How come so many naturals can’t ‘do hair’? Is that why we went natural??

20 February 2010 ~ 58 Comments

How come so many naturals can’t ‘do hair’? Is that why we went natural??

Okay, so I’ve noticed that a lot of naturals can’t do much more than fluff an afro… and don’t be mad that I said that. Because that’s pretty much all I could do when I went natural. Well, I could do a crooked plait… but that was about it.

Now I’ve heard two versions of the natural who can’t do hair; a.) She wanted to become more proactive about caring for her hair and depend less on chemicals & stylists, so she cut off/transitioned out of her relaxer and went natural. b.) She felt that natural hair was less maintenance and easier than a relaxer, so she cut off/transitioned out of her relaxer.

I did a Skillz Chart below (I’d say I’m about a 2) that documents the various levels I’ve seen among natural women.

Skillz Chart…
0 You can hold a comb… But that’s about all you can do with it.
1 You know how to plait, but only large plaits. Your parts are perpetually crooked. A nice pony puff is your idea of an advanced style. Twists are hard for you to do.
2 You can do fine plaits, and even some large cornrows. You pull off a mean flat twist now and then. Twists are your safe place.
3 Plaits, cornrows, twists, flat twists… you can do it all. But heat styling (like setting natural hair on rollers and blowdrying), wet setting and fancy updos are another story.
4 You can do any style you want… but you can’t replicate it on other people’s heads.
5 You might as well open a natural hair salon in your basement.

What is your skill level? And do you find that a lot of naturals are kind of low skill? What is your take on that?

Oh, and feel free to create your own category on the Skillz Chart… It’s just a general guideline…

Tags: Afro Hair Styles, Black Hair Styles, Natural Hair Care, Natural Hair Growth, Natural Hair Pictures, Natural Hair Styles, Natural Haircare

58 Responses to “How come so many naturals can’t ‘do hair’? Is that why we went natural??”

L 22 February 2010 at 2:39 pm Permalink

I’m a little offended. My grandmother didn’t do hair, my mother can’t do hair and I can’t do hair. I was never taught and I was never around anyone who could teach me how to do hair. I want to learn and have been asking people to teach me. However, I personally do not know how to do any of the cool stuff. However, when I was permed I was on point. I can style my hair, blow dry it, flat iron it. My hair was on point as a permed girl because I asked my hairdresser to teach me and I made it a point to learn. I’m doing the same thing as a natural girl. However, it is just taking me a bit longer. Though me lacking in skills is just because I never learned not that I didn’t have the desire to learn.

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CBoyce 22 February 2010 at 7:29 pm Permalink

I am a 4.5 I can do the cornrows, twist, puffs, twist outs, in my hair, and other people’s hair.

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Anyes 23 February 2010 at 9:14 am Permalink

I’m a proud 0 LOL ! I don’t even hold a comb !

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Sharon 23 February 2010 at 6:20 pm Permalink

I’m about a 4. I can barely do cornrows, but I can pretty much do everything else. I also can do braids, esp. with weave because I would do my sisters’ hair. I can’t manage to do cornrows on my own head, though, but I pwn some flat twists. lol I don’t like to (lazy), but I can do roller sets, as well.

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Joy 24 February 2010 at 1:26 pm Permalink

I’m a 5. I can do nearly anything. I color, cut, press, up-do, weave, and furthermore I am awesome with braids. Any braid style I got you. When I was younger hair was my thing, I was known for having great styles, and later for creating great styles. I transitioned to natural because I am now able to wear styles that I couldn’t with processed hair. I’ve always been high maintainence when it comes to my hair, processed / natural, but I feel that anyone should be like that.

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Cygnet 25 February 2010 at 2:15 pm Permalink

I can plait (individual braids) my hair with and without extensions, two- and three-strand twist it, French braid it, flat twist it, do a curly fro, and pull it back into a puff. When I had a Jheri curl, I taught myself how to put it in from start to finish, including all those pesky rods. I did my own texturizers for the several years that I wore them.

I don’t do on other people any of the stuff I can do on my own hair. The two times I tried relaxers I applied them myself, and my hair broke off really badly. Heat is my hair’s mortal enemy, so I avoid hot styling appliances. The most heat I apply is the warm water when I clean it, and the water is warm then because I can’t stand the shock of cold water hitting my scalp. I can roll my hair when it is straightened, but I don’t roller-set it. Needing as much moisture as it does, my set would be upset by the necessary application of the moisture my hair needs, and once my hair is even half-way moisturized, it coils right up into the tight spirals it seems to prefer, so for me a roller-set would be a waste.

Right now, my goal is to achieve within a few inches of APL hair so I can begin to wear it again in the loose French braid I loved when it was texturized. I never cut my texturized hair short; rather, I allowed it to grow as long as it would, and that French braid was one of my more elegant styles. I also look forward to re-learning the French roll on my spiral hair; I miss that style.

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HoneyMiel 25 February 2010 at 3:11 pm Permalink

4.5…? Lol I can braid, cornrow, twist, with or without extensions. I can press, flat iron, blowdry, up-do, whatever. On my hair and other people’s hair. I was good at all the styling stuff when I was relaxed, but I really didn’t start getting creative with my hair until I went natural. I made it a point to learn. I knew how to do everything else except cornrow my own hair and twist, and all I did was watch a couple of YouTube videos and learn.

I guess it just depends on the person (Just like women who don’t cook)

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Daphne 1 March 2010 at 4:44 pm Permalink

1.5 and PROUD! I can braid, twist, and that’s about it…no possibility of cornrows in my future! But, this does not mean I will not try!

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