The Ten Natural Hair Commandments

by Laquita Thomas-Banks (Taken from Clutch Magazine)

For those of us who have made, are in the process of making, or contemplating the great Exodus from chemical hair straighteners…

I – Thou shalt be thankful for the hair that adorns thy head. Your hair is your ‘crown of glory’ treat it as such.

II – Thou shalt not idolize the hair that adorns another’s head. The hair on your head is unique, it’s what makes you you.

III – Thou shalt not take the hair that adorns thy head in vain. Be aware of the damage that chemicals and heat can cause, some of the damage is irreversible.

IV – Remember to take the necessary time to pamper thy hair. Create a routine, set aside specific days for sealing your ends, massaging, trimming, washing, conditioning and styling your hair. A healthy head of hair will be your reward.

V – Honor thy mother, father and ancestors for the beautiful traits that they have bestowed upon thee, one of which is your natural crown of glory. Wear your natural hair with pride.

VI – Thou shalt not attempt to use a fine-tooth comb to detangle thy hair. Even before using a wide-tooth comb, use your fingers to detangle, and when detangling always start from the ends and work your way up towards your scalp.

VII – Thou shalt not be ashamed to wear your natural hair in public. Wigs, weaves, braid extensions etc. are all wonderful temporary ‘protective’ and ‘transition’ styles, but they don’t compare to the beauty of your natural hair.

VIII – Thou shalt not kill the hair follicles on thy head – with high heat, harsh chemicals or tight styles. Stay away from pore clogging, dry scalp causing petroleum based products; use natural essential oil based ones instead. Be gentle with your hair, seek out professional stylists who have experience in styling your hair type.

IX – Thou shalt not bad mouth thy neighbor’s hair. Be respectful and encouraging to those who have not yet chosen to wear their hair natural. Negative comments will only turn them away from the natural hair community.

X – Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s hair; thou shalt not covet it’s texture, nor it’s curl pattern, nor it’s length etc. Appreciate the hair that you were blessed with. Try different styles and accessories that accentuate your very own personality and style.

My issues are IV & X. Like I've always stated, I'm not a "hair girl" and have never really had to do much to my hair. I'm slowly growing out of this and starting to do more for my own hair as I learn more about it. And yes, I'm guilty of coveting other naturals! I've seen soooo many gorgeous pictures out there, and I'm constantly saying "I hope my hair does that" or "I wish my hair looked like that." I'm gonna try to do better, I am!

And if you've read this blog for any amount of time you know why IX is in red. no explanation needed for that one; it is what it is!