African Pride Hair
Self Care is More Than Just Hair Care
“When your hair shines, you shine.” While this statement is very true, the reality is that sometimes YOU just need some extra care. As Black women we often get burnt out taking on the needs and stresses of not just ourselves, but our friends, family, co-workers and significant other, often all at the same time. In the process, we end up neglecting our hair goals, heath goals, personal goals and ultimately, ourselves. But not all hope is lost. The best way to get back on track is by practicing self-care. What does practicing self-care look like? Well, depending on what you want to achieve or improve, it can look like several different things. However, it almost always looks like unplugging from the world around you and spending time in solitude. Some of us want to be more spontaneous, to overcome a fear or to tap into our creativity. While these personal goals aren’t things that can happen overnight, they can all be achieved by practicing methods of self-care. Meditation If you’ve recently taken on a lot stress, suffer from anxiety, or have been having trouble staying focused, meditation is a great place to start with self-care. Most people who have tried meditation for the first time describe it as something that is very difficult to do, but it doesn’t have to be that way for you. If you’ve never tried meditation before the first thing to keep in mind is to have no expectations; going in with a clear mind can help you find your center and relax. Also, try the mobile app “Headspace” which helps guide you through meditating even if you’re at the beginner level. Meditating for at least 5-10 minutes a day will help you regain focus and be intentional about your goals. Journaling Have you ever had so much on your mind that you couldn’t find the words to communicate them? We’ve all been there. But instead of allowing those thoughts to fluster and overwhelm you, why not just write them down? Journaling is calming, stress- and anxiety-relieving and inspiring. And the best part about this self-care practice is that it requires no training, guidance or direction. Write down your worries, your dreams, your hang ups, your ideal relationship, career or house. Share what you wrote with your best friend or significant other, or keep it private. It’s completely up to you. Clear your mind and give your aspirations more power by journaling weekly. Try Something New No, meditation and journaling don’t count, nice try Seriously, how often do we really take the time to try something we’ve never tried before? That weird dish that kind of sounds good you’ve been eyeing at your favorite restaurant, that metallic gold nail color instead of your normal go-to when you go in for a color change, or that painting class your friend has been begging you to go to for months, the list goes on! Trying something new can help you overcome fears, boost your confidence, and even help you discover things about yourself you never knew. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get into skydiving!? No? Ok, we tried. Taking care of yourself means spoiling yourself from time to time. Say no to eating Chipotle for the 3rd time this week and yes to sushi, turn off Gossip Girl if you’ve been binge watching and turn on sounds of the ocean to meditate to, tell your friend you’ll call her back to hear about Soulja Boy’s latest rant later and open your journal up instead. Treat yourself to some TLC, you deserve it. DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
How to Straighten Natural Hair Without Heat Damage
We all know at least one naturalista who was whipping her silk press one week, only to be frantically Googling through tears the next, how to make natural hair revert. Or perhaps you’ve been that girl. If you’ve made it this far on your natural hair journey and haven’t experienced heat damage, consider yourself lucky and pay close attention. You love the versatility of your natural hair. In all of its glory, it defies convention, not to mention gravity. But every now and then, you want it straightened; maybe for a length check or trim, a change of pace, special occasion or just because. Whatever the reason, all you know is that you want it to lay down and stay down…but not permanently. So let’s talk about what you can do so that never even becomes an issue. Alexa play Be Careful. Many naturals opt for a silk press to get the desired results. That typically involves a shampoo, condition, blow dry, flat iron, trim, wrap, plastic cap and hooded dryer, a.k.a. excessive manipulation and heat. What you do before you ever pick up your blow dryer, is key to making sure you and your hair walk away from a silk press unscathed. Because all it takes is one time. So please make sure you don’t skip these steps. Moisturize and Prep Deep conditioning is a must. Applying heat, on top of already dry hair, is a recipe for disaster. Lack of moisture and therefore elasticity is what largely contributes to heat damage. So while prepping your hair for your silk press on the day of is important, overall haircare up until that point matters. And since we’ve seen things go left, far too many times for far too many girls, we formulated an ENTIRE line (hyperlink to BCM collection) to help a sister out. Our Black Castor Miracle Deep Conditioning Treatment, is just what you need in a case like this. Infused with coconut milk and shea butter, it’ll hydrate and restore much-needed moisture to your hair even if it’s already on the extremely dry or damaged side. If you have extra time, or don’t mind adding a day to the process, there are simple ways you can stretch your hair ahead of time without heat and virtually eliminate the need for a blow dryer. Divide your freshly washed, conditioned and detangled hair into 4-8 sections and secure the roots with elastic bands. But don’t stop there. Continue banding the entire length of your hair, down to the tip and let it air dry thoroughly overnight. When you remove the bands the following day, your hair will be stretched and ready to style. Style and Protect Next up, you need the right heat protectant. Our Black Castor Miracle Anti Humidity Heat Protectant Spray (hyperlink) enables hair to withstand heat up to 400 F, which is well over the temperature you should ever need to get amazing results. It is lightweight, blocks humidity, seals in shine and helps keep your hair straight for up to two weeks. That’s everything you need to get, and keep, the silk in silk press. After all, you didn’t put in all of that hard work, to have it revert on you before you’re ready. Lastly, you should only need one pass with the flat iron, used in conjunction with a rattail comb or detangling brush, known as the chase method. If you need to go over an area more than once, that means you didn’t prep your hair properly. Applying too much heat to the same area, again is asking for trouble. Remember, take your time, prep thoroughly and protect what’s yours. The goal is to look smoking hot now and not wind up a heat-damaged hot mess later. Happy tears only ladies! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
Frizzy Hair: Why This Happens and How to Prevent It
Frizz – Often the culprit behind a bad hair day, the bane of every natural girl’s existence. You’ve done right by your hair for months with no heat or harsh chemicals or wearing it in a protective style. But this weekend you’re feeling like you want to switch it up. So Sunday night you grab your wash day products, blow dryer, heat protectant spray and flat iron to blow out and silk press your hair for the week. It’s Monday morning, you comb your wrapped hair down, lay your edges and head out the door for work. As soon as you get in your car you get a glance at your hair in your rearview mirror. It has done a complete reversion in a matter of minutes. What was once laid and slayed hair is now a frizzy nightmare. Your roots have swelled, your ends have shriveled up and so has your confidence and patience. And you can’t help but yell out in disbelief, “Whyyyyyyyy?!” Frizzy hair is often blamed on humidity or moisture in the air which impacts Black women more than anyone else due to our curly, coarse and textured hair. While it’s accurate that frizz happens when moisture passes through your hair strands causing it to swell, the moisture penetrates your hair due to the cuticle being raised. “What is a raised hair cuticle and what does it look like?” We’re glad you asked: The image to the left or the “damaged hair” is what your hair looks like when the hair cuticle is raised. This happens when your hair has heat damage, chemical treatment damage or has experienced dryness and breakage. When your hair cuticle is raised or open this allows things to easily pass through, like water, which causes what? Frizz. Did you just have that aha moment? Yeah, we know. So now that you understand why frizz happens, let’s get to the most important part, how you can prevent it. Your natural hair becomes frizzy due to your hair being dry and/or damaged, but to help you prevent this disastrous mess from ruining your good hair day, try one or all four ways to prevent frizziness and maintain healthy, moisturized hair: Drink More Water It’s essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle overall. From your hair to your skin, to your breathing and more. 11.5 cups of water daily is what’s recommended for women, so no more sipping from one water bottle all day. Be honest, some of us do that. If you prefer more flavor try infusing your water with lemon, lime, mint or cucumber to encourage you to drink more. Stop Daily Use of Leave-in Conditioner We know it says “leave-in” but you’re not supposed to use it as a daily moisturizer. Leave-in conditioner is packed with protein, which is good for your hair since 90% of it is keratin, but if you use leave-in conditioner daily this can cause your hair to become dry and brittle and ultimately cause breakage. Switch out your leave-in for a curling cream instead; this will help re-moisturize your hair without drying it out or weakening it. Wash Your Hair With a Moisturizing Shampoo Moisture should always be the foundation of your hair care regimen no matter your hair type or texture, and that includes the first step, cleansing. Removing product build-up, excess oil and dirt from your hair is vital to maintaining its healthy, natural state, but we often choose shampoos that strip our hair too much. Shampoos with too many ingredients or chemicals can strip your hair of its essential oils and dry it out, leaving it prone for frizz. Choosing a shampoo with core moisturizing ingredients such as coconut oil and honey can help add moisture to your hair while cleansing. Sleep in Satin No, we’re not talking about your pajamas. If you’re laying your head down every night without wrapping it in a satin scarf or sleeping on a satin pillowcase, you’re stripping your hair of moisture. It is important to protect your hair and keep moisture locked in around the clock, even when you’re sleeping. Stop letting the forecast block your shine, frizz can be defeated. Incorporate these tips into your daily routine to help return moisture to your hair, repair any damage and maintain its overall health. DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
Wash Day Tips That Will Help You Restore Your Hair and Reclaim Your Time
I’m sure you’ve seen all of the memes circulating online about wash day for natural hair. Well, you can put your mayonnaise, salad dressing and 50 million products back in the fridge. There’s also no need to sigh or dread the process. We know you’ve got places to go and people to see, so we have a few tips to make sure your wash day doesn’t take FRO-ever. The keys to any successful wash day are moisture, manageability and manipulation. Say it with us…MMM!!! Sounds satisfying, doesn’t it? Yep. But nothing from your fridge required. Moisture We’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t stress the importance of using the right hair products for your hair type. Natural hair, particularly type 4 hair, needs moisture, every step of the way. And have we got The product line for you; cleansing, conditioning and styling products, chockfull of moisture and made with premium natural ingredients. Now, this isn’t a shameless plug. The truth is the truth. And our pre-shampoo, by itself is THE TRUTH. It’ll knock a good 30 minutes, or more, off your wash day. See, detangling can be a naturalista’s nightmare. Your hair is already in its most fragile state when it’s wet. Then, it will likely try to test your patience and try to knot up on you. Well, not today. We combined the natural healing benefits of aloe vera and coconut water into an ultra-conditioning formula. It’ll help your coils, curls and kinks retain moisture, making them stronger and detangled in the process. So be sure to get your hands on some pre-poo, before you ever touch your hair. Speaking of cleansing, a hot shower might feel great on your body, but it’s a no-no for natural hair, drying it out and making it feel parched; which you definitely don’t want after all of that pre-poo goodness you just put into it. The same goes for conditioning. First of all, you definitely don’t want to skip, or skimp on, this step. You can decide on the level of conditioning your hair needs, based on how it feels or how you intend to style it. Whether you choose an instant conditioner, hot oil treatment, or deep conditioner, you will need to lock that moisture in. So, always rinse out conditioner with cool to cold water, to seal the cuticle and boost shine. If you don’t have a removable shower head, it’s going to be FR-REEZING. But we like to think that’s better than being FR-RRRUSTRATED. So just go ahead and take one for the team; team natural that is. Manageability There are certain natural hair types that are just more prone to tangling. The pre-poo and other moisturizing products in your regimen should also help drastically with manageability. So will doing your hair in sections. Be sure to divide your hair into at least 6 sections, twist or braid them up and work with each one individually. Manipulation Low manipulation essentially means keeping the handling, styling and maintenance of your hair to a minimum. While most people tend to think of protective styles like braids, wigs and weaves, when it comes to low manipulation, most of those options won’t work, if your goal is to shave some time off your wash day routine. Ideally, you want to select a style that’s easy to install AND that you can maintain, for at least a couple of days, without having to touch your hair. That makes a twist out our number one choice. But what we also suggest you do, is delay the out part of your twist out, for a few days. As long as you’re going to keep your twists in for a while, you have the option to air dry them, as opposed to spending time sitting under the dryer. More time reclaimed. There are also lots of styles, including buns and updos that you can achieve without having to unravel them. Then, in a few days, you can take down your twists, if you want, and wear your hair out in all of its natural glory, remoisturizing as needed. Wash day will of course be here again before you know it. But the great news is that it should no longer take you an entire day. If it still does, after using these tips, you might have to reevaluate if you’re Team Doing Too Much. Happy Wash Day! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.co
Learn more
How to Care for and Style Transitioning Hair
We get it. The big chop ain’t for everybody. Maybe you don’t think you have right head shape to rock a TWA, aka teeny weeny afro. Or perhaps you’re not quite ready to let go of the buns and updos, you can do with longer hair. Whatever your reason, there’s absolutely no shame in an extended series of little chops, also known as transitioning. It’s your natural journey and you get to determine what steps you take. If you’ve stopped chemically straightening your hair, our goal is just to help you make the transition smoother. How to Care for Transitioning Hair Frustration will be inevitable. You have to learn your new hair type, as well as what will and won’t work for it; while maintaining the existing hair type. Let’s just say, it can be easy to start some bad habits. So, first things first, resist the urge to replace your relaxer with excessive direct heat from a blow dryer or flat iron. You could end up with heat-damaged natural hair; literally a hot mess before you’ve even really gotten started. If you must use heat, be sure to keep your styling tools on lower settings and always remember to use a heat protectant. Also, because you now have two drastically different hair textures; the straight, previously relaxed hair and your kinky, coily new growth, your hair is far more prone to breakage where the two meet. It’ll be more important than ever to take your time while detangling and focus on infusing moisture into your strands. While conventional wisdom emphasizes focusing on the ends of hair, you should pay special attention to the line of demarcation, between the two textures. Styles For Transitioning Naturals Please don’t get into the habit of just pulling your hair back into a bun. Sure, it might be easy but done repeatedly, it can create too much tension on the hairline. And do you really want to start your natural hair journey without edges? So what options do you have? Transitioning natural hair, with its kinky coily roots and straight ends, actually resembles heat damage. And much like with heat-damaged hair, the goal is to look for hairstyles that disguise the difference between the two textures. A twist or braid out never fails to deliver style and substance. The foundation for lots of other looks, there’s a reason why, it’s the go-to style for so many curly girls, and soon-to-be curly girls. In this case, it seamlessly blends the two competing textures while transitioning. You might want to wrap the ends, with perm rods though, which will help give the relaxed portion some curl, as well as volume, which better resembles your roots. You also don’t have to stop at your ends. Skip the twists or braids all together and set your entire head using perm rods. You can either sit under a hooded dryer or air dry. PLEASE just make sure your hair is completely dry before you remove the rods, or you could end up with a half-curled, two-textured, damp mess on your hands. At which point you, feeling defeated, will likely slick it back into the aforementioned bun. And no good can come from that. Protective styles, like braids, wigs and weaves offer an escape from the epic fails that are inevitable when you explore and experiment as a transitioning natural. We can’t stress enough however that out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind. You’ll still need to take care of your hair, in order to give your natural tresses the best chance at success. Remember, when stuck, and/or short on time, a vibrant turban can be a transitioning natural’s best friend. No one has to know that this chic style choice, is covering up a bad hair month, or four. No matter what happens, don’t let anyone shame you into big chopping before you’re ready. You’ll know when it’s time to let the last of those relaxed ends go. In the meantime, we wish you peace, patience and the right products. Happy Transitioning! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
The Exotic, The Unconventional: Natural Ingredients to Try on Your Hair
Show of hands, how many of you have been on-board with the all-natural-organic ingredients trend for your hair care products? No, we can’t see your hand raised but we’ll take an educated guess and say it was ALL of you. Whether it’s a natural shampoo, natural leave-in conditioner or organic hair gel, you spend at least 10 – 15 minutes in the hair care aisle reading product labels for every product you pick up. Natural ingredients like water, coconut oil, shea butter, argan oil are the first to catch your eyes because they’re used in almost all natural hair care products. Many of you know their benefits, which ingredient to use for each step of your hair care regimen and which ones to use more frequently than others. But what about those natural ingredients you’re not familiar with? What are the benefits? Where do they come from? And why should you introduce your hair to them? Well we’re glad you asked! There have been a number of natural ingredients that have surfaced as new, exotic and unconventional that the kinky coily girl should try. Natural ingredients like aloe vera, baobab oil, honey and black castor oil are being added to hair care products across countless brands. They sound exotic, some smell heavenly, while others have a more shall we say unique scent *cough* black castor oil *cough*. However, the benefits of these exotic ingredients for your natural hair are what really takes the cake. To satisfy your curiosity and encourage the adventurous and spontaneous side of you, we took the liberty of providing some natural ingredient 101 for each of these exotic and unconventional ingredients. Aloe Vera Originally found in Somalia and Sudan, aloe vera is a pretty recognizable plant that some of our grandmother’s sat in big pots on their front porches when we were kids. It is often applied topically to burns or cuts due to its natural healing and restorative benefits, but it also has countless benefits for natural hair. Aloe vera promotes shine and moisture, prevents hair loss and dandruff and can be used as a pre-poo, shampoo, conditioner or styling gel. Some people even use it as a detangling or growth treatment. For those kitchenticians, you can buy the aloe leaf from your local grocery store and pull the gel from it yourself, or you can check out our Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo to detangle and condition as the first step in your wash day. Pairing coconut water with aloe vera adds another layer of moisture which makes the detangling process something you can actually enjoy. You can also check out @1lexishair using our pre-poo as a gel here. Baobab Oil Say it with us slowly, “Bae-Oh-Bab,” there you go! Baobab oil is a fruit-derived oil from the unique and exotic-looking baobab tree found primarily in Madagascar. This natural ingredient adds shine, elasticity and suppleness to your natural hair. It can also eliminate dandruff and reduce environmental damage to hair. The fatty acids found in baobab oil deeply penetrate the hair follicle to its core, so it’s important to use this oil sparingly as too much can lead to frizzy, limp hair. You can add a few drops to your leave-in conditioner or you can try our Coconut Oil & Baobab Oil Leave-In Cream for lasting moisture and protection against breakage. This formula leaves hair stronger and more manageable for that new 5-step braid-up hair tutorial you’ve been dying to try. Honey Did anyone else hear the intro to Mariah Carey’s “Honey” playing when they got to this section? No? Just us? What about Erykah Badu’s “Honey?” Still a no? Ok, let’s move on. Used as a fragrant and delicious sweetener in your hot cup of tea or as a home remedy to treat an annoying cough, honey is liquid gold to all of our needs, including our hair’s. This unconventional natural ingredient for hair treats dandruff, conditions and moisturizes dry hair, and cleanses hair removing unwanted impurities. For all these reasons and more we added honey to our Honey & Coconut Oil Shampoo and our Coconut Milk & Honey Leave-In Conditioner. Adding these products to the cleansing and moisturizing steps of your natural hair care regimen will leave your hair softer, shinier and naturally defined. Black Castor Oil Now that you’ve learned more about a few exotic and unconventional natural ingredients, which one intrigued you the most? Will you try them all? You said you’ve already filled up your online shopping cart with products?! That’s what we LOVE to hear! Shaking things up a bit from time to time provides growth for not only your hair, but for you. Trying new things can help you overcome fears, stimulate creativity and just make you a better-rounded person. Because when you’re doing good, your hair does even better! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
New Hair’s Resolutions: Our Top 9 Tips For Becoming Hair Goals This Year
Perhaps you had a setback last year. Got some heat damage or maybe your color went wrong. Sigh! Another big chop. Maybe you’re trying to get over a growth plateau or have your sights set on length retention because you’re trying to be goals. Well, it’s a new year. And our goal is to help you earn hair crush status. And our promise is to be here, cheering you on, giving advice, lending support, providing encouragement, sharing inspiration, creating community, and of course continuing to develop premium products that enable you to bring your vision to life. Whatever you need, we’ve got your back…and your follicles. The rest is up to you. So at the risk of getting all #inspiration, don’t look back a year from now, wishing you had started today. As your journey continues, let this be your go-to guide to help you along the way. Protect what’s yours We can’t say enough about the benefits of protective styling, but out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind. While you explore the entire range of protective styling options, going from wigs to weaves, braids to buns to bantu knots and back again, make sure you don’t sacrifice your strands in the process. Err on the side of low manipulation styles and most importantly, be sure to protect what’s yours. #NoEdgesLeftBehind. Create a regimen you can actually stick to So many of us are just doing too much. Or at least trying to, and unfortunately failing to be consistent. The L-O-C Method is the perfect foundation to achieve and maintain moisturized hair throughout the week, as long as you pay special attention to the ends. You can throw in an S, DC, HOT, or PP (aka a shampoo, hot oil treatment, deep conditioner, pre-poo) as needed, but you definitely don’t need the entire alphabet to achieve fabulous hair. Everything else is a bonus. Stop being your own Scissor Happy Stylist You don’t have to cut your hair on a schedule i.e. every 6-8 weeks. The search and destroy method is usually sufficient, where you painstakingly search your hair for damage and cut only the strands that are flawed, leaving healthy hair intact. By the same token, you also need to keep it real with yourself when it’s time to trim or gasp, cut it. If your hair is tangling more frequently or the single strand knots are getting excessive, that could be a clue. If you have split ends, it’s definitely time. They can’t be repaired, so please don’t wait until the hair splits all the way up the shaft. And If you have see-through ends, you are long overdue. Do yourself a favor and just let it go. Whatever style you’re trying to achieve will look infinitely better on healthy, albeit shorter, hair. Clarify As much as you might love co-washing, sometimes you just need to wash-wash. Dirt and product build-up can get in the way of your goals. Shampoo is not the enemy. The wrong one is, however. By choosing a gentle cleansing formula, like our Moisture Miracle Honey & Coconut Oil Shampoo, you can get clean hair without it feeling stripped. Don’t be so quick to jump on a bandwagon. Just because your favorite YouTuber or guru is recommending something, i.e. a product, method, tool, etc. does not mean it will work for you, even if they have your hair type. Stay away from harsh chemicals Parabens, sulfates, mineral oils and petrolatum. Read your labels. Prioritize products where premium natural ingredients are actually among the first on the list, and not just in the product name. Be patient Naturals hear this all the time with regard to reaching their hair goals. They also may or may not roll their eyes, when it’s coming from someone with bra-strap length hair. In this case however, we’re referring to being patient in the every day handling of your hair. Wash, condition and style your hair in sections, twists, braids if you have to, to help avoid single strand knots, split ends and breakage. Allow yourself plenty of leeway to complete your wash day regimen without having to rush, especially with regard to detangling. Sure, the process may take longer. But so will reaching your goals if you don’t spend the time. Self-care equals haircare Beautiful hair, and everything else for that matter, starts on the inside. Eat well and stay hydrated. That means upping your fruit and veggie intake, and drinking half your weight in ounces of water; more, if you’re working out. Speaking of which, get your body moving and blood pumping. Not only will your hair benefit from the proper nutrients and increased circulation, but you might mess around and become body goals in the process too. Not to mention, getting it in at the gym is the perfect way to manage your stress levels, which means you and your hair remain unbothered. #WinWin Wear a satin or silk scarf or bonnet to bed EVERY Night You can still keep it chic while you sleep. What’s not cute, is breakage; which is exactly what you’ll have if you skip this step. And then all of your other efforts would have been in vain. Look, keeping your resolutions won’t necessarily be easy, but it’ll be worth it. And when you look back a year from now, and do a length check or marvel at your hair’s health and shine, you’re going to smile to yourself, knowing you crushed it. So, here’s to glowing up together and having the happiest new hair of your life. I’ll drink (a green smoothie) to that! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
A Hair Change, A Life Change
Bold. Risky. Spontaneous. Brand New. Crazy. These are the words your family and friends use to describe you and your drastic hair change. Whether you did the big chop, colored your hair hot pink or platinum blonde, or just shaved it all off, you’ve heard every adjective in the book. But one of the most common, much more appropriate, things you hear is, “What made you do it?” Most times your response is “I just wanted to try something new.” But just like the diversity among Black women, in all of our shades of melanin and textured locks, there lies something much deeper that makes each one of our hair changes unique. Because of a Breakup Six years in with your partner who once stole your heart. You two were inseparable. But with time, growth and new experiences, the love you two once shared has faded. You probably noticed this two years before you gained the courage to end it, but the thought of being alone, starting over with someone new, or just having your entire daily routine drastically change, kept you with them. But once you did decide to end it, the weight of it all lifted off of your shoulders and birthed a new journey for you to take. You move, you purge old clothes and personal items, and often you spontaneously head to the salon to color your hair a new and sometimes wild color. Your friends marvel at your bravery and call you spontaneous, but deep down it’s exactly what you needed to release the rest of the weight you carried from your previous relationship. With your new hair color you wear the changes you made proudly, and invite the growth to come. Because of Loss Unfortunately we have all been there; the loss of a loved one, a job, a home or a spouse that put everything in our life at that time to a standstill. What makes losing someone or something so hard is that it can happen at any moment and sometimes unexpectedly. We all go through a grieving process by trying to make peace with the loss, heal and continue to move forward. We try relieving stress by working out, starting therapy or even cutting our hair. Cutting your hair gives you the feeling like you can breathe better and think clearer, making the grieving process not as heavy. Some people may whisper or cut their eyes at you out of concern for what you may be going through, but we encourage you to find strength and peace in your new haircut. Letting go of the pain you endured means acceptance and growth, and that allows you to shine even better than before. Because You Needed a Fresh Start Although we hate to admit it, we’ve all held on to things. Our favorite bag with the broken strap we’ve fixed six times, our Usher Confessions CD with too many scratches to count, or the dead ends of our hair because just look at this length! Even though reminiscing on the good times makes you feel good, a fresh start makes you feel even better. It’s time to move on. For a fresh start some people throw out or donate their old clothes, quit their jobs or do a big chop. A big chop is considered one of the most drastic hairstyle changes that often has people calling you crazy, but that’s because they don’t understand growth. Choosing to live a healthier life inside and out is much more important than having long hair that’s likely heat-damaged anyway. Embrace the new chapter ahead of you with your head held high, leaving old baggage, habits and hair behind you. The changes we face in our lives ultimately and almost always affect our hair too. The way we wear it, maintain it or change it can help shape how we tackle the changes thrown at us. No matter your reason for shaking things up with your hair, we applaud your bravery and your growth. You serve as inspirations for women to leave the people, pain or baggage they’ve carried behind and channel their inner strengths to rise above them. Keep growing and glowing! DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at care@africanpride.com
Learn more
