I don't believe that. So lets say a natural lady decides to flat iron her hair 5x per week after every wash and I (who relax 2x yearly btw) use heat 1x every 3 months along w my regular regimen. Who do you think will retain more length at the end of the year?

 

[Marand13]

I consider PERMANENT changes in texture to not be "natural". (ie. relaxing & perming)
Anything else, like heat are not included in that category. If you have a relaxer and do a twist out are you now "natural" for the time you wear it?

Sometimes people put too much thought into things that are really insignificant. Its really unnecessary to define things that way, imo.
Its not a cult, its just hair... lol
& yes OP you are still natural...

 

[PinkSunshine77]

Anyhow, what I said stands. It's extremely late here and I don't have time for the continual back and forth. I haven't said anything wrong.I guess I'm not allowed to have an opinion *shrugs* story of my internet life LOL. Adios.

 

[RocStar]

To me saying something is "no different" is saying that they are the "same."

An antonym for "same" is "different." I guess it is just a semantics thing.

Hey, you have your opinion and I have mine. Good luck to you.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

This is the statement that I do not agree with. Heat damage IS different from relaxing. Can they both cause damage? Yes, but to say the are the same thing (or not different) is not true.

Well, it depends, I got worse damage from heat than I ever got from a relaxer. When I did have a relaxer I never used a blow dryer or a flat iron on my hair once I realized what a difference that made on my hair. When I was a little girl, my mom started blow drying my hair (at around age 8 or 9) and I lost a great deal of my length, but never realized until I was older the connection to the heat styling. In my case, heat is even more damaging than relaxing, and with all this talk of "heat training" on this board, I think we can safely say that continual usage of heat and relaxing are at least cousins.

 

[dyh080]

I have seen this natural definition debated several times on hair boards lately.
Based on consensus, "natural" apparently is the following:

Old definition: unstraightened hair...no heat, no chemicals. The afro was originally called "the natural" to distinguish it from those who hot combed.

New definition: ( as more women want to be considered natural) no chemicals.

 

[Anavrin]

If what your friend said had any credibility then neither of yall would be natural because youre putting products into your hair to enhance it in some way or form. I dont think putting heat in your hair counts as being unnatural. Im sure there are different DEGREES of "naturality" though.

 

[bellebebe]

If having crunch hair= natural to her, then gone ahead and let her lil crunchy hair havin a$$ stay like that. You know what works for you.

 

[JudithO]

If it grows out of your head = Natural

There are too many things that can alter the hair's structure, strength etc.... Too much work to try to dice and slice them cos people will never agree.

 

[Rocky91]

no you didn't call her hair crunchy

 

[knt1229]

Friends? That convo sounded like a frenemy type convo. The part about her hair looking crunchy and needing some moisturizer had me

 

[*Frisky*]

I normally do not post but here I go:
I was out for lunch today and ran into a home girl that I have not seen in years. She complimented me on how pretty my bun was and stated that she would love to get her hair in a bun but she is natural. I told her that I was natural and that I have not had a relaxer in almost 4 years. She asked how my hair was so straight and I told her that I blow it dry and pull up into a bun. At this point, she gives me the business about being natural and said that I am not really natural because I use heat. She told me she was truly natural because she uses no heat at all. I told her that she should use a little more moisturizer when she is air-drying because her hair looks a little crunchy. We hugged and parted ways.
I always considered chemical free as being natural. However, after my encounter today I may stand to be corrected. Therefore, here is my question:
What do you consider natural?

LMAO!!!!!


Girl you know stuff like this ruffles folks feathers! People get too technical on what the term "natural" really means so to hayle with it. Folks can have their own opinion and I have mine. Too many other things to debate

CALL ME SIS!

 

[LightEyedMami]

Why cant we use moisterizers, dyes, and flat iron our hair?...Thats the BEST thing about being natural, i can tell you this, i have been natural for 9 years and i at one point flat ironed alot, at one point braided all the time,wore wigs, and now i wear twists mostly, if i were to have to stick to an "unmoisterized fro" to be a natural i would have relaxed the first year....Let your friend keep her crunchy hair, im sure she will be begging for your "un-natural routine" the longer it gets!

 

[BostonMaria]

People must really bored if they're worried about what the heck I apply to my naps. I love the flexibility of my hair. If anybody wants to see me with gray, crunchy, unmoisturized hair looking all crazy then they don't need to be my friend LOL

What is natural? Relaxer free

 

[Hairsofab]

I never really considered someone who wore their hair straight every day natural.

 

[empressri]

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter because one person's definition of natural won't coincide with another and I mean really, so what?

The most I try to do is gently steer my family members into saying they want to 'go natural for the summer' which equates to washing their hair, throwing some gel in it and attempting to wear it curly (stringy), or whatever.

I had to explain to them, no darling, that doesn't mean you went natural, it just means you didn't flat iron your hair. If you really want to go natural try completely growing our your relaxer.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter because one person's definition of natural won't coincide with another and I mean really, so what?

Basically. I think it's interesting to see the different perspectives. This board is very heavily populated with people who don't have relaxers but straighten, so I think that it's not "natural nazi friendly," but I suspect we have a couple who would disagree with the "flat ironed is natural" sentiment.

 

[SmileyNY]

I'm down with the definition of "natural" meaning simply no chemicals... Or relaxers (since hair dye is a chemical).

However, I will say this... I have a cousin who is natural, but wears her hair straight. My hair, (which I texlax 3-4 times per year & straighten only 2 times per year) is much thicker & healthier than hers. Her hair isn't horrible looking, but it doesn't have as much body & thickness. And while her ends aren't bad at all... I like my ends much thicker. If that's what it mean to be "natural," ...I'll pass.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

I'm down with the definition of "natural" meaning simply no chemicals... Or relaxers (since hair dye is a chemical).

However, I will say this... I have a cousin who is natural, but wears her hair straight. My hair, (which I texlax 3-4 times per year & straighten only 2 times per year) is much thicker & healthier than hers. Her hair isn't horrible looking, but it doesn't have as much body & thickness. And while her ends aren't bad at all... I like my ends much thicker. If that's what it mean to be "natural," ...I'll pass.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

I think your hair is just thicker than your cousin's...LOL At least I would say what you described is not "what it means to be natural." Are you being a bad cousin and not hipping her to all the tips on this board?

 

[SmileyNY]

I think your hair is just thicker than your cousin's...LOL At least I would say what you described is not "what it means to be natural." Are you being a bad cousin and not hipping her to all the tips on this board?

Yes. My hair is thicker than hers... b/c i don't flat iron constantly!!! lol. Her hair was, of course, thicker before she decided to start wearing it straight. Straight hair by nature is just not as thick as curly hair. Makes sense. However, her hair was thicker when she first started flat ironing compared to now. It's been almost a year.

And trust me, I tried to help. No one can tell her anything, tho. She's "natural" and I'm not... . She & I are proof that constant direct heat can be way more damaging to hair than getting a weak relaxer a few times a year.

ETA: As i said before, her hair doesn't look awful, just not as healthy as it used to be. Also, I may be a little partial b/c I'm not a fan of straight hair. It's flat & boring to me lol. Even though I'm texlaxed, my hair is not at all straight.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. I'm just saying if constantly flat ironed hair is "natural" ...I'll pass lol. The title means nothing to me if I have to trade my hair in for something that's not as healthy.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[CurlsBazillion]

Wow, I didn't know there were so many different perspectives when it comes to natural hair. In my head its black and white but I respect everyone's opinion. When I color my hair (whenever I get the nerve to) my hair will still be curly, I will still be natural, and if yall take my natural card it won't change the fact that public sees kinky curly hair as natural no matter what color it is.

 

[empressri]

Basically. I think it's interesting to see the different perspectives. This board is very heavily populated with people who don't have relaxers but straighten, so I think that it's not "natural nazi friendly," but I suspect we have a couple who would disagree with the "flat ironed is natural" sentiment.

Girl you know how often this question pops up?? lol so I don't mean it really for us on the board, but in general, in everyday life outside of the innanets.

That's why I said it doesn't matter because even then, someone is going to say this, and someone else will say that.

 

[BadMamaJama]

I don't think their should be rules and regulations to being natural. If you call yourself natural, who am I to say you're wrong? I don't think people should be so concerned with how others label their hair. Your friend was out of order and should have kept her opinion to herself.

 

[DarkChyld]

I'm natural. I've been in a weave for the past four months but I know under this net weave, my hair that has not had a relaxer in nearly ten years, is natural. And the hair I have left out proves it especially when I'm working out.

 

[DrC]

I normally do not post but here I go:
I was out for lunch today and ran into a home girl that I have not seen in years. She complimented me on how pretty my bun was and stated that she would love to get her hair in a bun but she is natural. I told her that I was natural and that I have not had a relaxer in almost 4 years. She asked how my hair was so straight and I told her that I blow it dry and pull up into a bun. At this point, she gives me the business about being natural and said that I am not really natural because I use heat. She told me she was truly natural because she uses no heat at all. I told that bytch that she should use a little more moisturizer when she is air-drying because her hair looks a little crunchy. We hugged and parted ways.-----

Fixed it...well fixed it with what I would've thought of her when she said that

don't mind me OP.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

The never ending debate starts again! Even on LHCF, you will get a lot of different views.

 

[dyh080]

Old definition: Nappy hair. This was when there were few if any relaxed heads and no weaves or fake hair. Originally, the Afro was called "the natural". Those who hot combed where not natural.

New definition: Anything is natural except those who use chemicals. Anyone who disagrees with this definition is called derogatory names such as nazis.

Pick and choose.


This is not the only "definition" that has changed to conform to the wishes of people. For example some things that used to be unacceptable are now no longer taboo such has:

Men in sagging pants and/or wearing as much jewelry as women
Out of wedlock births
Eating until you become a blimp

 

[Beverly Ann Properties]

Good response from you. I know the feeling. I know someone who says I am not natural because I blowdry and occassionally flat iron my hair! To flip it, she colors her hair and does not use heat ever, so she is the real natural woman.

 

[FemmeCreole]

I normally do not post but here I go:
I was out for lunch today and ran into a home girl that I have not seen in years. She complimented me on how pretty my bun was and stated that she would love to get her hair in a bun but she is natural. I told her that I was natural and that I have not had a relaxer in almost 4 years. She asked how my hair was so straight and I told her that I blow it dry and pull up into a bun. At this point, she gives me the business about being natural and said that I am not really natural because I use heat. She told me she was truly natural because she uses no heat at all. I told her that she should use a little more moisturizer when she is air-drying because her hair looks a little crunchy. We hugged and parted ways.
I always considered chemical free as being natural. However, after my encounter today I may stand to be corrected. Therefore, here is my question:
What do you consider natural?

I think your friend is splitting hairs (pun intended).

IMO if your hair is not chemically processed in anyway, then you are natural. If you blow dry or flat iron you hair, you are still natural. Heat is not a chemical process and it's temporary. When you wash your hair it reverts to curly pattern