Just wanted to share a post from a year ago that still rings true for me!
OK, I turned 40 last year and it’s only been five years I’ve been relaxer free but only two years I’ve been completely Natural and nurtured my curls. Now, I was little in the 70’s and by the time I was a teen relaxers were BIG BUSINESS and living in humid ass Mississippi meant you had a perm if your mother loved you at all! I’ve never really known my Natural hair and this Natural hair journey has been wonderful and enlightening.
Now, it seems that the majority of the Newly Natural are YOUNGER than me. I have no numbers or stats but I’d guess the majority are younger than 30. It might even be younger than 25 but like I said….not real data, but I’m pretty sure that the majority of the Naturals are way younger than my ass. They are stylish, skinny, confident and lovely. I am stylish (for 40), NOT SKINNY, gaining confidence daily and feeling kinda lovely on most days.
I don’t wanna see this Natural explosion as fashion driven but even if it is, I’m here to stay. When I get on Natural hair websites I feel like I’m babysitting! I’m on forums with college students who have no kids and think spending $30 on a jar of hair gel is a crime against nature! Where the hell are the older Naturals? I understand I’m coming into this game in the 7th inning but DAMN!
I honestly don’t feel I’m too old to be Natural but I do feel a little left out in some blogs and styles. Nonetheless, I’m here and I’ll continue to look at the pics on the blogs of the younguns as they shake their skinny asses in too tight/short/sheer clothes in the clubs they live in till the wee hours of the morning. I ain’t clubbin no more and I’m yawning by 11:00 pm as well as getting brats to bed after homework, bath and dinner. I’m a Natural….just a mature one and happy to be in the company of the young ones….
Just wanna see more of us sometimes.
Since this post I’ve started my Older Natural feature and would love to see more of us represented out here!
Take care Naturals,
Sabrina
Thank you for reposting this and for reading my mind…I always wonder where the 40 and over ladies are that are embracing their natural curls. I'll be celebrating my 54th birthday this coming August and just celebrated my one year curly-versary this past Nov. I love being at an age where confidence and wisdom go hand in hand and that I can, with more confidence than ever, rock my naturally curly hair.
ajgrneyes, I totally hear you. We are outnumbered but I'm trying to get the word out that we are here. Yea, I wish it was bigger back when we were younger but we're here now. We look gorgeous Naturally too so let's announce to the world "WE ARE NATURAL AND BEAUTIFUL AND OVER 40!!"
There are plenty of older more mature naturals out there. We just don't care to be in the limelight. I am 53 and would not trade my lifestyle or hairstyle for anything!
Thanks for re-posting this article. I'm 40 and a newly natural. I chopped off my relaxed ends July 2011. I have been debating about going natural for years but when I realized that with my Lupus. My scalp couldn't take the chemicals anymore. So, that made me decide to go natural. But you know what, I'm glad that I did. I turned to YouTube for help and saw all of these young ladies and men giving advise. I looked for older naturals and there a few but I'm glad that all ages give their opinion,advice and suggestions on YT. My hair has grown faster than it ever has. And it is so shiny and healthy looking. I get all types of complements and asked by a lot of people of all races, if they can touch my hair. I don't take offence to it, unless they don't ask and just start touching my hair. Some people really thing that natural hair is hard and feel like rough. I have been having such good blessings with my hair. That now my baby sister and my daughter are going natural. So, now they are always asking me what do I use and can do their hair sometimes. That is so funny to me. I'm even asked by some of the younger naturals at my college what do I use because my hair is so healthy looking, moisturized and shiny. My family and everyone that has used my products that I make say that I need to sell them. And you I am thinking about it.
Child856, wow….what a powerful story. I'm happy for you in finding something so freeing as going Natural as such a positive venture even if you had to because of your illness. I wish you all the luck in the world in your business venture if you choose to go that route. You have a gift and should share it with the world as well as prosper. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this post!! I was beginning to feel the same way. I see alot of younger women wearing their hair natural, but I feel like it is a fashion statement instead of a lifestyle change and embracing their God given beauty. Like the sister said I have no problem with someone asking to touch my hair, because I feel like it is an honor they are interested and think that it is beautiful. When I first became natural, I met this older sister who was natural as well, she asked my age & why I decided to become natural. She gave me some sage advice. Don't spend alot of money on products you can find things in your kitchen that work. She was beautiful, her skin glowed and her hair was so gorgeous!!! For me it was a lifestyle change. I've stopped smoking, eating healthier and feel so,so sexy and empowered and I think it shows on my face.
Allie, It was a lifestyle change for me as well. I was ready to become the woman I've been always aware I would be. I knew I would let go of those shallow notions of beauty and seek out my own natural beauty that has been dormant for years. So much has happened the last 3 or 4 years and when I reflect on my life I have to say they have all been for the good. It allowed me to become the woman I am today and that natural woman is ready to embark on a life with love of myself and all I have to offer.
I AM SO HAPPY TO FIND THIS BLOG. IT IS A BLESSING FOR ME CAUSE I CAN RELATE TO PEOPLE OF MY GENERATION.
This post is so true and so me I am 42 and I am natural since 12 years now without anybody inspiring me just because I was fed up with the relaxer; It is not a trend that i follow so when I see all this young women i feel a little bit lost; Especially when they always futured young women with natural hair in the media too; I have a very mature approach about being natural; that's why at the end i have to create my blog to see people like me even if it was difficult to show ma face cause i am a very private person;But it's worth it and i started to be able to accept ma face on a picture;
NOW I WILL VISIT YOU FREQUENTLY. GOD BLESS.
http://www.minasek.blogspot.com
Minasek,
Thank you for sharing and you know I understand where you are coming from. This is a lifestyle change for me as well and we can support one another. I joined you site as well.
This post completely cracked me up! i've been following the natural hair blogs trying to find age-appropriate (40+) styles for myself but it's been a challenge, LOL. I shaved off my hair almost a year ago, mostly cuz my hair just decided it didn't like relaxers any more (hormonal changes, i guess?) as i had a semi-bald patch right on the top of my head where my hair kept breaking to the roots – very weird. As soon as i stopped relaxing, that patch went away. i have fine but super thick, very tight kinks that (so far) seems to be happiest when i just leave them alone. I'm looking forward to when my hair is long enough that i can actually style it. right now, i just pat into a (not-so) TWA and i'm bored, bored, bored so thinking i might get braids soon… Anyway, i enjoy your blog, keep up the great posts!
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing. I'm still here and loving this journey and doing this blog.
I loved this post! You're so funny! What's ironic is that I think I'm kinda a part of the natural hair community you're identifying because I'm currently 20 years old. I started going natural at 16 years old in high school. What's ironic about it all is that when I'm on YouTube searching for styles and tips on my hair, I feel left out because most of the well-known natural YouTubers are older than me! There are some close to my age range, but a great majority are older. I'd love to be able to start my own channel and give younger viewers like myself someone to relate to.
That would be awesome. You could and would reach out to the really younger crowd like my daughter who JUST turned 18 last month. It's funny how you feel that way but when I think about it you make a lot of sense and I think you've found your calling. Please let me know if you choose to do that. thanks for sharing.