Welcome to the soul of natural hair. The positive expression of black aesthetics by Lady Kinnks. Visitors may surf our site and blog to celebrate natural hair.
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The decision to go natural was one decided long before it actually happened. As a kid, every six weeks I endured the painful ritual of relaxing my short brittle hair; all the perm in the world could not tame my mane. As soon as the slightest bit of new growth emerged from my scalp, my smooth wrap would turn into a fly away half-fro. I always preferred the cornrows my godmother seemed to sew into my hair. They too were painful but the result was always gorgeous. Sometimes long, sometimes a unique pattern; my extensions and cornrows defined me.
I lived in braids between the ages of 14-17. It was the only compromise my mother would accept although she still felt the need to relax my hair periodically. During my junior year of high school I traveled to Germany as an exchange student for the entire year. This meant no salon, no extensions, no perm, nothing. Well not exactly nothing. More like my hands in my own hair.
I realized how much of my self-image was wrapped up in long hair and extensions. I spend the better part of the year learning to love my kinky roots in it’s original state. I was really trying to cope with my ‘fro but it just didn’t look right to me. My best friend, Jocelyn, came to visit and brought a perm kit in her luggage. As we applied the product to my virgin hair I felt like a backslider dipping back into the “creamy crack”. I was happy with it for a while but of course my longing for braids returned. A distant relative of my host family was a young black girl who could do the long braids I adored. I was beyond ecstatic! It was like a new beginning for me. It was also the last time I applied relaxer to my hair.
I returned home and by the following year I had grown bold enough to wear my natural hair again. After the last relaxer I realized my love for myself as an African American woman and for the skin and hair I’m in. I’m proud to say that it has been 13 years without a relaxer and I have never been more grateful. My love of natural hair has led to a ten year career as a stylist and educator. I work with young girls teaching fashion design. My natural hair sends a strong message to all my girls about being true to yourself and love everything-head to toe.
Love and Light
Selah, creative director of Maryland’s Selah&Co. Holistic Concept Boutique Salon
Phone: 410.818.3115 or E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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