Why are we still hiding?

"Black is beautiful at its purest form. We need not be, manipulated, fixed, or assimilated. We are beautiful just the way we are."

As a newly natural diva I did what most people do. I did my research. There was no way I was going to cut all my hair off without knowing what to do afterwards. I spent hours mindlessly watching natural hair tutorials and reading natural hair blogs. I, in preparation of My BC was looking for advice on how to style my hair, keep it moisturized and what types of products other natural ladies recommend. I did not expect however to find many videos on make up, how to be more feminine and how to dress once doing the BC.




Now before you call me crazy let me explain myself. I love make up. I really do. Give me 3 shades of mac eye shadow and I will make you fierce. I love clothes, I love dresses and heels. I love lip gloss. I'm obsessed with nail polish. I am a girly girl to say the least. But what I do not understand is the need to all of a sudden indulge in these things once you go natural. If you never wore make up in your life, then you do the BC and cannot leave the house without it, there is a problem. Did you just pick the lesser of two evils since make up is not permanent but relaxers are. And I understand how hard it is to chop all your hair off as a woman. To get rid of the thing that people believe makes you physically attractive. I totally understand as I did it myself (almost a month ago :). I understand what its like to look at males and notice that you have the same haircut. I understand wanting to wear more dresses, be more flirtatious and put on some heels, but is it permanent?



When your hair grows out of the low fade, and you can put it in a puff, will you still feel the need to indulge? Will you be uncomfortable leaving the house without your face on? Will you only feel like a woman when you are wearing stilettos? Will you still go to the gym in your sun dress? Will you go to sleep in your make up, and never leave the house unless you’re wearing earrings?



I'm not trying to cause problems. I really want to know. The things we think about ourselves affect us regardless of how we look. Some of the most beautiful women feel that they are unattractive because mindset is everything. If you train yourself to think you look like a male unless you are wearing lots of make up, heels, lots of jewelry and dresses you will always think you look like a male. How long your hair is, how feminine and soft your facial features are and how curvy your body is will not matter because your mind is already set.



Ladies I'm just saying. Isn't the point of going natural embracing yourself, who you truly are without the add-ons? We don't need to change ourselves to be feminine. Being a woman in itself is the most feminine thing you can do regardless of how you dress, talk, flirt or look. We don't need make up and heels to be women. I love both these things but when I'm in a t-shirt and jeans with my freshly washed face I still feel like a woman. And if I ever were to get confused, I would just look at my body to reassure myself that I am women.



Embrace you :)

When you roll out of bed (yes I said that) go look at yourself. Look at your face whether you have sleep in your eye, your face is swollen or your eyes are barely open (I know mine aren't in the morning) you are still a beautiful women. Whether your hair is smushed and dry or wild and disheveled you are still a beautiful woman. Whether you have slobber on your face or lines from your pillow case you are still a beautiful woman. You have to love you, even in the rawest form or else you will never truly accept yourself.

1 Peter 3

New International Version

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.