A popular YouTube personality, who has been chronicling her very successful relaxed healthy hair journey for about three years online, recently announced her decision to transition. So needless to say, her announcement sparked a lot of discussion and interesting reactions among the online hair community. One comment I see repeatedly from both naturals and relaxed women alike is the question of whether or not natural hair is a trend.
Some relaxed women feel people are going natural just because it is trendy, some people wonder if natural hair will still be this popular in ten or more years, and some state they feel pressure to transition just because it is so trendy right now. I can’t count the number of naturals who state with an air of superiority that they were natural before it became a trend. I’m thinking to myself: So?! Does that make you MORE natural or MORE committed? I don’t get it.
My question is – why do we speak of a “natural hair trend” as if that is a negative thing? Haven’t all hairstyles been trends? Nobody questioned whether the afro was a trend in the ‘70s, the jherri curl of the ‘80s, or the mushroom and asymmetrical cuts of the ‘90s. When they came on the scene strong and we jumped on the bandwagon, whether we had the style or just appreciated the look, we never felt the need to defend that AFROS OR JHERRI CURLS ARE HERE TO STAY! There were no t-shirts that read: Its not a movement or a trend, the juice will live on forever! When one trend faded and a new one emerged, it was accepted as a natural part of the beauty industry – that is what looks do, they change!
So if I decide to transition from my healthy relaxed hair to my lovely kinky* virgin hair solely because I want to join in on what’s hot right now, why is that a problem? Do I have to have a deep philosophical reason? Do I have to have had a bad experience with or a negative view of relaxers? Must I feel that natural hair is more beautiful? Or can I just decide that I want a change and want to be trendy? And if I state that as my reason, why would I (most likely) receive a bunch of criticism for that being my main reason?
Why do relaxed women feel disappointment when another online hair vlogger or blogger decides to transition and act as if someone has died? I can understand wanting to see women with healthy, long relaxed hair because it serves as inspiration and lets you know that it is possible – but if a woman has achieved that and decides to change, why do some relaxed women go into mourning? And vice versa regarding the feelings of natural women when long time naturals decide to relax? I shudder to think what the reaction would be amongst the natural hair community if one of the big YouTube personalities pops up with freshly relaxed hair. Honestly, I may fear for her safety! (funny, but a tiny bit true!)
Natural hair may or may not be a trend. In my opinion, it really doesn’t matter – it is beautiful to see. I just appreciate that more women are deciding to rock their natural textures. However, if in a decade, natural hair is not as popular, that would be okay with me too. Because just like with any “trend” once a new one emerges, there are always some women who stick to the old one. There are women who still get “curls” and some who have worn an afro since the 70s. So even if it is a trend, the presence of natural hair will never fade completely away regardless of whether or not it is as popular as it is right now. And that, ladies, is a wonderful thing, trend or not.
Aliyah Morrison says
I don’t care if it’s a trend to most people I’m rocking my curly Afro forever . My Afro curls is apart of my life style it’s frustrating but never going back to relaxed hair .
Tiana Dowell says
I can see flexi rod set or Bantu knots being a trend but for the way our hair natural grows out of our scalp is a trend? I don’t understand. That’s like saying natural red heads are a trend because all of them are deciding to not dye their hair. I don’t understand that . I can see the natural hairstyles could be a trend but just having curly or kinky hair is not a trend. Genetics can not be a trend .
Carmenita Nmn Ferrer says
It was a trend that the weather forced me into. i got tired of chasing down hairstylists to beg them to take my $50-75 to do my relaxer touchups!
Tia LadyHeat Buie says
It’s def a trend people are actually trying their natural hair instead of trying weave.
Donna Myre says
Trend or no trend , it is what we were all born with and some of us just love embracing our natty natty !
Jamila Kelly says
trends fade
Joyce Delifus says
It’s not.
Alesha Clayton says
I like being natural but for me being natural is more damaging to my hair than a relaxer, i flat iron my hair alot because i like my hair straight, when i had my relaxer i didnt have to worry about putting so much heat on my hair. Natural is not for me and soon as this blonde grows out , i will be going back to my relaxer.
KT Real Loyal says
I love being natural….It’s the best thing I could’ve ever did….My natural curls are beautiful & Embracing what GOD has Blessed you with will never be a trend!!!
Marianela Arroyo says
It may not be for everyone but I think it is not just a trend. I would hope that people would be accepting of what they are born with. I’m not going to lie though, it has been a difficult journey for me and at times I feel at war with my hair and want to cut it all off but then I think I’ve gone to far to turn back now. Plus my hair with a relaxer never grew past my shoulders and my hair now has surpassed that by far. The irony is that I do much less then I use to do and my hair is still in far better health.
Sharon says
Natural hair is NOT a “trend” it’s our NATURAL hair. The “trend” is the style we choose such as chemical straightening, Bantu,curls, braids, wigs, etc, etc.
Doreen says
Hair is a very personal journey and I am one of those hippies who believes to allow people to do what they want with their hair. However when you are putting relaxer into a head of a toddler then that demonstrates to me that something is very wrong. Black people were the only people who didn’t know how to take care of their natural hair. And spent their time either covering or artificially relaxing their hair.Thank God those days are over now. There is no need to be relaxing a child’s head at the age of 3! There are now plenty of salons, youtube channels and products to teach you how to take care of children’s hair.
If when they are older and they want to wear wigs and or relax their hair, that’s fine but the foundations in how to take care of their own hair is there.
Kima parks says
The thing is our virgin hair should be considered our default & not a trend! Anything else done to our VIRGIN hair is trendy. It hits the ear wrong that we consider wearing our natural crown as a “fad” because it goes to all the negativity we’ve been taught about our hair texture. I get that the author wants our texture choirs to be less “heavy@ but unfortunately women & especially BLACK WOMEN have fraught relationships with it