Black is the Colour of my True Love

World Afro Day

World Afro Day is a global day of change, education and celebration of Afro hair.  

Shh! Listen to my hair

She is making a statement!

Over time, black women learned how to express themselves through their hairstyles. It became more of a movement, inspiring every other black woman to embrace her natural hair and beauty.

As a Black woman in a family of Black women, with a gaggle of Black women friends, the afro hair isn’t just about having hair on our heads, it’s about our crown, it’s about our heritage, it’s about our roots. We are serious about our hair. Our hair can affect our moods, our hair has its own vocabulary, it bonds us together in times of success and struggles.

To celebrate world afro hair day, we garnered 6 women to share their afro hair journey.

SUSAN UKO

How would you describe your hair?

My hair is very black, with large volume, chin-length with loosed curls. It is also natural.

What do you love about your hair?

I love that I can style my hair any way I want. I love that it is very large in volume and has a good length. I also love that it is my identity as a black woman and when I get out there, my hair speaks where my mouth can’t.

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

I have not encountered any challenges since I went natural. All it requires is patience and consistently taking care of it. Dedication is something I’ve learned over the years.

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

So I make my shampoo and use the mega growth leave-in and deep conditioners. My oils are also essential, I mostly use coconut, olive, or castor oil. I also like to experiment with new things. I like the onion juice, I make the egg mixture with honey, oil, eggs, butter, or mayonnaise. Shea butter is another essential for my hair.

Haircare products aren’t the only thing you can use to take care of your hair. I make lots of protective hairstyles to help protect my edges and help strengthen my roots. I still do threading even though most people think it is childish. But, I love it. I love how it stretches my hair and makes it easier to comb.

What is your hair color?

Black

NONSO

How would you describe your hair?

I have a Full thick and coarse hair

What do you love about your hair?

I love the thickness and fullness of my hair

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

Difficulty in combing. Sometimes, I get scalp pains from too much manipulation.

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

Oh, I use quite a number of products. Ahgoziemnaturals Ayurvedic hair and scalp oil, dark and lovely corrective leave-in conditioner, Vo5 anti-frizz smoothing conditioner, Black soap, Cantu shea butter color-protecting moisture mask.

What is your hair color?

Black

GRACEY

How would you describe your hair?

Have got a full and really thick hair

What do you love about your hair?

The same thickness that gives me wahala ?

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

Naturally, I have thick and full hair, I find it hard to comb it myself sometimes.  I have to make sure it’s wet and use a detangle brush on it first, before combing it with a wide-tooth comb and braid it before going to bed so it gets easier to comb and retains moisture.

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

I use shea butter. So, I mix melted Shea butter, coconut milk, and a good conditioner together to achieve softness. I have to refrigerate it and use it for 2 weeks so it doesn’t go bad. That’s literally all I use ?, plus I wash it every weekend and trim it every month.

What is your hair color?

Black 

ESTHER

How would you describe your hair?

It is thick, full, coarse and adorable.

What do you love about your hair?

I love the texture, the length. I love that my hair doesn’t break, it shows how durable it is. I also love my edges… it remains intact!

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

I haven’t encountered any challenges since I started.

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

Shea butter I guess. But I do most of the routine at the salon with the help of hairstylists.

What is your hair color?

Black

CHRISTY

How would you describe your hair?

My hair is very thick and coarse. 

What do you love about your hair?

I love how thick and versatile it is.

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

I have encountered quite a lot of challenges since I went natural. I got my big chop in March 2019 and since then it’s been a whole lot of work, sacrifice, and lots of endurance and patience. I also put in a lot of cash, getting natural hair products no be beans! It’s quite expensive compared to just getting a hair relaxer and texturizer.

But it was worth it, I enjoyed every bit of it. 

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

3 months after my big chop, I wasn’t applying anything to it. I was just doing the regular washing with a random shampoo I picked up at a nearby store. I wasn’t paying attention to the hair when it has to do with the washing aspect, I was more focused on the after wash treatment which isn’t right cause every process in your hair care treatment is very important.

I started using Jamaican Oil after the 4th month and some random shampoo and conditioner until the hair started looking unhealthy.

When I noticed the hair wasn’t exactly giving me what I wanted, I had to do steaming and trimming. Then I started applying MIRACLE PRODUCTS, I got their shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and their hair cream.

I went on to incorporate the Avocado hair treatment into my routine. I achieve this by mashing the avocado into a paste-like texture, I add few drops of castor oil, then apply it to my hair for fifteen minutes. This process is done before washing my hair – it helps to retain moisture.

I also apply the aloe vera gel to my hair it works like a miracle. 

Find out about the benefits of aloe vera to the hair here (Aloe vera as the holy grail of skincare)

What is your hair color?

Black

YOZA

How would you describe your hair?

I think of my hair as a wild forest. It is as dark as the night, dry as the desert, and thick as the bush.

What do you love about your hair?

Oh my!  I love everything about my hair. My hair has stood the test of time – when I had the big chop, when I got confused and just did random stuff with it. It has been through lots of stages. It metamorphoses, and it keeps doing so. So, I love how my hair keeps looking good during these stages.

I also love how versatile my fro is, I love how I could do any style and totally slay it (I think that’s a superpower). I see my hair as a being that exists besides me – my true love.

What are the challenges you’ve encountered since you went natural?

My hair is so thick, combing it is like piercing skin with a knife. It gets really painful, I shed tears. Till I found a way around it. I also don’t like how it shrinks, every hair naturalist can relate to this.

What are the hair products and routine you have used to help you manage your hair?

My hair lacks moisture. Because of this, I had to incorporate lots of routines like adding water and oil to my hair before combing. I also have to detangle with my fingers, making sure that the water and oil are completely settled in the roots and the tip before I proceed with combing with a wide-toothed comb. 

I am a big DIY (Do-It-Yourself) fan. So, I make most of my hair products myself. I learned how to make shampoo and organic oil (coconut, carrot, avocado). I went on to add hair mask-ing to my hair routine. 

Shea butter is also part of the products I apply. Protective hairstyles help to save the edges. So, if I am not wearing my hair in cornrows, you’d probably see me in faux locs or braids that were carefully made to protect my edges. 

Eating foods that are rich in protein also helped with my hair growth.

What is your hair color?

Black. Black is the color of my true love. 

Dear black girl, wear your fro proudly and unapologetically.