Natural and Loving it!

I started following Black Woman Natural Hairstyles www.blackwomennaturalhairstyles.com I love all the beautiful women and their natural hairstyles that she shows.

I don't remember seeing natural hairstyles other than Afros when I was growing up. Although I didn't relax my hair until I was in my 20's I continued the process through my 40's. Finally in my 50's I decided no more harsh chemicals on my hair - so natural it is.

You're probably saying who cares about now, but I wish I had better role models of black women that embraced their natural hair when I was growing up so I didn't buy into how I thought my hair should be as a young adult. Since I was a child several women, including my family members would say they want to go natural but can’t. It's because most of us had heard since we were young that our hair is way too kinky or too nappy.  

As a small child I would watch my Aunt Lurlean heat up the hot comb on the stove and straighten her hair. My half sisters were wearing wigs or chemically straightening their hair. As for me, my mother being Mexican never put heat or chemicals on my hair, so I went through school with natural hair.

But once I became a young adult and worked in the banking world, I noticed how I was treated differently depending on how I wore my hair. That's when the chemical relaxers came into my life. 

My youngest granddaughter has what my aunt would consider bad nappy hair. I tell her every day how beautiful her hair is and how much I love it. Which is true, but I don't want her hair to be an insecurity for her. 

I encourage all of you that want to go natural with your hair to accept what God has given you  and embrace it.

High School

My hair today 

My Granddaughter