The Relaxer Comeback Is Real — Why More Black Women Are Saying Goodbye To Their Natural Hair

I’ve been a part of the natural hair community since late 2015. Like many, I steered away from the big chop and instead cut off my relaxed hair gradually. Once fully natural, tending to my hair came with plenty of trial and error—from learning proper detangling techniques to figuring out how to retain moisture. Still, while some Black women love the idea of flexing a natural mane, many are returning to relaxers.

The return to relaxers is not complex

Let’s not get it twisted—the natural hair movement continues to evolve, thanks to social media communities, natural hair festivals, textured haircare brands, and more. Many women continue to celebrate growing and maintaining healthy natural manes while also sharing their frustrations with a process that doesn’t always align with their lifestyles.

“It comes down to a couple of things,” master hairstylist Aaron Tracey Whitaker tells HelloBeautiful. “First, manageability—women are getting more educated on what relaxers actually do, and when you’ve got a stylist who can execute it right, that makes a huge difference. Second, short hairstyles are really in right now, and relaxing the hair tends to make those short cuts look more polished.”

With former naturals returning to relaxers, some may interpret the shift as a sign that Black women have negative feelings about their natural hair. But according to Aaron, it’s about education and making more informed decisions. Simply put, Black women have the freedom to wear their hair however they want, whether natural or relaxed, without having to subscribe to one particular belief about what their hair should look like.

RELATED CONTENT: The Relaxer Grow-Out Struggle Is Real — 4 Expert Tips To Survive The Awkward Phase Without Losing Your Hair

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