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April 19, 2012
April 19, 2012
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Photo/File A woman with an afro. Natural hair can be kept as curls or stretched out with the use of moisturisers.
Three years ago, Sharon Nderitu decided to keep her hair natural following years of relaxing it with chemicals that weakened it.
The businesswoman is among many who have opted to stop applying chemicals on their hair and instead maintain natural curly or kinky hair.
“I will never put chemicals in my hair, never again,” Ms Nderitu, the proprietor of Nairobi-based Otheo Interiors, said. “I’m Afro-centric and proud.”
Straightening hair with chemicals, commonly known as relaxing, is seen as an easy way of managing kinky hair.
However, the procedure sometimes leads to disastrous consequences such as burning of the scalp or loss of hair.
Worse still, a re-touch is required with every new hair growth — approximately one retouch in every four to six weeks.
After long exposure to chemicals (relaxers), many women’s hair is no longer healthy.
Seven years ago Ndunge Kiundi decided to stop relaxing her hair after noticing that it was becoming thin and weak.
“I just stopped going for touches and my natural hair grew and I found it was much easier to maintain it,” she said.
The decision saved Ms Kiundi from the hustle of going to a salon every two months or so for a re-touch.
The media and Internet have played a major role in popularising the natural hair movement, which is turning into a global trend.
International stars such as musician Jill Scott and comedian Chris Rock have helped popularise natural hair.
In 2009, Chris Rock released a documentary on African-American hair called Good Hair, which received international accolades.
The film focused on African American women’s hair, the $9 billion black hair industry, and the length women go to to achieve straight silky hair.
In January 2011, Aljazeera, the Qatar-based TV station, did a documentary on how Hindu pilgrims donate their hair in a ritual of purification.
The curls are then sold to the hair industry which processes them into a precious product coveted by women across the globe.
Ms Nderitu said watching the documentary Good Hair confirmed that she had made the right decision in ditching hair relaxing.
Two years ago Njeri Gikera decided to let her hair grow, making the transition to natural hair.
“I wanted to be careful what I take in and put on my body,” she said. Ms Gikera said she was tired of chemical burns that came with retouching her hair. Relaxers’ active ingredients, especially lye (sodium hydroxide), have been linked to cancer.
“Maintaining and styling natural hair is easier nowadays. There is a misconception that it is hard to maintain,” Ms Gikera said.
According to Kenyan natural hair blog Kurly Kichana, “Maintaining natural hair can be difficult, but with the right tools and products you can make it a breeze.”
However, most salons are reluctant to style natural hair.
“If you do get a salon that agrees to styling natural hair, it charges you more,” said Ms Nderitu.
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Worse still, most natural hair products are American and therefore not available on the local market.
The upside is that product makers have become innovative, offering natural remedies such as castor and olive oil.
Salons that deal with natural hair share information and rely on blogs such as Kurly Kichana for tips on how to maintain it.
Natural hair can be left curly or stretched out with the use of moisturisers.
Ms Nderitu said that women in their 50s and above are regular users of relaxers, which weaken their hair, sometimes leaving them with bald spots.
“I don’t know why natural hair is becoming popular, perhaps younger women do not feel as bound to the European look as their mothers were.
“They have realised that they can be their own beautiful selves by being accepting of what mother nature gifted them; beautiful curly hair,” said Ms Kiundi. 
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