How I Learned to Love My Natural Hair

GUILTY!

I have spent so much of my time frustrated with my natural hair because it didn't look like what was broadcasted on mainstream media.

I have always known that the way I choose to wear my hair speaks to the world about who I am.

From a very young age, I was rocking relaxers and in my teenage years, I was hooked on hair weaves.

I would have rather cut my own ear off than be seen out in public with unrelaxed hair.

If you would have asked me about what my natural hair routine was it would have been something like: wear a weave for 5weeks then take it out on an evening when a sibling could help, wash my hair with ANY shampoo I could find and then go back to a lady I knew to get a fresh weave done the morning after.

By the way, this lady I used to do my hair didn't have a clue about hair health. She was the reason I developed traction alopecia! I refuse to call her a hairdresser because she continuously inflicted damage on my hair. During my teens, being sat on a dining room chair in the middle of this lady's livingroom while she would sew track after track into my cornrows was a feeling of excitement to me. To have long straight hair was always the goal. I believed that a weave took me from unkept housemaid to hot housewife.

It wasn't until 2018 (two years ago) that I felt comfortable with my own natural hair and took the time to love and appreciate every curl on my head. I stopped going to the lady that used to sew in my hair weaves and after some much needed TLC, my edges grew back! (until I had a baby at least).

What does going natural look like to you?

For me, it took me 2 big chops, lots of self-educating on scalp conditions, countless YouTube videos and tons of positive self-talk in front of the mirror on wash days!

I learned to love myself more when I realised my hair doesn't define who I am. It is part of my identity, sure, but I am so much more than just my hair.

If I decided to shave it all off tomorrow I would still be Sherine.

It isn't until you fully accept who you are (with or without hair) that you can start the journey of self-love.

When you love yourself there is no external force that can make you feel any differently about who you are, or what hairstyle you choose to rock!

Best of luck on your hair journey, love Sherine x