Fake It Till' You Make It

I found this picture online and I just thought it was so true. For anyone stressed about messing up here's some life advice from April Ludgate:

“I’m going to tell you a secret about everyone else’s job: No one knows what they’re doing. Deep down, everyone is just faking it until they figure it out."

Are We Slaves To Our Hair?

Last night I was watching Chris Rock’s documentary, “Good Hair.” For those of you who haven’t seen it, the movie centers around the derogatory term “good hair” amongst the black community and asks, what is considered good hair? Rock explores the topics of weaves and relaxers and the billion dollar industry behind these products. Naturally, (no pun intended) this got me thinking, are we slaves to our hair?

One of the actresses interviewed in the documentary, Tracie Thoms, goes so far as to say that “natural hair is freedom.” Could such a bold statement be true?

I’m sitting here watching this movie feeling so empowered to wear my natural hair and love myself the way I am when suddenly I get halfway through the movie and Chris Rock says, “If and when my daughters ever decide to buy hair.”

Immediately I thought IF? What does he mean if? After this whole documentary, wouldn’t he absolutely protest against his young daughters ever modifying their hair and forever being enslaved to a weave?

It took me a while to come to my senses and realize that people shouldn’t be judged for whether they want straight hair, curly hair, hair that comes from someone else, or whatever!

I myself don’t wear a weave but I do straighten my hair. In fact I don’t even want to be seen with my naturally, wavy, poofy hair. People are shocked when they find out my hair is naturally curly. Does that make me a slave toward my hair?

I soon realized that when it comes to beauty, women should have the freedom to look however they want in order for them to feel beautiful and they should have the ability to do so without judgment. Whether its hair, makeup, plastic surgery, etc. These beauty products should not be used to hide or change one’s beauty but enhance it.

Most girls would agree that beauty is defined by what truly what lies within a person but at the end of the day beauty products are there to enhance what you naturally have not cover it. Want to show off your gorgeous eyes, those false lashes will definitely draw attention. Feel like wearing your hair in sleek fashion? Go for it!

There isn’t one right way or wrong way to express yourself. So long as you are not hiding behind your hair and makeup, then do as you please. I feel as if the point of this movie was not to have every woman throw out their weaves and dump their relaxers but rather open our eyes to the fact that we shouldn’t use our hair to fit into a mold of what society deems as beautiful. We have the choice of how we want to look.  

So are we slaves to our hair? The truth is I don’t know but that’s not the bigger picture. What I’m trying to say is that if you want to go to extreme lengths to get your hair a certain way then do it, you certainly have the right, but just know that your hair doesn’t define you. Don’t let your hair control you. If you want if shiny and free flowing locks, 365 days a year that’s fine just as long as you know that if there comes a day that your straightening iron breaks and the salon is closed you can walk down the street knowing you look fabulous, natural hair and all. 

image courtesy of ( http://ko-te.com/en/beauty/do-you-think-about-keratin-hair-repair-try-firstly-good-hair-masks)