5 ways to tell if you are a Natural Hair Snob!

1. Your face contorts when you see a ‘sister’ with a weave longer than Rupunzel. In fact any kind of    weave is offensive to you.

2. It bothers you that a so called ‘natural’ has coloured their hair, and to add salt to the wound, its  blond!

 3. You turn your nose up to a ‘natural’ that doesn’t use all natural hair products on her skin, face arms and legs. They even wear makeup to make matters worse.

 

4. You become hot under the collar if a fellow natural likes to rock ‘twist outs’, ‘flat outs ‘ or just plain ‘abc outs ‘and hasn’t chosen to embrace their natural curl pattern (assuming they have one)

5. It bothers you if a ‘natural’ happens to be rocking a weave or braids and she is ‘natural’underneath. However according to the natural laws, they still aren’t natural.

Personally I think its important that we try to stay away from rigid titles and methods that put people into boxes. I would like to see more woman embracing the hair that grows out of their head and see people working with their own hair rather than using weaves and extensions as a crutch. However, I don’t consider you less natural because you choose to colour your own hair or wear a weave as a protective style. Ultimately we have to accept people for who they are and the choices they make. Educate and then leave it up to the individual.

Check out my website at: www.ilovenaturalhair.com

Carriene x 

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

CHANGES TO I LOVE NATURAL 

 

2014 has brought about many changes, but all for the better!

One of the most recent changes is that I will no longer be retailing CURLS. In fact I have decided that I want to limit the amount of products that I sell. I want the main focus to be on you and your hair needs, not just products!

If you can't find the products you are looking for on the website, then please feel free to contact me at I Love Natural Hair for product advice and alternatives.

This year I want to focus more on you and your hair needs, which is why I have set up the Hair Consultations. I will still continue to sell hair products, but I have decided that my main focus is to not only teach you how to use  the right products but show you the correct methods to get the results you want. Many of you are using great products already but are still  suffering  with the same  curly hair issues.

I hope that you will see the price of the hair consultation as an investment that will change your hair for the better and allow you to  treat your curls in a healthier way, and see great results.

Year after year I meet wo(men) who express to me that they have tried everything to get their hair to a healthy state or that their hair just won't grow or that they can't imagine wearing their hair 'natural'. If you fit into any of those categories, then the hair consultations are just for you.

During these consultations, you will meet me (Carriene), the owner of I Love Natural Hair. I sit down with you and look at your hair needs and create a plan on how best  to achieve the goals you want. All the advice given is scientific and practical.

I give you a mini science lesson to clear up any myths you are currently walking around with and give you practical advice on how to best achieve your goals. Depending on what package you purchase, you gain a hair buddy for life! That just basically means that you have me as a constant help after our meeting. I'm all about results and that's what I expect to achieve with you, if you decide to invest in a consultation with ILNH (I Love Natural Hair).


Currently all the consultations are held here in Copenhagen Denmark, with the flexibility to hold them outside the city too. At some point I hope to be holding some in London, so stay tuned!

In the future I also want to share my own personal hair journey with you, so watch this space!

I look forward to meeting up with many of you this year, and doing this hair journey with you. Click here to book a Hair Consultation. All krøllet, curly, wavy, and afro textured men and women welcome!!

Carriene