Whitney the Natural Hair Guru

As I walked down the aisle, displaying my broadest smile and tossing flowers on the ground, I felt proud of the bone straight hair cascading down my back. My parents had straightened my hair for my father’s wedding, and at the time, though I was only eight years old, it felt like a milestone for me. As far as I was concerned, having my hair straightened was an improvement in my appearance, and I praised my parents for the decision they made. I spent the subsequent years of my life having the same mentality, and like many others thought that straight hair was more desirable. I was convinced that I would never allow my hair to revert to its natural state as long as I lived.

Fast forward to January 1, 2014; I decided that I was no longer going to straighten my hair. That was my sole New Year’s resolution. Natural hair was slowly making a comeback, and many black women across the globe with straightened hair decided to embrace their natural selves by cutting off their straight hair. Later that year, on September 8, 2014, at approximately 10:29 p.m., I decided to do the big chop and get rid of my dead “straight” ends. That night, I was devastated as I stared at myself in the mirror. I had merely a few inches of hair in the form of a teeny-weeny afro. Having gone the majority of my life with straight hair, I had no clue what to do with my hair. I immediately got my best friend to install braids as I could not accept my hair in its natural state. This was the first of many protective styles which I wore consistently, in fear of facing my new look.

I was further discouraged when I wore my afro to work one day and was told by the owner of the organisation that I looked like I “just rolled out of my bed”. This was despite the fact that my hair was pulled back neatly. In some workplaces, including that one, straight hair was deemed more acceptable. I’ve seen disapproval for natural hair in the media countless times, but having that experience firsthand left me bewildered. However, I knew I had two choices. Either give in to societal pressure and straighten my hair again or embrace it and learn how to care for and co-exist with it. That’s when my YouTube obsession started. I combed through hundreds of videos in search of natural hairstyles and hair care tutorials. After extensive research, I found content that resonated with me on Naptural85’s channel.

Whitney White, the vlogger behind Naptural85, started her natural hair journey in 2009 when she did a big chop and got rid of her straight hair. She is a YouTube veteran who has been sharing her journey on the platform with her 1.18 million subscribers from then until now, inspiring other black women who have decided to tread the same path. She provides a safe space for like-minded naturalistas to learn from her and each other while offering ongoing encouragement. My favourite videos are the ones which share DIY techniques for creating hair care products using ingredients that we typically have at home. Her flaxseed gel recipe transformed my hair and imparted more moisture than I could imagine. For the first time, I had a solid hair care routine and a renewed love for my hair. This trampled any natural hair shaming that I had experienced, whether directly or indirectly.

I felt confident. I felt fierce. I felt empowered! This was all thanks to the wealth of knowledge provided by Whitney. She taught me how to trim my hair, make hair products and even how to care for my hair during the winter season, which is considerably more challenging if you have natural hair. These were all things that I once struggled with but became a master after putting the tips from Whitney’s channel into practice. I know what some may be thinking, why not go to the salon? I would, but the problem is, I live in a city with a significantly small black population, which means a limited number of stylists who understand the intricacies of my hair. As such, the next best thing was to gain some independence and expertise in the hair care department to keep my hair in tip-top shape.

Whitney’s inspiration goes well beyond at-home hair care. Not only does she post useful videos on YouTube, but she also started a hair care line, Melanin Haircare. As a person who aspires to create a hair care line as well, she is a reminder that this dream is attainable. I’ve spent the past few months in quarantine experimenting and have successfully created the first of what I hope will be many hair product recipes. Trust me, Whitney is a natural hair guru that must be protected at all costs! But just in case I haven’t convinced you as yet that she is a real treasure in the natural hair community, then maybe the evidence below and the other comments on her channel will back up my claims.

Whitney has helped many black women, including me, find our inner Solange Knowles and rock our natural crowns in all their glory! In a world where laws are needed in some places to protect us from hair discrimination, I can’t help but feel liberated as I no longer conform to the unrealistic and archaic beauty standards of our society. I am grateful to Whitney for the role she played in my self-love journey, and I hope to pay it forward and inspire aspiring naturalistas as well.