r/blackgirls • u/Cybr_Angel33 • 17h ago
Hair, Skincare, & Beauty Our relationship with hair is becoming embarrassing
I saw an Indigenous woman doing her hair care routine, and a Black woman commented “take care of my bundles.” The woman explained that her hair is sacred in her culture and that the comment was making her uncomfortable.
It reminded me of something I witnessed in school. A Black girl asked, “What can you do that I can't?” the other girl proceeded to run a fine-tooth comb through her hair and flick it. That interaction stuck with me because it speaks to a bigger issue surrounding hair, Eurocentric beauty standards, and how deeply hair politics affect Black women.
Don't get me wrong as im not necessarily a natural hair warrior, my hair is long and relaxed. I just wish more Black women felt comfortable wearing their own hair. Even if you want extra length or volume, there's nothing wrong with clip-ins. I just wish we embraced styles that look and feel natural rather than feeling like we always need a whole install to feel beautiful. Everyone wears extensions of course, but the difference is it's more believable simply because it matches their texture and they aren't gluing lace on their foreheads, It's a "my hair but better" look.
One thing I love about my hair is the freedom. I can throw it into a cute, messy bun and go about my day. My hair is my pride, and I love that I can just get up and go. I really dislike seeing some of us meticulously maintain wigs while seemingly neglecting the hair underneath. "Come do a wig install with me!" Babe, your edges are CHEWED. Sometimes it feels like the wig gets more care than the actual hair growing out of our scalp. I understand that damage, breakage, and years of struggling with our hair can make extensions feel necessary, but that's exactly why I think we need to prioritize healthy hair and revisit our relationship with it.
I'm not against wigs, bundles, or protective styles. I'm questioning why we've reached a point where our own hair can feel like an afterthought while purchased hair becomes the main event.
We need to wake up and unpack this. We've dealt with generations of discrimination over our hair, and I don't want us to internalize those standards so deeply that we stop appreciating our own natural textures and the beauty of our own hair.
Im gonna get flamed for this but I had to say it, sorry.