There's no such thing as "Good Hair"

All hair types have pros and cons. But that's not what we've been sold.

There's no such thing as "good hair". All hair types are diversely beautiful and come with PROS and CONS. But that's not what we've been sold in society for thousands of years. The idea that straight hair is superior over textured hair is a false social construct created by European colonialism. The global Natural Hair Movement is re-writing this narrative.

We've been sold lies for most of our lives. Lies that claimed straight hair, wavy hair, big curls--basically any hair type was considered "good hair" that was not Afro textured. The further away from kinky / coily / super curly it was, the more privileged the individual. Those were colonial ideals. We live in a new era where the natural pro-curls movement has been going strong for over 20 years in North America. And for millennia in Africa.

This article will tear down entrenched constructs that have adversely affected millions of Black women over the years in their professional and personal lives. The repeated and reinforced messaging that African hair isn't considered "professional" or attractive permeated media, academia and social circles. Kinky / coily hair, and especially locs just wasn't good enough. So, the relaxers, the wigs, the weaves, and the braids to some degree were used to distance women of African descent from the perceived inferiority of Afro hair.

Consider the following examples. Every hair type requires styling tools and hair styling products to help it reach its optimal best. Straight hair grows down and falls flat towards gravity. So it requires styling elements to give it body and lift such as mousses and thickening creams. Straight hair clients want to get rid of excess oils because the oils that are released from their scalp face no resistance. Afro textured hair actually defies gravity and grows up and out. It has an abundance of volume and instead needs moisturizing products to help quench dryness due to the twisty coily texture. Afro haired clients want to get add oils and moisturizers to their hair because the oils that are released from their scalp is unable to navigate the twists and turns of super curly hair. Neither is superior. They just have different needs.

Discover the real truths about each hair type below,

4 Gorgeous Hair Types: Pros and Cons

Straight Hair

Type 1A, 1B, 1C

Cons

No volume, no body

Looks limp

Looks greasy if not washed daily

Can't hold styles

Pros

Easy to comb

Moisturized

Doesn't tangle

Can feel smooth as silk

Wavy Hair

Type 2A, 2B, 2C

Cons

Minimal frizz

2 different textures

Lacks Body

Lacks lustre

Pros

Built in Style

Easier to comb

Easier to moisturize

Curly Hair

Type 3A, 3B, 3C

Cons

Tangles

Dryness

Frizz

Needs a lot of product

Pros

Voluminous

Built-in style

Can hold hairstyles

Kinky/Coily Hair

Type 4A, 4B, 4C

Cons

Dryness

Tangles & knots

"Shrinkage"

Needs a lot of product

Pros

Defies gravity (voluminous)

Built-in style

Holds braids & twists styles, etc.

Naturally forms locs

Straight Hair Truths

Straight Hair Truths

• People with straight, Type 1 Hair discuss their hair woes in silo's. While at the same time society props up straight hair to be the "ultimate" hair type

• The issues that come with having straight hair aren't widely discussed in society.

• FACTS: Many women with straight hair often get hair extensions or clip-ins installed to make their hair look thicker and fuller to achieve more volume

• FACTS: People with straight hair often use curling rods or curling irons to add some wavy texture to their hair

• FACTS: Many people with straight hair actually use flat irons to smooth out their hair

• FACTS: straight, limp, greasy hair that mattes together after 2 or more days is not attractive if it's not washed.

• FACTS: Hair perming with chemicals to add curls to straight hair was very popular years ago, in the 80s and 90s

There's no such thing as "good hair."

Smashing Damaging False Narratives

• A lot of negative societal views on afro-textured, super curly, and kinky/coily hair are based in anti-Black racism, but Black is beautiful

• Many people believe the false narrative and persistent messaging in the beauty industry and society that straight hair is the best hair type, or superior

• Afro-Global or Black people have consistently been told, shown, and believe that the closer a hair type is to straighter texture, or loose curls, it's considered: "good hair"

• Afro-Global/Black people have consistently been fed the lie that Afro-textured, kinky/coily hair is perceived as "bad hair" or "nappy" hair

Textured Hair is Trending

• The global Natural Hair Movement is flipping the current narratives about textured hair not being beautiful

• Textured hair has been embraced and on a huge upward trend for the last 15 years, especially the last five to 10 years in Canada.

• Many females and males are choosing to learn to manage their natural textured hair

• Hair extensions, wigs, weaves, pony tails, and clip ins in super curly, Afro-texured, kinky, coily hair and various loc styles are in high demand

• Multiple new and existing brands are introducing or re-vamping their product lines to serve the textured hair market

• There are many global natural hair events celebrating curly, kinky and aftro-textured hair like the Taliah Waajid World Natural Hair Show that will celebrate it's 22nd year running in 2023.

• CURLFEST, The Natural Hair Congress, The Naturally Gorgeous Curls Event and so many other natural hair events were created to educate and help people love their natural hair.

At Naturally Gorgeosu Curls, we encourage and support everyone in the natural hair community to embrace and love their natural curls as a part of self-love.

"Managing your natural hair isn't just a movement. It's a lifestyle"

- Orinthia Babb