They still don't believe!

Today's post is dedicated to all my sisters suffering with the unbelief that their hair can be anything else BUT beautiful!


Despite the masses of blogs, vlogs, websites and inspiring shared stories, many black women are still having a hard time believing that they can have the long healthy hair that so many desire. Why is that? And why do so many of us still not believe that it is possible?

What so many of our curly caucasian sisters take for granted, when it comes to cutting or trimming their hair, some black women are scared of. Its annoying to think that the hairdresser, when trimming our hair, manages to take off what little hair we have struggled to retain in a year, let alone a month.

I know that longer tresses is not everyones aspiration, however this particular post is aimed at those who desire longer hair, but still don't believe its possible.

My natural hair journey began in 2010 in Denmark where I now reside. Let me clarify, that when I talk about my 'natural journey', I am referring to my personal journey, where I learnt how to correctly take care of my hair. Even deeper than that, I learnt how to accept myself and my hair for what it is and what it does.

After years, of what I would call hair abuse, I suffered chronic hair breakage. My hair line was almost non-existent, and I loathed what grew naturally out of my head. For years I continued on the hair cycle that so many of my textured sisters go through. The constant hair breakage, continual weave wearing, and if I was lucky enough to grow my hair roughly to my shoulders, then I would chemically process it. Before I knew it, it would break again, and I would do what I had always done, hide it away in a weave or extensions.

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a good weave or extensions, if done well, but it has its place. I have found that there are some women who use these styling methods as a crutch, as opposed to a styling choice. Its a way of not having to deal with their 'natural' hair, rather than using it as a protective style or a temporary change from the norm.

I never really believed that my hair could grow longer than to the tips of my shoulders, unless my genetic coding happened to be different. To be honest my feelings were the same as so many that I come across now, both here in Denmark and wherever some of my textured sisters may find themselves in the world.

The question I constantly ask myself though is, where did these mis-truths come from?! Who told me that  my hair couldn't grow to long lengths unless my genetic coding was different? Who told me that my natural hair is unmanageable and not pretty? Who told me that 'natural' was ugly and not acceptable in certain environments, and most importantly, when did I/we, start believing these lies?

I think the answers to my question are not so straightforward. These mis-preconceptions have come from many sources, and these sources have continued to spin the wheel of  mis-truths amongst so many women.

My chronic breakage forced me to take the time to be educated on textured and curly hair, and apply the scientific, yet practical methods that I was taught, to my own hair. Within a week of applying these methods, the difference was apparent! I learnt that hair is hair, regardless of whose head its on and that if you apply certain methods, you can get your hair to respond in so many different ways.

Now that my hair is a lot longer than it has EVER been, and I am enjoying my natural hair in a way that I never thought was possible, I sometimes forget that there are still people out there that are still walking around with the same issues I struggled with. Its usually brought back to my attention, when I meet someone who makes the same statements I once made myself: "My hair can't grow" or "its reached its terminal length" (which is no longer than above my ear or shyly brushing my shoulders, if you are lucky)
I have been told "you have to be bi-racial to have longer hair" and usually, now that my hair is longer I'm asked if it is all mine. That last question makes me laugh every time.

I have recently cut my hair very short, due to not having the time to do my hair as I did before having my second child, however now that my hair is shorter, I miss the length. My aim is to have waist length hair, not because I need to, but because I want to! Will you join me on this challenge?

To those who still don't believe, I challenge you! Arm yourself with the correct information, research your hair type, book a consultation with a hair specialist if you feel you can't do it alone. Lets grow our hair together, and prove to the unbelievers that the lies spoken over our hair was never true!

LOVE yourself - LOVE your hair!

For hair tips and information about your wavy, curly or afro textured hair, check out I Love Natural Hair