"Natural Hair": Six People Open Up to Allure About the Beauty and Diversity of Black Hair
BY Dillon Chagadama Photographer: David Bugaye
August 8, 2020
For this photo series, Allure's digital hair editor Jihan Forbes asked six people to open up about the relationships they have with their natural texture and what the idea of "good hair" means to them.
Growing up as a black child in a Africa, it didn't take long for me to realize that society has some, well,viewson black hair. In mainstream society, white women with so-called beach waves and straight, smooth strands are lauded as beautiful.
Even within our own communities, toxic attitudes surrounding our hair linger — looser, glossier curls are oft represented as "goals," while undefined kinks are something to be creamed, gelled, and twisted until they clump into a totally different pattern.
I want people to normalize protective styles like braids and locs.
ThePerception Institute's 2017 "Good Hair" studysuggests that “a majority of people, regardless of race and gender, hold some bias toward women of color based on their hair.” Fortunately, perceptions are changing: The number of women relaxing their hair is steadily declining , and stars like Carol Coral and Panashe Stephanie Mangwiro proudly rock their texture on the regular. But while things are shifting, it's at a sloth's pace — and that's why I tapped six people who are determined to swiftly kick those biases right in the butt.
Each subject boasts a different texture, and each possesses a unique relationship with their hair. As such, we wanted to showcase these individual experiences and styling preferences not only through the interviews but in the portraits captured by photographerQuil Lemons, too. "I didn't want to go far away from each model's personal hairstyles," explainsSeto McCoy, who styled models' hair for this shoot.
"I wanted to enhance it and let them be free in their element." Even as mainstream society grapples with accepting black hair, we wanted to show our subjects embracing theirs without shame — no matter what they chose to do with it.
1. Stephanie Mangwir.
Activist,Model, and Actress
Stephanie got an early lesson about so-called "good" hair, as her looser curl pattern prompted her family to make comparisons between her and her other black relatives. "It was very common for people on both sides to say, 'Oh, you have good hair.' I never really understood what that was," she says.
Those comments introduced her to the pervasive negative attitudes toward natural black hair. "I think it's so embedded in our culture, especially [when people say things] like, 'I hope my baby comes out with good hair.' It starts at a young age and I think it definitely needs to stop."
It was all this uncomfortable fuss (and some instances of invasion of space) that caused Jari to lock her hair. "I had it locked for about 15 years. I loved [my locs]. I did different styles. That was another thing. People say, 'Oh, you can't do anything with dreadlocks.' I was like, 'Girl. You think so.' I had lots of different colors, I had it in different styles. I used to put it in a Mohawk, I used to curl it, I would braid it up — I was something."
2. Carol Carol
Activist,Model
“Actual Carol say recently start felling inlove with it, to me it was alot of work, i couldnt work around it becaut i had no knowledge of styling such thick hair. Eventually i went through youtube and I tried out most of their tips and I realized that it wasnt that bad at all. Now im absolutely inlove with it and im still learning to style it. I also have home made remedies to treat it. I dont really need to visit the salon unless its for the trimming of my ends. Everything is diy.
3. Sibusiso Sbu Tshuma
One thing many former members of the relaxer club can tell you is that once you go natural, you begin to learn the full spectrum of styling possibilities for your hair. Braids, twists, locs, fluffy updos, blowouts — there is just so much to choose from. But thanks to the prevalence of sleeker textures in our culture, many people, even folks who do hair for a living, aren't aware of all the options.
"Sometimes I'll go to set and hairdressers will say, 'Oh, your hair's already done,'" Sibusiso shares. "I usually have it in a wash-and-go. They'll say, 'There's not much we can do,' and I'm like, there'ssomuch we can do. There are so many options. It's like architecture. You just have to know how to get in there and work with it."
4. Nokuphiwa Mthembu
Nokuphiwa says” I love my hair for so many reasons. I feel that my hair is everything that I am. It resonates with my personality. It's strong, doesn't break easily just like me. I can do almost everything I want with it. That represents my flexible character and my ability to adapt to any situation. When cut, it grows back fast healthier, that says a lot about my ability to come back up quickly and stronger after a downwfall.
Somethimes I use protective hairstyles such as wigs and braids to give my hair time out from combing or touching so that it can grow healthier and fuller. This resonates with how I sometimes disconnect my self from people and external influences just to recuperate. My hair is a big deal to me, short or long, braided, covered in wigs or open. It's my crown. Lastly, I can braid my own hair... Yes, I have supernatural powers.
5. Kelly Angelique
Plus size curve model
Why you don’t relax your hair Kelly says!
My natural hair journey was triggered by this commonly used question.
It's a common practice in my culture to relax and straighten our hair. As far back as I can remember, my mom would send me to the salon with a bush of hair, ripe and ready to be relaxed. This process happened every three months or so.
At family functions and church events, my mom would remind me to sit still and stay out of the wind to prevent my relaxed hair from frizzing.
Man, thinking about this still upsets me.
Eventually, in 2015 went bald. I was so tired of my brittle hair, damaged and broken. Dry and lifeless.
Ofcause when I pitched up at my family's place with no hair, I was stared at and questioned like a child who didn't know the way of life.
But I continued to persue my natural hair journey. I followed natural hair influencer's for more motivation.
I invested in natural hair care products. I spent more time caring for my natural crown. Even after 5 years of being natural I'm still asked 'why don't you relax your hair?'
But I'm happy. My natural hair fulfills a void. I am content. I am no longer shaken and in chaotic dismay because of a frizz or out of place curl.To some degree, your hair does define you.This is my crown. I wear it with fire and pride.
6. Wayne Thandie Joramuh
Wanye say I chose this natural hair journey because it defines me as a African black woman taking care of natural hair will also lead to a healthy lifestyle because natural hair doesn’t require to get harsh chemicals.
It’s different it’s a crown it defines us as black African women no ther race has hair like ours and that gives me a lot of price I feel so unique and beautiful
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