We don’t go ‘natural’, we return. ‘Natural’, is where is all began – unknown
Can we talk about natural hair for a quick minute?
First off, who came up with the term ‘natural’ in the first place really? And if hair can be natural, conversely hair can also assume an unnatural state as well, yes?

The conversation around natural hair, especially in these climes has seen quite a transition. Natural hair was not a buzz word 10 years ago; in fact, 10 years ago, it was an arduous task to walk into a supermarket, stroll down the beauty aisle and walk out with an armful of hair care products that catered to natural hair. The products that filled the shelves back then were variants of relaxers that promised thick, straight, and silky hair. The same thing was obtainable when it came to hair care services. Ten years ago, it was very difficult to find a salon that catered strictly to the needs of women who resisted the tide of perms and relaxers and wanted to maintain their natural coils and kinks.

It was common to find hairdressers charging ‘extra’ for handling clients who had natural hair and even with that extra charge, the knowledge of how to handle natural hair boiled down to a blow dryer, a comb and some high-level grease that consisted either of raw shea butter or something with equal consistency. More often than not, the result was heat-damaged hair and an overly tender scalp.
These days, the story is quite different.

A cursory look at the results from a keyword search on Instagram for natural haircare will reveal a rise in businesses that craft their unique selling point around handling and maintaining natural hair. There seems to be an explosion in natural hair care products, allegedly curated from scratch and using natural products with many venturing into child hair care and even hair care for men. Needless to say, the market for natural haircare in the last ten years has witnessed an upwardly mobile shift with beauty aisles now witnessing a decline in perm products.

According to 6Wresearch, a Market Intelligence Solutions provider, recent years indicate a surge in the demand for natural and organic hair care products, as consumers become more aware of the potential harmful effects of chemical-laden products. This trend has led to the emergence of many new local brands that cater to the growing demand for natural and organic products.
Underlining this trend, Toya Mitchell, a multicultural analyst at Mintel, a market intelligence agency states that “wearing relaxer-free, natural hair is the norm for most Black consumers, especially among young, trendy consumers who are adopting a variety of styles appropriate for work and play”. “Interest in chemical-free hair, a desire for healthy hair and new methods of achieving straight hairstyles are rendering relaxers unnecessary for many consumers.”

The present state of things in the natural hair segment indicates a departure from beauty standards that prevailed in the late 80’s leading to the early 2000’s. The African hair has always been sold as wild, untamable and unmanageable by media, work policies and cultural reactions to the natural hair in public spaces. These were the times that, embracing your hair in its natural form was more of a statement than a desire to keep a head full of healthy hair. Personally, in the journey of keeping my hair in its natural state, I was met with all sorts of reactions when I went to work or was in public space. The reactions ranged from comments like, “Why haven’t you made your hair yet?” to flat-out ignorant ones like, “Your hair is not looking neat”.

The link between the hair that grows out of your scalp and your identity is best expressed in this quote by Layla Ismael, who stated “Hair is such an integral part of who we are: it serves as an extension of our identities and how we present ourselves to the world. Being told that how you express yourself is wrong or having to fit that expression into limited standards of what is deemed appropriate can come with shame and can lead to internal conflicts such as depression or low self-esteem.”

Accepting your “natural” hair can be a herculean task in a society like Nigeria that is still driven by Eurocentric notions and ideals of beauty. Like all things that have to do with reclaiming identity, the act of refusing to be boxed and labelled because of your hair can be exhausting and gratifying at the same time. Interestingly, as the rise in acceptance of natural hair continues, the conversations around it are becoming more informed. Things like the varying types of hair textures (coils and kinks), hair porosity and hair shrinkage are becoming a feature of conversations around natural hair. It is ironic, to say the least, that in saying the term, ‘natural hair’, there is a shrugged acceptance that hair that has been untouched by chemicals and is styled without being straightened is actually the ideal. I mean, if it is natural, why not just accept it? Because ultimately, it is a reflection of who you are, your history and your present combined.