Everybody’s Doing It

February 25, 2011 By 59 Comments

New York Everybodys Doing ItWhat you ask? Going Natural!!!

All for a variety of reasons too.  Natural hair is taking over mainstream media.  Even New York from “Flavor of Love” and “I love New York” is sporting her natural curls.  But many will argue that natural is not for everyone.  So I’ll ask you.  Do you agree?  Why or Why not?

Is this just another fad?

Filed Under: natural hair

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Comments

  1. michele says:
    February 25, 2011 at 9:05 am
    Allowing your hair to grow out of your head naturally shouldn’t be a fad.
    Reply
  2. CharChar says:
    February 25, 2011 at 9:10 am
    Natural not for everyone> I disagree..considering “natural” is referring to our actual born hair texture…so no I don’t agree I think any one can be natural because all that means is your choosing to no longer chemically process your hair…side note I heart Natural hair!
    Reply
    • Joan says:
      March 10, 2011 at 11:18 am
      I totally agree, CharChar. I can’t imagine calling this a fad as the way it grows out of your scalp is not a choice…the choice is made when you choose to alter it. If anything, the relaxer is probably the “fad”
      Reply
      • Shheebz says:
        April 5, 2011 at 8:25 am
        that is so true I preach that, when it’s natural, it’s in its “own”state, God given. Relaxer is the fad
        Reply
  3. michele says:
    February 25, 2011 at 9:17 am
    Allowing your hair to grow out of your head naturally shouldn’t be a fad. Its the status quo for everyone else!
    Reply
  4. Karen says:
    February 25, 2011 at 9:19 am
    So, I’ve been natural for the past 5 years, and I absolutely love it. I’ve had many try to persuade me to return to relaxing my hair, but I just choose not to. I have the flexibility of pressing my hair, or wearing it with it’s thousands of curls. And my curls…shock most…as they are often the envy of haters who can’t understand how I can have straight hair one moment, and curly locks the next…I can go from dark brown hair, to bleach blonde and not worry about the chemicals interacting with a relaxer…I love my natural hair…I can confidently say…NATURAL HAIR ROCKS!
    Reply
  5. Valerie says:
    February 25, 2011 at 10:10 am
    Wow! She looks better with the curls… almost didn’t recognize her!
    Reply
  6. Loreal G. says:
    February 25, 2011 at 11:11 am
    How can natural hair NOT be for everybody?…Its YOUR NATURAL HAIR for goodness sakes!!!..the hair God created for you and intended for you to have…saying ” natural hair isn’t for everybody” is like saying ” Oh, God don’t know what he doing, he make mistakes millions of times”…that statement seems like pure ignorance to me, but sadly typical of alot of our brothers and sisters..
    Reply
    • Sade Stanberry says:
      March 26, 2011 at 2:06 am
      I totally completely agree with Loreal G. Natural is you, and every curl pattern is different, so its in no way a fad…its for many black girls, it the beginning of FREEDOM! It totally was for me, one whom was completely consumed by the way my hair looked permed/weaved and did not feel beautiful if it was “done”…Its hard to call yourself confident if you dont love all of u!

      3 months natural and loving it!

      Reply
    • gala says:
      April 24, 2011 at 9:31 am
      that is true but remember that society has taken a liking to the culture of having long beautiful permed hair as the white folks. people c it as an escape route from nappy hair n so forth. but i love my natural hair n it is what God has gvn us but people will be people n we can’t change that. i’m only a few days natural though lol! but i love it none the less
      Reply
  7. kim coles says:
    February 25, 2011 at 12:03 pm
    I don’t think that it a fad, I think that it is an AWAKENING!!!
    Reply
  8. marilla reed says:
    February 25, 2011 at 12:15 pm
    how long does it take for a relaxer to grow out and how does natural hair do for someone like me that 50 plus and hair is more dry now and gray ..thanks
    Reply
    • Jean says:
      April 15, 2011 at 10:33 am
      Hey, I am 62 years old; gray & I let my hair grow out to about 3 inches & did the big chop!! I got real sick & tired of having my scalp itch, burn from the relaxers & dyes. What I did was cut off all the relaxer. Bought some coconut, jojoba, olive, & almond oil from the Vitamin shoppe. Also bought shampoo with NO Laruel Sulphate or other chemicals in it (please buy organic shampoos). Mix the oils togeter & put in a clean glass jar. Wash your hair & moisturize my hair with the oils. Leave the oils on with a plastic cap & go about my business (clean house or something). Rinse out & what beautiful hair you have. So healthy, etc. As for gray hair, please go to the vitamin shoppe, they have henna dyes which is all natural. Just follow the directions. I suggest you go on youtube & get all of the instructions, directions on how to do our hair; you will be amazed. jean….
      Reply
  9. Keisha says:
    February 25, 2011 at 12:32 pm
    Natural hair is beautiful! And it is not just reserved for people with 3a type of hair, fair skin, with small facial features. Its for everyone who claims it!
    Reply
  10. Evelyn says:
    February 25, 2011 at 12:35 pm
    I started washing my hair & letting it air dry almost 10 years ago & am grateful to finally have the courage & release to let my natural hair reign!!!! It hasn’t been easy as I’m still trying to discover the right combination of products for my desired look, but the journey is FUN & liberating!!!
    Reply
  11. GeecheeJ says:
    February 25, 2011 at 5:24 pm
    Natural hair is not a fad….it is Natural
    Reply
  12. Reese says:
    February 25, 2011 at 6:02 pm
    I think people often confuse your natural hair and a hairstyle. Your natural hair is what grows out of your head; it shouldn’t be considered a style, trend or fad. However, you can do a hairstyle that fits the shape of your face the best and the look you want. For example, I have locs; it is my natural hair, but the hairstyle is locs. Someone else may want an afro, another may want twist, etc. It always upsets me when people say natural hair is not for everyone. It is your hair, how can it not be for you!

    By the way. New York looks great without all the weaves and makeup. In fact, she looks better!

    Reply
  13. Morty Lovebug says:
    February 25, 2011 at 11:09 pm
    Natural hair is for anyone who wants to go natural. I don’t think people should judge if it is or isn’t for anyone, it is their hair. I think folks need to focus on educationg one other on the various products and hair styles for various textures folks can benefit from.
    Reply
  14. Monique says:
    February 25, 2011 at 11:49 pm
    I am transistioning and it is not easy! As stated above, it is truly an awakening! I have been getting relaxers for YEARS. I have never seen pictures of myself as a child, so now that it has been almost a year into my transition, I LOVE the sight my beautiful curly hair!! So much so, that I am angry that my mom ever relaxed it to begin with!! So I’m feeling it, and soon, I will be cutting off the 6 to 8 inches of relaxed ends! Natural is the way to go!
    Reply
  15. Roneshia says:
    February 26, 2011 at 12:32 am
    I am natural and I have been for almost one year now, but I do not think that it is for everyone. I see many people make the argument “how can it not be for everyone since it is naturally growing out of your head?!” My response is that people [both men and women alike] have a choice. We have our own preferences, different lifestyles, different climates, etc… Now I do love my natural hair but it is my choice if I want to chemically alter my hair again. As far as wearing natural hair being a fad, I’d hope not. It takes far too long for hair [or at least my hair] to grow out for this to be a fad!! LOL
    Reply
  16. Tyra Sherese Peterson says:
    February 26, 2011 at 10:01 am
    I believe that natural hair is for everyone. It may just take some people a little longer than others to understand how to love, care for and appreciate their natural hair.
    Reply
  17. Samud says:
    February 26, 2011 at 1:19 pm
    I have been natural for over 10 years and I love it. However I understand that it’s not for everyone. There are a couple of good youtube videos that address this.
    Reply
  18. Chandra says:
    February 26, 2011 at 10:40 pm
    Natural hair is for everyone, BUT everyone is not willing to pay the price to maintain it. And for those people, I say it may not work out for them.. Depending on your hair texture and thickness natural hair can be a real job. Lots to learn, especially in the beginning. Those who are going natural for fadish reasons won’t be able to make it through all of that. I agree that many of us are just waking up.. I decided to go natural before I realized a revolution was taking place! So, I think its Gods doing.. personally. : )
    Reply
  19. S Nicole says:
    February 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm
    I love being a newbie in the natural world. I have learned so many about myself and have re-defined my own beauty on my own terms. I cannot deny that it is quite liberating to sport my fro or twists for the world to be in envy of what I possess.
    Reply
  20. Silky Coils says:
    February 28, 2011 at 3:50 pm
    I think to black women its a “fad”; but folks have been natural for ages…it aint nuttin new hunny! Lol
    Reply
    • loveizluv says:
      March 8, 2011 at 5:53 pm
      thank you for saying just that “it aint nothing new honey”…. im tired of people trippin over kinks.. coils. curls..and waves. it simply a choice of reconditioning yourself to whats been there from day one. think once upon a time they said a relaxer was a fad . what did we do before the relaxer… simply we dealt with what god gave us… is it for everybody yes it can be. just as we have educated ourselves on how to care for relaxed hair over our time. we take the same measure inreguards to true textures
      ))))loveizluv((((
      Reply
  21. Yogi says:
    March 1, 2011 at 3:10 pm
    I’ve been natural off and on since “99…my last texturizer was in ’05 when I bc’d (for the 3rd time). Natural hair right now seems to be the “in” thing to do….it’s starting to get a lot of attention now so everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon…just like with any other trend. I went natural by default years ago…because I liked to wear weaves and color my hair there was no need to relax. Now that I’ve been without a relaxer for so long I just don’t want to go back but I have nothing against relaxed hair. Because of the texture and density of my hair (I have fine, thin hair) I’ve thought that being natural was not the way to go only because my hair type makes certain styles difficult and that has kept me on the fence recently about going back to relaxed hair. But I agree with Chandra, its a job, for me anyway, and its not low maintenance so when I meet relaxed chicks who say they may want to go natural I just tell them the truth..and I can only speak from my experience that being natural can be a pain in my butt sometimes…a very long process just to wash my hair…makes it a chore to me….so I would say if you are going to do it….just be prepared!
    Reply
    • Ayo says:
      April 4, 2011 at 7:21 am
      Yogi, thank you for your honesty. I completely agree with you. Natural hair takes work!! It takes me way longer to do my hair when I’m wearing it curly (wet/wash, do a rinse out conditioner, then a leave in conditioner, curling gel, then 8 minutes under ionic hair dryer…every morning!) than when I’ve had it blown straight (just unwrap, brush down and keep it moving). I don’t necessarily think however that natural hair is the “in” thing, I think black women celebrating who we are and not feeling like we have to hair like white women has become “in” and I hope it never goes away.
      Reply
  22. Black Girl says:
    March 2, 2011 at 2:49 pm
    If you are not a patient person who is willing to spend extra time on your hair then natural is not for you. Natural hair requires patience and extra care and some people may get fustrated with it if they do not understand it. If you are going natural because every one else is doing it then that is the wrong reason to do it.
    Reply
    • Ayo says:
      April 4, 2011 at 7:21 am
      Amen!!!
      Reply
      • gala says:
        April 24, 2011 at 9:44 am
        i did it coz i love being different n have learned to love my natural hair somehow along the way i found my true beauty. i got a perm wn i was rly young so at my age i didn’t c the damages that i was doing to my hair. n as i got older i started doing my own background search on black women n ancestral search as well. in all i know that this is a challenge in maintaining my hair but i’m loving the journey
        Reply
  23. Nayisha says:
    March 4, 2011 at 11:54 am
    I hate to hear that natural hair is just a fad!! It should be an individual decision based on having healthier hair in my opinon. These celebrities often times give a faced but they’re just perpetuating to get media shine! I really want people to educate and have a concrete reason for going natural. This culture we live in merely copies without merit is just bs to me.
    Reply
  24. D. Branch says:
    March 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm
    I believe having natural, healthy hair is good for any and everyone. However, I just think some women can rock the curls, fros, and twists better than others. Also, some women may be doing it simply because its popular right now but who am I to judge?? I just know I love my natural hair and it aint going anywhere!
    Reply
  25. eniola says:
    March 15, 2011 at 10:06 pm
    Natural is not a fad bc it is natural. However, it is sad when some go natural bc they think it is a style. It is good if these same individuals through the process, relize that this is a lifestyle; a positive, lifelong, classic. I went natural before natural was in. I was in Iraq in 2006 (19 yrs old) and not at all happy with my hair. Youtube, Im not even sure if they had all the tutorials they have now, and if they did- I would not have known bc I didnt find out about youtube until like mid 2007. But anyone, no one around me was going natural (one person was natural, but I didnt realize it bc she didnt wrk in my same section) I just did it, not even knowing what to do. I thought going natural was u stop doing perms and continue using the same products you contine using. I subconsciously knew I could cut my hair, but I didnt know it was considered the big chop. I took the long route and bc i didnt know it was an actual process, the permed hair fell out on one side. I didnt fret bc I actually saw my new natrual hair- it looked like taco meat, but it was so pretty. But to make a long story short, I stunted my growth by not knowing exactly wat to do. I didnt get blow outs and I started using co washes in 2009. I also was brushing my hair and not using water before I combed. It was a horrible experience but Im glad there is now a natural hair community. I actually want to start going to natural hair shows and all! Being natural is a lifestyle and should be taken seriously. People should not do it and then put a relaxer and texturizer in- Its not a fad even tho some think it is!
    Reply
  26. BlackGirlHairCare says:
    March 24, 2011 at 3:38 pm
    I think that some people go natural thinking that their hair will immediately be healthy and long but they don’t realize it requires patience, time, and research. A lot of times people who are relaxed come up to me and ask me for natural hair advice. Often I don’t know where to start. A lot of people think its so simple when there’s actually more to it than not applying a relaxer.
    Reply
    • Ayo says:
      April 4, 2011 at 7:27 am
      So true, and not everyone is going to get long hair by going natural because what many people don’t realize is that our diet and genetics has a lot to do with the potential length of our hair. I’ve been natural for close to 5 years and I’m still learning about what products to use and not to use….patience is the key word.
      Reply
  27. Shheebz says:
    April 5, 2011 at 8:41 am
    Natural hair weavers are people that wear their hair in it’s natural state, so a Caucasian wearing their hair un permed or untampered with it’s natural as with any other race so me being of black decent and I choose not to alter my hair it will be in it’s natural state if I tamper with it, it’s gonna scream to be back to it’s natural state, ” new growth” it’s like fingerprints I can try to destroy them but that print comes right back, but we’ve been blessed to be called natural, so listen people redirect your fad elsewhere it’s not associated with us.
    Reply
  28. Oliveoilmami says:
    April 23, 2011 at 10:16 am
    I don’t think it is a fad. I think it is finally women coming to the realization that natural doesn’t just mean nappy. It gives us options. Like I like to say: What did the natural hair say to the permed hair? I can do anything you can do better…I can do anything better than you.
    Reply
  29. luvdafro says:
    April 23, 2011 at 3:07 pm
    If anything was a fad, it would be the relaxer. It’s our God given hair that came out of our heads and that’s why being natural is for everybody. Big props to New York!
    Reply
  30. Tamara says:
    April 25, 2011 at 10:08 am
    Hello,
    I believe it is for everyone who is no longer content living the lie…no play on words here as we know already know the typical play on words..I digress; so many women of color have been lied to about our true beauty and have sought out beauty in images that were not created for us nor by us…so naturally we bought into having to chemically alter what God naturally created. It’s a slap in His face, in my humble opinion. I think too often we lie to ourselves about why we continue to alter our natural hair, some of it being “I only relax my hair because it’s more manageable” that’s what I used to say but when I decided to be real with myself and stop lying I had to admit I had a spirit of shame as it pertained to my hair but once I truly accepted me I saw me for real not covering up not hiding behind excuses etc. and today the women in my family are all natural that’s God- taking off the mental shackles and giving us freedom to be who He created us to be and to accept, embrace and love ourselves. So for me it is not a fad. Be Blessed Ladies and Love the you, God Created.
    Reply
  31. camelian98 says:
    April 25, 2011 at 1:28 pm
    natural hair is not a fad; keyword NATURAL! i hate when people say “my hair will never do that”…what…grow out of your scalp without the use of damaging chemicals? all of us have different curl patterns. that’s part of you and that is something NO ONE can change. the beauty is in how you embrace your natural texture. rock on natural sisters!
    Reply
  32. Lucy says:
    April 29, 2011 at 12:44 pm
    I believe that wearing your natural texture may not be for you if your mind is still enslaved in the idea that you need to have loose/wavy/straight hair in order to be attractive/presentable/professional. Wearing your natural texture for many is more of a mental journey than a physical one. The physical is easy because you can just chop your hair and instantly return to your natural texture. The mental is much more difficult if you’ve been brainwashed from birth to believe that certain hair textures are “good or bad”.
    Reply
  33. KurleeEdna says:
    May 3, 2011 at 3:59 pm
    Being natural is a fad?…
    Actually, I made the decision to stop relaxing 4 years ago when, not only was it too damaging on my hair, it was too expensive to keep it up.
    I didn’t discover these natural and curly websites until about 6 months after that decision. Being rather clueless, I didn’t realize there were so many people out there doing the same thing for the same reasons. How can healthy hair and saving money be a fad?
    Not only do I spend less money, but the maintenance is easier and I spend much less time on it. I condition, do my twirls, and off I go! *8)
    Really?… It’s a fad?
    Reply
  34. Chandra D. says:
    May 3, 2011 at 4:26 pm
    I just starting my my transitional process and I wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with using Doo Gro products on natural hair.
    Reply
  35. KiaSmiles says:
    May 26, 2011 at 7:24 pm
    It shouldnt be an fad but i feel like it is. But going natural is not for everyone. and most females do not have the support system or self esteem to not want to look like ‘them’. You just have to have patience and change your whole way of thinking HOW your hair should look. I love my natural hair my mom REFUSED to put chemicals in my hair when I was younger and i appreciate that. I wanted to be like everyone else but im happy she wouldnt let me. But once again everyone is trying to fit it so sad.
    Reply
  36. Stephanie says:
    June 7, 2011 at 5:33 am
    I do not believe natural hair is for everyone. Natural hair needs to be nurtured and taken care of properly. My hair was a lot easier to manage when it was relaxed. There were times in my life when natural hair would have been too much for me to deal with. I tell friends who are considering it that its great to be natural but you need to be ready for the commitment to nurturing healthy hair. And as far as all this “that is how God made us” stuff, God made us naked and ashy! So if you add anything to your beauty & hygiene regimen, from lip gloss to deodorant that doesn’t come straight from the earth, I guess you aren’t being true to yourself either. We change things that God made everyday. God made trees and we turn them into millions of things! So why is it so wrong to alter ourselves for the sake of beauty or practicality??? Our goal should be healthy hair, regardless of how it is maintained. We are all beautiful black women and whether our hair is straight, curly, weaved, locced, or braided we should be uplifting each other instead of criticizing…
    Reply
  37. Pam Fitzgerald says:
    June 8, 2011 at 11:51 pm
    I think if sister’s would just embrace who they really are, which is beautiful woman in all different shades and textures of hair, stop saying girl you got that good hair (BEEN NATURAL FOR TWO YEAR) Honestly you save alot of money and time and praise God for the freedom. But it all starts with really loving who you are and not caring what others say. Confidence in self in the whole thing..I’m just saying…I love all of the above comments.I live in Las Vegas and it is so hot in the summer and dry…And I maintain in this desert heat with my hair feeling so soft and healty looking…LOVE LOVE LOVE MY NATURAL CURLY HAIR.
    Reply
  38. GeecheeJ says:
    June 17, 2011 at 10:32 am
    NATURAL hair can not be a fad because it is NATURAL….
    Reply
  39. KayElle says:
    June 29, 2011 at 5:53 pm
    I actually had this as a topic on one of my blogs. Although, I am not natural I did consider it on at least two occasions. Honestly, I could not find a solid enough reason to make the transition. Like so many others, I felt that my decision to “go natural” would have been just something to do without any meaning. People do it all the time. Especially women…as for the types of clothes and accessories we wear, the music genres that we support, and the hairstyles that we wear. It’s a reality that many go natural because they see others who are natural and like the look and the texture. I think that people should embrace their own beauty, whether they are natural or choose to wear relaxers. It’s all about finding your own realm. I started getting perms at about 10 years old and that’s all I’ve known for the past 16 years. I went about 5 months without a relaxer and it didn’t work too well. I didn’t like the curls. I preferred my hair straight…it is comfortable and manageable for me; thus, I won’t join in on the fad anytime soon…yes, the fad!
    Reply
  40. combchronicles says:
    July 15, 2011 at 3:04 am
    natural hair is the best! checkout my blog about it http://thecombchronicles.com
    Reply
  41. NaturalBunny says:
    July 18, 2011 at 1:25 pm
    I would not say that natural is not for everyone because thats just not something that ever crossed my mind. Its not about embracing who they are because apparently they are already doing it and they dont need to stop getting perms to see who they are. YOUR HAIR DOES NOT REFLECT YOUR MORAL CHARACTER. Having natural hair does not mean your not a killer, or a theif, or a malicious person. Hair is hair.
    However, i just feel that i went natural to try something different and set myself apart from others and no EVERYONE is going natural just for the hell of it or just because they see someone with curly hair and they think their hair will be the same. Its a personal feeling of mine that I do not want to look like everyone else or be sitting in a room full of women rocking a twa looking like the stepford wives or something. Other than that……i dont care about natural vs. relaxed and embracing who you are.
    Reply
  42. Kenneth says:
    July 19, 2011 at 4:15 pm
    Fads usually involve a form of behavior that develops among a large group and is collectively followed with enthusiasm for some period, generally as a result of the behavior being perceived as novel in some way. I think the natural hair movement is novel, but this is a question that I hear often. I dont think natural hair is a fad. People often look for social proof and the social proof related to natural hair tells us that there is definitely a trend towards going natural, but the trend continues to pick up speed.
    Reply
  43. Felicia says:
    October 26, 2011 at 8:18 am
    Natural hair is definitely for everyone since it grows straight out of your head! Whats not natural is altering it with all these different products and chemicals that just arent right for any hair type. Natural hair may just be a fad but Ill be rocking natural hair for life.
    Reply
  44. CottonCrown50 says:
    November 16, 2011 at 4:45 pm
    Everyone can be natural but natural is not FOR everyone. Just as any other style is not for everyone. A straight hair style is not FOR me even though I can wear it. I just feel more me with my curls.
    Reply

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