Is Natural Hair the End of Black Beauty Culture?
In a blog for Huffington Post, author Cassandra Jackson accomplished something that I never thought possible:
She made me feel nostalgic about straightening my hair.
Not because I necessarily liked having my older sister get a new-fangled contraption called a curling brush tangled in my hair when I was 10-years-old; not even that I have fond memories of pressing combs, flat irons and first day relaxers when my hair was too flat to be much good to anyone.
I became nostalgic as she recalled elements of “beauty shop” culture that may become extinct as natural hair proves to be more than a trend.
While many, including me, celebrate the natural hair movement’s emphasis on self-discovery, I cannot help but wonder if something has also been lost with this cultural shift. For all the horrible things about hair straightening, the experiences associated with it have created a powerful thread that connects the vast majority of black women. Even if you have kinky hair now, you probably have memories of time spent with family and friends in kitchens getting your hair done by someone who loved you and who you trusted enough to wield a sizzling hot straightening comb next to your ear. You probably remember that first trip to the beauty shop where black women talked about grown folks’ business, and nearly every sentence began with the endearment, “girl.” It does not matter if your mother was a teacher or housekeeper, or if you were in New York or Alabama because these experiences crossed class and region. Hair straightening was a rite of passage, an entry into the world of black women.
My experience with salons and natural hair is vastly different from the beauty shop culture. I go to the salon no more than twice a year. Recently, I crossed one of the most powerful color lines in America: I let a white girl do my hair. She gave me a good cut, and I was back on the street in 20 minutes. In comparison, my mother whose hair is chemically straightened goes to the beauty shop every two weeks for a couple of hours. She comes home smelling of oil sheen spray and full of news. She knows everything, from the platform of candidates for the school board, to the proposed sight for the new grocery store, to who was admitted to the hospital last night. She is not just informed; she is engaged, full of laughter, concern, and outrage.
I honestly can not remember the last time I’ve seen the inside of a hair salon. It’s been even longer since I had one to call home, with a favorite chair, favorite dryer and everybody knows your name. And I just realized that I miss that.
Does it mean I’m going to start straightening my hair again to get that good thing back? Absolutely not. But it made me think ladies, outside of the “beauty shop,” where else could sistas meet weekly just to check in, pamper ourselves and refresh for the struggles of the world around us?
I’ve never been a big fan of going to the salon, but I agree with Denene in that those naturalistas who want the salon experience could have it if more shops would learn to do natural hair.
I don’t think natural hair is the end of black beauty culture. It has simply evolved. All around me I see women building community online and IRL around natural hair. At least once a week I have a conversation with a complete stranger about hair, a conversation sparked by the question “How long have you been natural?” or “What products do you use on your hair?” Furthermore, most of the new friends I made when I moved back to my hometown I met through local natural hair meetups. Black beauty culture is still alive and well.
I miss the salon and yes my first salon experience was great… until she did just what my mom asked her not to do. Long line of hits and misses after that. The one or two fantastic stylists I was loyal to and had thriving hair with I “lost” in moves. What I keep thinking is that salons need to cater to a growing clientele it is after all a service industry. So perhaps we won’t smell the “sweet nostalgic” smell of chemicals and frying hair but those that provide (and market) the services needed by naturals will not only have plenty of business but also provide a new nostalgia for the next generation. Things do change.
When the perm finally grows out of my hair, I’m going back to my dreads. Can’t wait!
The solution is not for natural women to go back but for the stylists to learn to do natural hair. I do not miss the experience of my hair sticking to my head, it staying the same length/shorter, and being told or hearing the stylist recommend a relaxer for every hairstyle. That’s why I ran away from my stylists of 7 years without given a notice because she never listened to me about not wanting relaxers so I decided to leave.
Wow. This is SOOO ridiculous! So I guess all the natural hair meetups, salons, product swaps and fashion shows popping up all over the country mean nothing then?
Black beauty culture is not ENDING. It’s EVOLVING. And we all know how much older black folks hate when culture changes *side eye*
Plus, natural hair is NOT the downfall of black salon culture — Dominican, Lebanese and Egyptian salons are! I know that before I went natural I switched from a black salon to a Lebanese salon because a.) I didn’t have to wait a million years to get my hair done b.) the Lebanese hairdresser got my hair much straighter and sleeker using much less heat and c.) my time and money were generally treated with more respect.
“I know that before I went natural I switched from a black salon to a Lebanese salon because a.) I didn’t have to wait a million years to get my hair done b.) the Lebanese hairdresser got my hair much straighter and sleeker using much less heat and c.) my time and money were generally treated with more respect”
Before I moved to NYC, I lived in Chicago and I had ONE black stylist who respected her customers and their time/money. She never overbooked, she took care of our hair and we were out in an hour MAYBE two if we went on Saturday. After her, I switched to the Egyptians because they were quick, they straightened my hair when I was transitioning and the prices were reasonable!