What's Your Definition of Natural?

[HAIRapy]

So when you see someone on the street with light hair, do you assume they aren't natural? Because their hair could, in fact, naturally be that color.

That's why this shouldn't be that deep. Natural usually denotes texture. You can be a colored natural or uncolored natural, but your hair is STILL NATURAL.

If I see a woman in the street with kinky hair, I assume she's natural. I don't look to see if she has dark roots or if her hair is silkier or curlier than I think it should be. What's the point? erplexed

I'll be honest with you Lauren (that's my neice's name), when I see someone on the street, I don't think in terms of natural or not natural. I think in terms of nice looking or not. You never know, unless it's an off the wall color, who's hair is not NATURALLY the color they currently are. ITA with you that it could be their color. However, I believe that your description of natural is different from mine. Natural to me, means that you do not alter the state- that's the color or texture of your hair. Plain and simple. We can agree to disagree. It's never that deep to me. I believe a person can do whatever they want to themselves that makes them feel good. I'm not saying that she's a bad person for coloring her hair.

 

[Neith]

So when you see someone on the street with light hair, do you assume they aren't natural? Because their hair could, in fact, naturally be that color.

That's why this shouldn't be that deep. Natural usually denotes texture. You can be a colored natural or uncolored natural, but your hair is STILL NATURAL.

If I see a woman in the street with kinky hair, I assume she's natural. I don't look to see if she has dark roots or if her hair is silkier or curlier than I think it should be. What's the point? erplexed

Firstly, what does it matter if someone assumes that light hair isn't natural. If it is natural, no matter what anyone else thinks, it's natural.

I guess some don't go by the dictionary definition of natural.

When I say natural, I mean completely natural. The way it grows out of your head.

But, it seems as some ONLY consider the hair texture.

I guess it's a hair board thing

Now I know that you can understand that applying a hair dye does alter your hair in a way that most other things don't... but since a lot of people only pay attention to texture for some reason, even someone who colors their hair is "natural"

Why, I dunno... doesn't seem logical to me... but that's how it is. :shrugs:

 

[HAIRapy]

I don't know what your talking about. Texture is texture, color is color, hairstyle is hairstyle is hairstyle. Reddish brown is NOT my natural hair COLOR. Natural denotes texture.

I'm not even talking about hairstyle right now. I'm talking about your hair as a whole. Your hair is made up of a texture and a color-naturally. You have your natural texture and you have your natural color. If you alter one or both of them, your hair is no longer in it's natural state.

ETA:: If your hair turns reddish brown in the sun, then yes, that is your natural hair color once the sun hits your hair.

That's like the difference between someone who spraytans and someone who was out playing in the sun and happened to have gotten a tan. Do we call the one who tanned by spraying natural?? No, we don't.

 

[DreadlockedLady0171]

But, it seems as some ONLY consider the hair texture.

I guess it's a hair board thing

Now I know that you can understand that applying a hair dye does alter your hair in a way that most other things don't... but since a lot of people only pay attention to texture for some reason, even someone who colors their hair is "natural"

Why, I dunno... doesn't seem logical to me... but that's how it is. :shrugs:

Short of someone going from jet black to platinum blonde, a person taking their hair from nappy to bone straight is huge in terms of changing ones hair. That is probably why texture tends to be the standard for determining if your hair is natural or not. I'd say more but it ain't that serious.

 

[Southernbella.]

Firstly, what does it matter if someone assumes that light hair isn't natural. If it is natural, no matter what anyone else thinks, it's natural.

I guess some don't go by the dictionary definition of natural.

When I say natural, I mean completely natural. The way it grows out of your head.

But, it seems as some ONLY consider the hair texture.

I guess it's a hair board thing

Now I know that you can understand that applying a hair dye does alter your hair in a way that most other things don't... but since a lot of people only pay attention to texture for some reason, even someone who colors their hair is "natural"

Why, I dunno... doesn't seem logical to me... but that's how it is. :shrugs:

It definitely is a hairboard thing. I mean, on most boards, you are either relaxed or natural. We now have texlaxed as an option too. We just don't get into all that other stuff. There is no point, IMO.

I feel the same IRL. If a woman has what looks to me to be a natural texture, then she's natural, even if her hair color is not.

I can agree to disagree, because I don't see any point at all in trying to break it down.

If your hair is the same texture as what grew out of your scalp, then you are Natural. If you color your hair, then you are a Natural with color. Anything further than that, I tune out. Sorry.

 

[Ms.Honey]

A lot of people's hair and skin changes color in different seasons. You didn't go and dye it... it's just a normal, natural thing that happens to your hair.

People who do color their hair have can have their natural texture and vice versa...

but I don't believe the concept of having chemically altered hair vs. completely virgin hair is that hard to understand.

But isn't the big thing being made of color is that it didn't come out of our SCALP that way and therefore isn't natural? I don't see how texture and color being totally different is hard to understand. And why chemicals. What about natural products that permanently change the texture like that Rio relaxer supposedly did?

As I've always understood it years before I went natural, natural denotes texture and virgin meant not chemically altered.

 

[Southernbella.]

I'll be honest with you Lauren (that's my neice's name), when I see someone on the street, I don't think in terms of natural or not natural. I think in terms of nice looking or not. You never know, unless it's an off the wall color, who's hair is not NATURALLY the color they currently are. ITA with you that it could be their color. However, I believe that your description of natural is different from mine. Natural to me, means that you do not alter the state- that's the color or texture of your hair. Plain and simple. We can agree to disagree. It's never that deep to me. I believe a person can do whatever they want to themselves that makes them feel good. I'm not saying that she's a bad person for coloring her hair.

We can agree to disagree.

I do think in terms of natural or non-natural, because I am natural now, and my awareness has changed. When I see other naturals, I am interested. It was the opposite when I was relaxed. I think you naturally think in terms of what your experience is at the moment.

But I never find myself wondering how natural that person is, whether they use all natural products or color or whatever. I just don't see the point.

 

[Mortons]

natural in the black community usually refers to texture.. as long as its not altered permanently its natural

natural color is a seperate issue.

same thing for "real hair" some ppl think because they are not wearing a weave, but just their own relaxed hair , they are natural. it depends on the context..

"natural" is just a word ppl. use it however you wish. i really dont see the big deal.

I dont either and its really sad that we are trying to be like that "other" noninclusive board.erplexed

 

[Southernbella.]

I dont either and its really sad that we are trying to be like that "other" noninclusive board.erplexed

Exactly.

 

[LynnieB]

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermals, jheri's) and is not colored, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermal's, jheri's) but you do color your hair, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

and finally,

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermal's, jheri's) and you have bleached/pressed your hair to the point where you have permanently damaged it, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

let me answer my own questions:

1. natural w/no color (or virgin hair)
2. natural w/color
3. natural w/damaged hair

why are we going around and around?

 

[HAIRapy]

We can agree to disagree.

I do think in terms of natural or non-natural, because I am natural now, and my awareness has changed. When I see other naturals, I am interested. It was the opposite when I was relaxed. I think you naturally think in terms of what your experience is at the moment.

But I never find myself wondering how natural that person is, whether they use all natural products or color or whatever. I just don't see the point.

I agree, when I was attempting to transition, I noticed ladies with natural-looking (cuz, you never know) styles because that's what I wanted to be. BUT, I always thought in terms of what's nice and not nice... not who may be texlaxed, colored, etc, so I can understand what you mean by that.

 

[MrsQueeny]

Exactly.

I know, oh brother. Q

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermals, jheri's) and is not colored, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermal's, jheri's) but you do color your hair, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

and finally,

If your hair's texture has not been treated with texture altering chemicals (lye, no-lye, thermal's, jheri's) and you have bleached/pressed your hair to the point where you have permanently damaged it, your hair is considered to be: <fill in the blank>?

let me answer my own questions:

1. natural w/no color (or virgin hair)
2. natural w/color
3. natural w/damaged hair

why are we going around and around?

Who in the heck knows. I think some people like hearing themselves talk or reading what they write. I agree with your 3 categories and heck to anyone who tries to tell me otherwise about my hair. Q

 

[HAIRapy]

I dont either and its really sad that we are trying to be like that "other" noninclusive board.erplexed

Okay... so I noticed that the people that's been on here longer than me agreed with you. What board are you talking about?

ETA:: I'm not saying that any one of them (natural/permed/colored) is better than another one. I just view this conversation as people trying to understand. Atleast that's what I'm trying to do. I thought "virgin" and "natural" was the same thing when it comes to hair. It's really not that big of a deal.

 

[naturalgurl]

YEEHAW!!!!!

 

[Ms.Honey]

I think it's good when these types of discussions occur with the disagreements and all the heat added. It is how we learn about our hair and the diversity of ways we take care of it. While I never agree to disagree I have no problem with people not agreeing with every single thing I believe. That being said I do believe that the majority believe that natural denotes texture and virgin denotes no chemical processes including color.

 

[Neith]

But isn't the big thing being made of color is that it didn't come out of our SCALP that way and therefore isn't natural? I don't see how texture and color being totally different is hard to understand. And why chemicals. What about natural products that permanently change the texture like that Rio relaxer supposedly did?

As I've always understood it years before I went natural, natural denotes texture and virgin meant not chemically altered.

Everyone's hair has it's own properties. If you grow hair that can get lighter in the sun, that's just how your natural hair behaves. If you get darker in the summer, does it mean that your skin is unnatural? lol

Texture and color ARE different, but I don't see why some don't undertsand that changing either one unnaturally means... it's not in it's natural state anymore.

Natural products that change your hair ARE chemicals. Chemicals aren't just manmade.

I'm not trying to be noninclusive... heck, I'm texturized myself and no where near a militant natural, not upset, not looking down on anyone...

Just answering the question... and since I'm a hair nut it is very intersting.

Although we use the term natural to describe anyone with their natural texture, if it's colored, it's truly not natural anymore. It has been permanently changed all the way down to the little hair molecules. Just a a fact.

 

[Mortons]

Everyone's hair has it's own properties. If you grow hair that can get lighter in the sun, that's just how your natural hair behaves. If you get darker in the summer, does it mean that your skin is unnatural? lol

Texture and color ARE different, but I don't see why some don't undertsand that changing either one unnaturally means... it's not in it's natural state anymore.

Natural products that change your hair ARE chemicals. Chemicals aren't just manmade.

I'm not trying to be noninclusive... heck, I'm texturized myself and no where near a militant natural, not upset, not looking down on anyone...

Just answering the question... and since I'm a hair nut it is very intersting.

Although we use the term natural to describe anyone with their natural texture, if it's colored, it's truly not natural anymore. It has been permanently changed all the way down to the little hair molecules. Just a a fact.

So if someone walks up to a woman with light brown colored 4z hair should she say she is chemically processed?

 

[Neith]

So if someone walks up to a woman with light brown colored 4z hair should she say she is chemically processed?

If she colored her hair to be light brown, then isn't she? If she has light brown hair naurally, then no.

Plenty people color their hair. I would just say it's colored.

 

[JustKiya]

So if someone walks up to a woman with light brown colored 4z hair should she say she is chemically processed?

If that's not the color her hair grows out of her head, then yeah, she is chemically processed - peroxide is a chemical. She's not chemically straightened, but her hair has for sure been processed.

And I don't know where anyone said anything about going up to folks and *snapsnapsnap* telling them they aren't natural. The OP's question is - what is your definition of natural... and just cuz our definitions don't match up doesn't mean someone is getting called out for not being natural.

Dang.

 

[BahatiSeey2]

Wow. It is amazing that there is a need for this conversation. I guess natural hair or the desire to be categorized as "natural" really is becoming very popular/desirable. I'm newly natural ( ~15 months). FYI, I consider natural hair devoid of chemicals. I considered texlaxed hair, texlaxed, etc. If there is a need to clarify/identify a technique used to alter (chemically) one's hair, then it is defined by the technique...JMHO.

 

[Southernbella.]

Everyone's hair has it's own properties. If you grow hair that can get lighter in the sun, that's just how your natural hair behaves. If you get darker in the summer, does it mean that your skin is unnatural? lol

Texture and color ARE different, but I don't see why some don't undertsand that changing either one unnaturally means... it's not in it's natural state anymore.

Natural products that change your hair ARE chemicals. Chemicals aren't just manmade.

I'm not trying to be noninclusive... heck, I'm texturized myself and no where near a militant natural, not upset, not looking down on anyone...

Just answering the question... and since I'm a hair nut it is very intersting.

Although we use the term natural to describe anyone with their natural texture, if it's colored, it's truly not natural anymore. It has been permanently changed all the way down to the little hair molecules. Just a a fact.

I think we all understand that. But for all intents and purposes, texture is way more important than color.

I notice that almost all of the people who say it doesn't matter are natural themselves. I wonder if that makes a difference in why we feel the way we do?

 

[Ms.Honey]

Natural denotes texture. Virgin denotes untouched by any chemicals relaxers, chemical color etc. I don't think any of the naturals w/color are claiming that their hair is in a virgin state. We do distinguish between the two even if others don't.

 

[MizAvalon]

Natural to me is no chemicals of any kind. That includes color.

 

[HAIRapy]

I think we all understand that. But for all intents and purposes, texture is way more important than color.

I notice that almost all of the people who say it doesn't matter are natural themselves. I wonder if that makes a difference in why we feel the way we do?

I don't view this thread to be a good one to gauge how many "naturals who color" to answer whether they believe they are truely natural or not. I think if there was a thread started that asked for naturals who color to come in to answer if they believe they are natural or not would be a better thread for that. I've seen several women who don't perm, but do color (LHCF members) say that they are not natural because they color their hair. Whether texture or color is more important is debatable... that depends on who you ask.

ETA: Natural and virgin mean the same thing to me. Your hair is (or isn't) in it's natural, virgin (no chemicals) state.

 

[Southernbella.]

I don't view this thread to be a good one to gauge how many "naturals who color" to answer whether they believe they are truely natural or not. I think if there was a thread started that asked for naturals who color to come in to answer if they believe they are natural or not would be a better thread for that. I've seen several women who don't perm, but do color (LHCF members) say that they are not natural because they color their hair. Whether texture or color is more important is debatable... that depends on who you ask.

ETA: Natural and virgin mean the same thing to me. Your hair is (or isn't) in it's natural, virgin (no chemicals) state.

Yeah, I meant in this thread, not in the world.

And my question was more about who sees these distinctions as a big deal or not. From what I see (in this thread), most of the people who are natural don't seem to think it's that serious. Just an observation.

 

[Neith]

Ok. I will remember this for hair board speak

In my mind, natural and virgin are synonyms. I'm going by the dictionary definition of natural...

It doesn't matter to me on a personal level at all. I don't care what you've got going on up on top of your head, as long as it's pretty and healthy

I don't know, just feels weird that someone with colored hair would describe it as natural... chemically processed hair isn't natural. Perplexing

I just don't think that way and I don't see the word virgin used to describe many people's hair around here.

but yeah, it's just hair board lingo I guess. No mortal can keep up with all of it.

 

[Ms.Honey]

In a broader spectrum, not just black hair care, natural and virgin are different. When I wore extensions, Indian hair, we catergorized virgin as meaning no chemicals, colors or anything added, untouched. We never use the term natural. That's usually used among black folks and it's usually used to denote texture especially among naturals. We as naturals define our hair as natural based on our texture not our color plain and simple. We define vigin as untouched. We truly don't care if anyone else does or not it doesn't change anything. There can be relaxed snobs as well as natural snobs neither texture is better just different.

 

[Ms.Honey]

And there are chemicals in my shampoo and other hair products AND I'm still natural.

 

[HAIRapy]

And there are chemicals in my shampoo and other hair products AND I'm still natural.

There's chemicals in everything. But chemically altered is different alltogether.

 

[naturalgurl]

And there are chemicals in my shampoo and other hair products AND I'm still natural.

You've proven a point for me girl! I consider myself a natural natural. Taking care of my natural hair with natural things! Now, will the hail fire rain down on me for that comment????