By Tatiyana Haythorne

Lifeatstart.com reporter

Around this time last year is when I decided to become fully natural. No heat! Just my curls and protective styles sit on top of my head. It has been the most amazing and biggest project I have ever embarked on. However, it has also been the most stressful. Not because it’s consists of a lot of patience, skill and money, but because of society.

Although, there is many people who are natural, there are also people who don’t understand what being natural is. Being natural isn’t just about having curls, it’s having healthy hair. Because I am natural, I wouldn’t put anything in my hair that would throw off my curl pattern. I would never use heat, flat irons, blow dryers, chemicals, perms, and relaxers. I only wear my hair in protective styles, such as braids and weaves. If not treated right a protective style can turn into a damaging style. People also think that natural hair only comes in one texture, which is anything but true. Me and my friends are all natural, and all have different curl patterns. Natural hair isn’t just curls. You can be natural with wavy hair or coily hair. The chart goes all the way to 2A to 4C. You can’t love natural hair without loving all textures that it is possible to come in. All products and styles work differently on different people.

With being natural we don’t want to hear that our hair is nappy. Don’t tell me it’s short. Where there is curls, there’s shrinkage. Don’t run your fingers through my hair after I spent all night doing it. My hair is a part of me and who I am. It must be respected. Don’t go around speaking or feeling some type of way about a subject that you are ignorant to. If you have a question simply ask. No one is going to bite your head off. I love my hair even when I hate it, so of course I have no problem talking about what I love.