Hello my name is Kenah and I am a recovering creamy-crack-aholic.
I enjoy listening to Jill Scott, taking long walks on the beach, soul food, and of course staying away from black hair salons on Saturday mornings. It has officially been 14 months, thirteen days, and 33 minutes (give or take a minute), since I last applied the "creamy crack" to my precious scalp. Ok. So I made up the 13 days and 33 min part up, but sometimes I truly do feel as if I'm a recovering addict! (I can't be the only one...) Relaxing my hair as a black woman was addictive to me. I became so used to it , so accustomed to the convience and the acceptance of chemically processed hair in the country we live in, that I would literally freak out everytime I did not have the time, money, or patience to relax my hair every 6 weeks. I not only thought I was less attractive everytime it was time for my "touch up," but also frustrated that my hair seemed to be dictating my life. If my hair is bone straight and I can do the "white girl swing" (don't act like ya'll dont know what that is! I have since deleted such vocabulary from my brain but had to say it here for the full effect of my old mentality....) then I'm happy. If its nappy, then..... you probably get the idea. After about 5 years of relaxing my hair I finally decided enough is well.... enough!
As India Arie says.... "I am not my hair." Well by that same token, no matter how hard we try to change our [mane] into something that we can be happy with, I do truly believe my hair is a part of me.
I do not look down or judge anyone who chooses to use chemicals, extentions, weaves, or ect. on one's own hair. We are all born with free will. And about a year ago I came to the realization that my very own "free will" wasn't very free at all. It was dictated, micromanaged, and driven damn near crazy by society's standards for me!
This blog is merely a place for me to express why I truly love my [mane] for the first time in a very long time!! I believe that hair is a [main] extention of ourselves, and an expression of who I am and who I want to be. It is the first thing that many people notice about you! In that case it means that my [mane] is crazy, kinky, curly, lovely, healthy, and happy! Its not afraid to be different. And neither am I. So whats your [MANE] attraction saying about you??
2 comments:
I enjoyed reading your blog and about your decision to shy away from the chemicals used in trating your hair. I have friends who are Africa American and had their hair burnt because the stylist used either the wrong chemicals or too much.
Although I have no hair, I do notice other people's hair. White women for example sometimes think bleach is a wonderful thing for their hair and blond is so natural. today I saw two women with the most horrible coloring I have every seen, I had to bite my tounge to not offend them with my thoughts.
I think your choice of using mor natural products in your hair is a fantastic idea. Though some items are pricey, in the long run it is worth it. Back to my reference of my friend whose hairdresser burnt her hair. I gave her a bottle of a natural hair rejuvenator oil that I sell through my company and within a matter of a couple of weeks, she saw noticable results. In addition, her new stylist and friends were very impressed with her decision to use more natural products. Sometimes people choose to make sacrafices in the name of beauty but in the long run they forget what these chemicals can do to them.
My mother has had her hair colored and permed as long as I can remember. This has resulted in her hair being very dried out but it has affected her memory. I often ask what her origianl hair color is and her respons is clarol #456. Keep up the good work with the more natural product and I assure you that you will be much happier in the long run.
Very interested in where you take this blog. To me, i dislike it when girls fill there hair with different colors and chemicals, or weave. What happen to the natural look? Girls with their on real hair who careless about what others say. These girls walking around with blue and bright pink weave, when did this become cute?appealing?sexy? Glad to know its someone out there keeping it natural, where the true beauty is!!
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