Curious?
 

What really makes straight hair wrong? Is it only through the use of a relaxer? What if one straightens their naturally curly hair? Are they ok because they don't use a chemical? Or is having straight hair period no matter what method used to get there wrong? Do we make distinctions among those with kinky hair who use a relaxer, those with naturally curly hair who use a blow dryer to straighten, and those who are "natural" and use a pressing comb to straighten their hair in between their wearing afro or twists? I know plenty of natural women who go from braids to wigs, weaves and pressing. Are they too wrong even though they are natural? What if you are natural, but use a chemical to color your hair? I've seen plenty of blond dreaded sistas, are they still natural and staying true? Why is it called a style for the "natural" sistas, but for those with relaxers it's self hatred and vanity? We just don't fit nicely into the two categories of natural and relaxed, so if one makes distinctions make sure you address ALL the subcategories.

The many things we come up with to divide us as a people even further.

Re: pressing....something to think about!
 

Maybe it will work for one person but not everyone. I had my hair pressed from about 1996 - 2001. It looked thin and dull. It was often dry (I don't consider pressing oil or "grease" a real moisterizer). I always had split ends because of the constant heat. I recently got a texturizer and I have had the best results. My hair still looks natural when wet, but when blown straight it takes on the body of a relaxer. Won't frizz up as easy as with a press either. A press did nothing nice for my hair. It made my hair break off constantly.

Re: Hurh issues
 

I think those that attach political meanings to it are either stuck in 1967 or have too much time on their hands. Does the same still apply to bleached hair??? Are they sell outs too or are we as a people past that stage or judging? I wore my hair in natural styles from 92 until just recently. I was wearing them before people thought they were cute and before it was in (again). Now I have a texturizer and my hair is the healthiest it's ever been. If people have had a bad experience with a relaxer, maybe they shouldn't read TRY IT YOURSELF magazine and look for a good salon in the meantime (not just one that is close to you). Everyone says they can do hair, but can they keep yours healthy? Referrals work. It seems the woman who did my hair when it was natural didn't take great care of it. The woman who takes care of my hair now does an excellent job. No one NEEDS a relaxer, just like women don't NEED Gucci or Burberry. Same as no one NEEDS fake nails but I know a bunch of ladies that love em to death. I think it's best to try a lot of things to find what works for you. If someone's hair is falling out in clumps, we don't see how bad their diet is or that they left their relaxer on for 45 minutes or even how poorly that individual takes care of their hair. All you'd see is her hair in her hands. I doubt it was just the fact that she had a relaxer.


Personally, I would not invest in that natural relaxer thing. Companies know how much of an issue hair is for black women and are looking to capitalize on that. They always want to market us some miracle elixir and then disappear in 6 months. This is the 3rd time, I was convinced after RIO (yes I took it there). If you want to use something natural on your hair, take a tip from Akeem in Coming to America, he used juices and berries. That boy had a nice ponytail.

:D

Re: Re: pressing....something to think about!
 

I currently sport a HUGE fro (almost OUT not down but OUT to my shoulders) after taking out braids this week (I'd kept the braid styles maintained for almost 2 years... BOY did my hair GROW!). I've done the scary-hairy-go-round just like about every other Black woman I know. So now, if I want my hair straight, I go for the blow dryer, and if I want it slick straight, the hot comb- in fact, looking for a good stylist right now. Anyone in the DC metro area know someone who will press? For less than $40 like at home? Starving college student seeks help :D

My personal issue with a 'texturizer' is that I've been told they are really for short hair. I have 8 inches of hair in its beautiful nappy state, and no one wants to say they 'texturize' that. When I had a texturizer before, the woman used the same types of chemicals. It was really just a perm but left on for a shorter amt. of time... problem was, my hair would get straight in a snap, so I never had the fun of getting back to looking natural when I washed it. And then, I ended up with the occasional burns from what was supposed to be a non perm. So it kinda cut my belief in 'texturizers'- I think it's just a weak perm in disguise.

But no matter what we do to our hair, we can't think of the processses and styles as a miracle cure. Perms as well as the Press aren't for everyone. I know when I make the comment that I canNOT and will not get a perm, because they ALWAYS burn my head, someone says, 'Oh, you must've scractched' etc like I was a dummy for 3 years and scratched every time. My personal case is that my sensitive skin is allergic to the chemicals. Plus, I don't like perms. Period. Just like I'm sure that a hot comb, especially in the wrong hands, will make some peoples' hair break off from the heat abuse.

No one should think, oh I have a perm, all I have to do is make sure it's brushed. HA!!! Rollers, silk scarves, pink moisturizer, grease, hot rollers, wrapping, and of course the ideal twice monthly visits to a licensed professional for maintenance and conditioning are just too much for me! No one should think that just because a process makes your hair easy (or easier) to comb that life is easy and breezy after that. I like to wash it and go, so I'm a natural, braids, twists, and then hot comb kinda girl... but if you perm your hair, just like any other drug/chemical you use on your body, do it responsibly!! That way, no one has to get hurt! lol.

and on that I'm outta here....

Re: Re: Re: pressing....something to think about!
 

I guess maybe if you wear your hair in the same styles that men with texturizers wear. Then that would be a short texturized look. My hair is only to my shoulders. My stylists hair is pretty long and she wears a texturizer. I have seen many of her clients who she used the same texturizer on and quite a few have hair down their back. She just straightens it out with the curling iron after she blows is dry and it looks great.


BTW: I found that NAP-O-METER thing on the site pretty funny.

Natural isn't pretty at all. Hair that is straight is always the best way to go. I just can't see myself looking pretty with a fro or dreads. Braids are ok especially if you have a pretty face to match like Alicia Keys. But all that Whoopi Goldberg and Jill Scott looking stuff isn't for me.

Re: Re: pressing....something to think about!
 

For my hair, pressing is too much direct heat on my hair. My hair is very fine and when I use to get my hair pressed, it would never grow. After I got a relaxer and still was using the curl iron, my hair would stay the same length.

Now I get a combination wet set/wrap and my hair is growing is past my shoulders and has body. I haven't had my hair curl ironed in years and it grows easily.

So I agree, pressing for some of us is too harsh on the hair.

BJ

#7 snuggles
RVA 12/93

Re: Curious?
 

What makes nappy/kinky hair bad?

All naturals do not feel the same way towards those who relax or texturize. IMO constantly getting rid of your texture supports the thinking that straight=good and nappy=bad but I respect their decision to do so.
Many naturals that use color call themselves napptural. This means that they don't alter their texture through the use of chemicals (relaxers,texturizer) but may use, have used or will use color.

IMO style=temporary Therefore, straight hair via pressing or blow drier is a "style" for naturals because with water we can get our texture back. When a relaxer is used, that person has decided to permanantly alter their texture.
There are people who see hair straightening as a way to hide our African roots, that is why there are accusations of self-hate.

BTW:there is nothing wrong with a little vanity :D

@ boutit boutit: I used to think that natural hair was ugly too. I would say thing like "I wish I didn't have to get perms" and if I saw people with loose curls like Kelis I would say "You are so lucky you don't need perms" I also couldn't see myself running to get a touch-up at 60 yrs. old and never being able to get on a water ride or swim (without having braids:rolleyes: ) again. Obviously natural is not for you right now, who knows what the future holds.

I had to get a natural mind before I could venture out and have natural hair. Thank god for sites like nappyhair.com and nappturality.com. :cool:

Honeykiss
 

You shouldn't have to cut your relaxed ends but make sure that when you get a press they don't press the relaxed hair. That hair is already in a weaker state the heat will cause breakage.

The lady that does my twists uses Naturalaxer on one person, her best friend. My stylist generally only works on natural hair but her friend refuses to go natural. Her friend also dyes her hair that bold red, like Faith Evans had. My stylist was also against that. Their compromise was that she would have to use the "gel relaxer" as she calls it. I have seen her hair a few times and it still looks healthy despite all the dye.

See, this is what I'm talkin' about
 

What, exactly, is the difference between straightening hair and lightening skin or getting plastic surgery to have 'whiter' features? I have been wondering this, but didn't want to be told I have too much time on my hands for even thinking about it. :rolleyes: Why do we turn our noses up at some things, but are accepting of others? For example, Michael Jackson. Or is it that he took it too far? Why can we talk about our images in the media and that be ok, but when we talk about our hair, then we are either stuck in the 60's or we have too much time on our hands? What is that about?

BoutIt, you are beautiful, just like God made you!!! It's a trip, because my friend said the same thing. She thinks my hair is just beautiful, because it fits me. But she thinks her natural hair would be ugly on her. We're beautiful, ladies, straight, natural, or otherwise!!! :)

Re: Re: Re: pressing....something to think about!
 

For me, after having a relaxer for 10+ years, I found that having one is not for me. Relaxing it was starting to cause me, yasava, a lot of grief and there were some things I wouldn’t do for fear that the hairstyle I stayed in the salon for a few hours to get would be ruined, not to mention that some area of my hair was always broken off. So I made the decision to grow out the relaxer (I’m too chicken to just cut it all off, I need to be gradual with mine :) ) Now, my hair has not been nearly in the condition of the lady I talked about in my earlier post, but there have been a few times when I looked in the mirror at my hair and wondered what the hell happened. When I saw her, I knew I was making the right choice for me b/c I could relate to her and I don’t want to go through that anymore.


I know plenty of black women with heads full of beautiful, relaxed and/or color-treated hair. Breakage is minimal and doesn’t show any signs of weakness. They’ve got what it takes to maintain their hair that way. I don’t. :( Like I said before, if it’s working for you, I can’t/won’t hate on it. It’s just not working for me. I also found that there are many things one can do with natural hair, it’s not as limited as I once thought.

In closing, do what works for ya. Be it locked, natural, faded, relaxed, colored, braided, weaved, whatever.