Hair Myths That Will Help You Reclaim Your Confidence

Angela Stewart is a professional makeup artist and Afro hair coach/educator for the UK TV and Film Industry. Angela became a professional makeup artist in 2000. While she is blessed to be employed in a career, which brings her pleasure, her passion is in teaching individuals and fellow colleagues about the correct handling of Afro Textured hair with a focus on the connection to the human being attached. Angela wishes to encourage self-awareness and build self-esteem and confidence through reconnecting African Diaspora to their hair heritage.

Here are her seven hair myths that will help you reclaim your confidence on your natural hair journey.
Caring For Natural Hair Is Expensive
Storebought products are not needed to care for your hair. By switching to natural products such as Hard Butters and Oils (e.g. Shea/Coconut/Olive/Palm), you only buy once as these items available in your local supermarket under the Foods section. If it’s good enough to eat it’s good enough to put on your scalp.

Visible Length Is Important
The stigma attached to the short appearance of natural hair is a negative image that most of us shy away from. We are obsessed with the ‘hair length check’ to prove that we have long hair and can compare to our European counterparts. The result is deliberate damage to our hair and skin using products and chemicals that block the natural function of our bodies.

Pain Is Inevitable For Natural Curls
‘Tender-headedness’ is not a real thing. Either the curls are being pulled or they are not. It is not normal to expect and absorb pain. It’s a harsh realisation but the reality is obvious, yet we tell ourselves that it’s not true.

Don’t Get Your Hair Wet
The very thing that stops the pain is the thing that we avoid using. Pure water (Coconut or some other naturally occurring plant/fruit water) – is what allows our hair to ‘soften’. When it’s curlier it is healthy, strong and pliable. It is the best time to style it. To maintain softness while styling I advise my clients to apply their oils and butters at this stage. There is no pain. Experience a gentle touch, a relaxing moment, a head massage.

Combs, Brushes Are Necessary
We have been taught to control our hair; while I agree that these are useful tools I disagree that they are necessary. If you combine parts 1 and 4 and use your fingers to gently massage sections of the hair by stretching out the curls, the struggle is eliminated. (No detangling brush needed!)

Time Consuming
We are all busy and have deadlines and time limits. But the truth is you save on time when using the methods mentioned above. Remember how long it took you to walk as a baby?
The only difference between babies and us is our limiting beliefs. Babies have not learned to judge but we adults judge everything! Practice is the only way to achieve speed so please be patient with yourself and be mindful of your feelings. You deserve to be nurtured no matter what your age.

Natural Means Un-styled, Ugly
After centuries of trying to fit in and hearing envious and unwanted comments about our natural hair’s ability is it any wonder that we have such negative views about our hair?
Many with the tightest curls still believe their hair has no curl pattern. The truth is it’s their own hair methods that keep it dry plus the use of certain products that inhibit its natural form.

We can wear however we wish! ‘Wash and go’, Plaits, twists, adding hair extensions (e.g. Box Braids, Crochet); even temporarily changing its texture to straight, wavy, curly… there are so many different and creative things we can do to our natural hair!

The only thing we have lost is the ability to connect with and learn from our community the techniques and methods that is our birthright.