by admin
Short kinky hair is inspirational too + “typical” black hair?
3:49 am in Type 4 Hair by admin
I just want to send out a note to encourage women with short kinky hair to flaunt it, and document their hair journeys. I’m not going to say that no one is doing it but we could use more examples out there. Personally, I am not one to “flaunt” anything. I am not stylish or glamorous so I don’t feel like I have much to offer in those terms but I started this blog about my hair because I know there has to be other women out there in the same place I am. I love to see women that I have something in common with and I’m doing this in hopes that someone will reach my blog that can relate.
I have some theories about why the short haired women do not blog as much. Before I decided to blog, I had the idea that, “No one cares about my hair now but when it’s down my back, I’ll show them.” I think there is a perception that my type of hair is nothing special, until it’s long and literally down your back. I think it’s worth saying again that people do care. If no one else does, I do because I think it’s cool to see where people started and how to where they are today.
Another idea that is kind of related is about “typical” black (afro-textured) hair. I always had the idea that tightly coiled, kinky hair was typical or at least common to black women. I have had to re-evaluate my idea of typical because we have so much diversity in our hair types. It’s still hard to tell what kind of hair we have when perms are so prevalent and parents are relaxing their children’s hair from a very young age. I’ve seen the big chop stories of women who had no idea what their natural hair texture really was because they have never seen it.
I am drifting, but what I really want to ask is is tight, kinky, AKA “nappy” hair actually common among black women? If there were a scale from straight to the tightest kinks my hair would land somewhere near the end of the kinky side. I ask because if I my only view of black hair came from natural hair boards and YouTube I could assume that most natural African hair is actually curly or can be with the right care and products.
Please don’t take this the wrong way. I love curly hair and I love and appreciate the ladies who are representing their kinky hair too. I just think we are not representing ourselves in the same numbers as the curlier ones.
I see comments on videos like:
Your hair is beautiful, what type are you and what products do you use?
or
My daughter’s hair is so dry and kinky how can I get it to look like yours?
I’m reading a lot into these comments because I can’t see the person commenting but I get the idea that people think if they do the right things to their kinky hair or use the right products, it will jump down a notch and become curly.
I think it’s a surprise to some of us when we cut off our hair and we don’t get ringlets when we run gel through it. This extra kinky type of hair is hard to understand when there are unreal expectations of it and few examples of how to care for it properly.
I know we’re all different so some things we figure out on our own through trial and error. I just wish I could see more women with hair kind of like mine. Or am I really in the minority? Let me know if I’m crazy or not.
I agree 100% about expecting ringlets when running gel through and when that doesn’t happen being disappointed, however that mindset is super limiting because “type 4″ hair tends to be the most versatile because you can achieve ringlets, waves, spirals, and all with proper care and techniques, there is just a learning curve… whereas “type 3″ hair usually really wants to curl the way it wants to curl so “typically” it needs to set more and humidity tends to have a greater effect than on type 4 hair, obviously a generalization, but imo mostly true.
I hear you and I agree that type 4 is very versatile but there is definitely a learning curve. Just learning how to moisturize your hair can make the biggest difference in how it behaves. Before I got to really know my hair I thought having it loose meant having a dry, tight, afro. That’s why my hair was either locked or cut to the scalp. This is the first time I am consciously keeping my hair loose and I am still going through stages with it and learning how to properly care for it.
I second your emotion. I thought something was wrong with me. I too noticed that all the persons on youtube repping natural afro hair did not have a texture similar to mine. I am nappy to the nth degree. I am still struggling to figure out the behavior pattern and the best products. My hair is dry and hard. until I find someone with a similar texture I will continue to try and err in caring for my natural hair. I heard so many negative remarks about using heat. then I finally found a natural person whose hair is about 20+ inches and uses heat in her hair regimen. Since I have been doing light pressing after washing , i don’t have lots of little hairs on the bathroom floor when I comb my hair. Different strokes for different folks.
Yeah, you really do have to find what works for you. I have learned not to take everyone’s recommendations because most of the products that everyone seems to love do nothing for me.
As far as heat goes I know some women choose to wear their hair unpermed but straight and it works for them.
Anyway, thanks for adding your comment. At least I know I’m not the only one feeling that way.
You are very honest and I agree with all that you’ve said. My hair is very kinky and fine and oils works best on my hair. I plait my hair at nights and in the morning its very light. It’s as though the oil seems to smoothen most of the kinks and you end up with a somewhat kinky kind of straight like look.
I totally get the comments you read. I’m not in awe with curly type 3 hair, what I admire type 4′s who have rich, thick, shiny, even, full hair. My type 4 hair isn’t like full like Esperanza Spalding or shiny like Janell Monae. Recently I’ve been styling it more to be versatile. I’m proud that I haven’t gave in and threw on a lace front wig. Pride is my motivation.
I hate the way this topic of Black hair is being discussed in the media over the recent years. It makes Black women seem ashamed of their hair, I’d hate for any non-Black person to think that I covet their texture, that they are superior to me because of my hair texture and skin tone. My Blackness is not a disease or disability and I shouldn’t be made to feel so.
Here’s a very recent pic, I haven’t relaxed since 2008, my hair (when pulled) is past my shoulders. Its soft in the front and kinkiest in the back. Its not the perfect fro like those Blaxploitation films, I guess I need more vitamins and water, I’m a junk food addict, lol.
I’m newly natural and I found a real NATURAL shampoo and conditioner: The product is Herbal Dudu Osum 100% pure Natural Shampoo (No artificial colors, bio-degradable, no preservatives). Here’s the ingredients: Pure Honey, Shea Butter, Osum (Camwood), Potassium Palkernelate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glyceride, Aloe Vera, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Neem Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Water and Fragrance (honey, bronze in colored) & same ingredients for the Natural Moist Conditioner (white & thick in color). Smells delicious and my hair is very moisturized afterwards–no need to co-wash! I discovered this at my local beauty supply store–which is owned by Asian and they are so nice & helpful and they also carry real shea butter and the Dudu Osum African Black Soap. I’m in love ladies these produts work so well! Also try Amazon.com if you can’t find at your local beauty supply store.
I agree with all of you. While I check out all the natural hair YouTubers (rustic beauty, etc.) and the natural sites…my favorite MotownGirl.com & CurlyNikki.com, I read for knowledge and a little inspiration but I don’t put a lot of stock in all that social issues over hair this & that! I know the history and the whys so don’t need to rehash or get into a debate over it–just do it…go natural & be hair healthy!
I recently (last week), did the final chop after first 3 weeks before that doing an intial chop (couldn’t take the waiting) and my hair (pretty sure it’s 4a in the back and 4b elsewhere on my head) curled up like crazy. Interestingly, my NEW hair stylist is natural (looks to be in her mid-20s) and her hair has waves in it but her poof is afro and when asked “am I a 4b?” she said her school (Pivot Point) never taught them about those types of hair classifications. They go by if your hair is thick or thin, course or fine so I wonder how much of this is made up to once again divide us by hair types! Also, as I was reading a Mizani Natural Texture book, they go even further and I saw hair types reaching into Level 8 and based on the picture I saw where they showed the natural hair ends of various levels, I would be a 6 (her ends and hair looked somewhat like it was pressed which is exactly how my natural hair looks) !!
Sorry it too so long to approve your comment. I didn’t know it was here.
I love your big hair pic and you bring up some good points