Glad you made this video. I have a 10 year old daughter who has tighter curls than mine. For years I've been trying to justify why her hair doesn't look like mine so that she can learn to love her hair. For her birthday last month she asked for a special hairstyle (braids) but dad was totally against it because he didn't want her to think that adding weave would make her feel prettier. It was a proud moment for me to hear her tell him that she loves her hair the way that it is and that trying something different every once in a while wouldn't change how she feels. I've even challenged her to find hairstyles she can try herself to get comfortable with doing her hair. She is also learning how to properly wash it.

can we all just be thankful that we have hair🙂

As a child of the 70s, I can say that the term “natural” originated from the concept of not using a relaxer or perm to straighten your type 4 hair. We actual used the word “natural” to also represent a hairstyle which was basically an afro. If you wore an afro, you were “rocking a natural”. The definition of “natural hair” has changed a lot since then. I always think of myself as belonging to the “curly hair” community. I have stopped blowing out and flat ironing my hair and I use whatever types of product work in my hair. If it has silicones and it works for me, I will rock with it. If it is completely pure, clean ingredients and it works, I’m with it. I think that probably knocks me out of the “natural” hair community and why I consider myself more part of the curly community. Honestly, at the end of the day, everyone should embrace their hair and rock it in whatever way makes sense. It’s all love!

Being Dominican and traveling back home every other year with to visit family, having straight hair was the definition of beauty. Feeling left out because my cousins would go to the salon on a weekly basis to blowout their hair and me not being able to keep mine straight due to the humidity and heat. My mom would look at my hair sometimes and say I had “big hair” or say I have “bad hair” none of which are compliments it made it hard for me to embrace my hair until I was an adult and took the time to learn and understand. I’m glad I stepped out and showed my family that I’m just as beautiful with my natural hair as opposed to my straight hair and ever since then I’ve never looked back 🥰🥰🥰 Thank you for people like you. Although you gave us your opinion it made me realize that I should care all around about the products I use and what’s in them ❤️❤️❤️

I've been overwhelmed by the number of rules. I just do what my hair likes.

The natural hair movement started with black women, and was originally intended to empower black women with curl patterns that are not typically considered the “standard” of beauty. It’s disheartening that so many companies and brands are capitalizing off of the movement and still only representing or targeting one type of curly hair. I also think including wavy hair in the natural hair movement is just not necessary and again takes away from the original point of the natural hair movement.

I think it’s important to remember the word “curl-friend” and use it as often as we can. When a person, no matter their ethnicity, feels beautiful the way God made them that should be celebrated. All hair types are beautiful and all textured hair people should be curl-friends. As someone who has 3C/4A curls I get approached A LOT and asked how I got my hair to look the way it does, by women who had completely different hair textures. I found myself responding with questions about their hair. “What does your hair like? Do you know the porosity of your hair? How do you love on your curls?” And this would completely change the dynamics of the conversation from comparing hair to how important it is to have a loving relationship with their hair. Such a great topic Bianca! It’s difficult to be self aware, proud of your own curl journey and avoid being judgmental. 💕

As a dark skin girl with waist length looser type 3b-3c hair, I can’t even recall the amount of times someone would start touching my hair and ask “where’d you get the weave from?” or “is this your ACTUAL hair?” And even “you don’t need to perm you hair to be beautiful!” I understand that it’s not very common for a dark skin to have loose curls, but it’s very disrespectful when people worry so much about MY hair and assume I don’t love myself. I just want people to know that different ethnicities can have loose curls/waves even when your not exactly light skin or mixed. Stay positive guys! 💕💕

Growing up in Puerto Rico curly hair was called "pelo malo" or "bad hair". I remember wishing I had straight hair because I believed it was more beautiful. I didn't know how to take care of my curls so yeah, straight hair was more beautiful, but just because I didn't know how to take care of the beautiful curly hair I was born with. Now that I know how to properly style my hair, I love and embrace it and only straighten my hair maybe once a year just to switch it up. I'm glad there are channels like yours that taught me how to take care of my curls because now I can teach my daughter (who already has beautiful curls at 9 months) how to love her curls and take care of them. I can't wait till she's older and we can deep condition our hair together and make it a mom & daughter bonding time 😊❤️

You were the first person I ever followed when I started my transition back in 2018. I knew we didn't have the same curl pattern, but I learned so much of the basics from you. I cannot thank you enough for that! On top of that, I was able to find other women who do have a similar curl pattern as mine through you. Using the knowledge I got from the curl hair community, I was able to use my own judgment through trial and error to figure out what works best for me. Curly hair is curly hair. It doesn't matter if you're black, white, yellow, or purple. We need to just be accepting of each other because this curly hair business is no joke! We need all the support we can get!

Perception is everything. There are millions in the natural hair community. It's easy to generalize to say that a community is toxic when it's only certain parts.

I think the natural hair movement was originally devoted to tighter hair types whose hair was never celebrated who didn't know how to care for their loose hair, sans relaxer, etc. So when people say natural hair, I think that's who they are referring to specifically. Looser hair types co-opted the term and then became the face of the community, which was not the point of it. Now tighter hair types are not the face of the 'movement' and some looser types are lying about their actual type to get more views and sort of gaslit the tighter types. This is where I think the 'gatekeepy' behavior started and escalated from there.

I define a natural hair curly as someone with curly, kinky, or wavy hair that isn’t relaxed or straightened. The movement started as black women trend (to defy the historic trend of straightening our hair to fit in with the majority) but now I’d include curlies of all races and shades. I follow so many amazing white curly hair influencers and their curls are very similar to mine. Mainstream media says long straight hair is the beauty standard. Let us curlies defy that narrative ✌🏾 I agree with what you said there’s beauty in every texture! 🤍

Story time! So I was on a date, and a girl behind us in line for the event my date and I were attending did the typical internal misogynistic thing by giving a backwards compliment and then contradicting it. She said she liked my hair but when I thanked her she interrupted me and asked if I used products on it or styled it a certain way to make it that way. I felt a bit awkward because why would that matter or be any of her business, but I told her yes. She continued pushing by asking what I did to make it that way and so I awkwardly told her, but she interrupted me and said "Oh okay" in a fake chipper voice, then walked off with a smirk on her face. For the record, I'm white and this woman was a different race from me. I've noticed this is very common, that women who use products on their hair or brush style it are said to not actually have curly hair. That coily hair is the only type of hair that's curly and nothing else is actually curly. I've also heard that ww wearing their curly hair is cultural appropriation. Which doesn't make sense to me because I thought the whole point of the natural hair movement was for people to not get shit for wearing their hair how they want to and not be told to wear and style it a certain way. You also mentioned it on your cancel culture video, but I personally saw on fb where a bw said she was going to stop using Shea Moisture because they were catering to ww now. I want to support black owned brands by buying their products, but I feel self conscious if I do because I get judgmental looks because those products aren't meant for women like me and the people who give me those looks don't think I have curly hair in the first place. I want to try and do my edges but I'm afraid of being accused personally of cultural appropriation. Even though I don't want to do designs, just make it look thicker so my hair line doesn't look like it has two bald spots on their side. In terms of representation, I see either one extreme or the other. In drugs stores it's two sections of products. The products for straight hair with sulphates and silicones. Even the "curly" hair products in that section have sulphates and silicones, so I don't use them. Then the other section focused on thick and coily hair, which I don't have, so I can't use most of the products in that section. In the adds I see it's the same way. One extreme or the other and no in between. And anyone in between is given shit on social media and told they don't have curly hair. Another personal experience I had was in middle school where a girl who had been bullying me was behind me on the risers one day in chorus class. She randomly started playing with my hair. Joking and saying how soft it was. I felt extremely awkward and was freaked out because of the unexpected touching. I tried to play it off, but I knew she was purposely trying to make me uncomfortable because her friends who also bullied me, were giggling and smirking at me. It wasn't until I was in college when I heard of how some white people ask to touch black peoples' hair. Which I never understood and never did because I respect people's personal space and want the same for myself. So I figured that's why they did this as a "joke" because I was white and an easy target for their bullying. So yeah, that's just a few of my experiences. I'll probably get hateful comments under mine for saying all this but my experience has been my experience and I won't be gaslit into thinking these things haven't happened or twisted into somehow making it my fault. Also, if you read this mini novel, thank you for your time and attention lol

People just need to stop. The issue comes when some feel excluded. Truth be told black women who have a tighter curl pattern felt some kind of way when black women of a looser curl pattern or perhaps biracial women started getting more attention. It’s that simple. We don’t want to admit it, but it’s true. The kinkier textured women have always been ridiculed and when this “movement” started gaining traction, they had a place in this hair world. I’m type 4 and I feel fortunate but when tighter curled folks got moved out by the looser textured folks, it started to unravel. I’m type 4 and I love my hair. I straighten it, I do a fro, I wear curls, I wear twists, I do whatever I want. And I’ve never wanted anyone else’s hair. Isn’t this world divided enough? Why do we divide ourselves even further? I say do what you want with your hair and don’t listen to the outside noise. Natural hair videos used to be about hair, now it’s about selling products. I rarely watch natural hair videos anymore. If I do, it’s for the entertainment factor only. I used to watch a lot because I didn’t know how to actually take care of my hair. Now that I do, I don’t need the vids anymore.

there is a difference between the Curly Hair Community and the Natural Hair Community The Natural Hair Community has traditionally been a black space... those of us who experienced the damage and self hatred of internalized racism and how it has played itself out in our ability to love and care for our hair, self love, self expression.... the Curly Hair Community is just that... any/everybody with curly hair. so to equate the two is inaccurate and diminishing. so, to me the real toxicity comes from the CO-OPTING and COMMERCIALIZATION of the NHC...the selling off of long standing black owned businesses, the patronizing token-ized fake "inclusion" in marketing... you acknowledge your privilege and it's great to have self-awareness and empathy. In what ways have you used your privilege to leverage inclusivity and address, reduce or rectify toxicity?

Natural hair. Unchanged; simple. I don’t dictate none of the mess. Healthy hair is the most important.

This video was much needed! Such a good convo. I agree with everything you said 💖

The BiancaRenee Today experience has always been a positive encounter . Your sense of humor, knowledge and positive attitude always . Your hair looks beautiful.

I think you are natural if you are black and do not chemical alter your curl pattern. Thats it. The wigs, dyes, straightening, protective styles...,whatever. Do you. But I do think the "natural community" was made for black people by black people to combat the stigma of our hair. Curls in general were not the problem. Our curls was the issue.

I appreciated you starting with the definition of “natural”. To me its always meant wearing your born with texture and rocking your natural texture. The problem I have with the exclusivity of some definitions is like you said the discouraging of others natural journeys. I do recognize that the community started with the intent of celebrating black and poc natural hair. But because it has grown beyond that, I dont understand why people should be excluded. Everyone is here to learn and improve and feel more confident in their hair, we should celebrate that

This conversation needed to happen. Thank you for speaking on this. It’s time for us all to come together. Embrace your hair and do what works best for you. ❤️

I always thought that "natural hair" was just our God-given hair. I'm white, born into a family who know NOTHING about curly hair. My hair journey started when I was 14 and I ran across Lorraine Massey's Curly Girl Handbook. I can't tell you how excited I was! I finally had a starting point to make my hair halfway likeable. It's been in the past few years that I realized that I'm not allowed in the "natural hair community" because I'm white, even though black women have way more experience with curly hair, so obviously could have the most information that could help. But we've let it divide us by race. We are all different but still all women who are beautiful. Can't we celebrate our beautiful differences and use them to fight society's ridiculous beauty standards? I saw a video on tiktok of a white girl with extremely curly hair who got attacked for using products designed for black hair. She apologized for it but why should she ever feel like she's not allowed to use a conditioner that works well with her hair?

I'm glad you addressed this. I used to be a member of the international curly girl method group on Facebook and anytime black or biracial women pointed out the racial issues of the group or the toxic traits they were called problematic. So I'm glad this is being addressed. 👏👏

I once was told by a beautician in passing when I wanted to have my hair re-roded that she would love to do it for me... I told her this was my natural hair. She said black people don't have natural curly hair like that... 🙄😮wow! 🤣🤣

And maybe we all need to get behind the CROWN ACT !

I define it as someone who has naturally textured hair- so that’s curly, coily, wavy, kinky hair - no matter the colour of your skin. 🤷🏽‍♀️ it is very hard to define though. I have curly hair but always wear it in braids or a bun, I don’t wear it out because I’m lazy and I don’t like hair in my face 😄 I remember when I was in High school about 20 or so years ago, I was using Pink and I told my friends and they were like “no, that breaks your hair, you shouldn’t use it” and some of them didn’t believe I used it 🤷🏽‍♀️ I don’t get many comments these days but when I was younger I had long thick hair, and used to get comments and people touching my hair ALL the time. Teach your kids not to touch or judge other peoples hair!!!

I think you've always been a positive influencer overall. I think there will always be gatekeepers to any community, it's inevitable... but even within some individuals toxicity I see someone who is defensive because they were put in a corner so long. I think all we can do is pray for them that one day they can feel safe enough that they don't feel the need to lash out at perceived "enemies".

Natural is definitely for the black community…never heard a WW saying she wears her hair natural🤷🏽‍♀️. I’ve been judge because my hair is super curly and then when I straightened it & it was down my back, the natural group I was apart of in Facebook demanded that I cut it 😂🤣🤣

Just one thing bugs me about the "lack of representation" argument when it comes to the natural hair community. Whenever I google Type 4 hair or 4C hair, I get THOUSANDS of blogs, vlogs, images, websites, etc., all speaking on 4c hair and yet..when I ask people if they've Google researched their hair...silence. Too many of the people complaining are the same ones who can't be bothered to do a 5 second Google search. They *won't look* for the representation where they can find it nor will they support the representation that is there, so it gets buried. Then they will talk about about how it doesn't exist but really, they just keep clicking on the same videos with the same hair textures with the same styles and pushing those textures to the front even more. It's like when Think Like A Man came out and the all black cast had to basically beg our people to support a black film. If we supported people like Star Puppy or GreenBeauty as much as we click on all the loose curl videos, companies would see that and start including more types. We won't support our own but then get pissed at others for not supporting us. We out here gatekeeping a village that we don't even live in >.

I just bought regular grease the other day bc I was too overwhelmed in the hair store. Everyone is selling a product now and most of them are trash. Also, you need a 15 product “set” just to wash your hair lol. I’m done! 🤣

This is such an important topic for so many reasons! I personally want to live in a world where differences are celebrated rather than positioned against one another. Differences in hair types, similarly to skin color (like you mentioned) is literally not in anyone’s control, we are born with what we are born with. I believe the toxicity that exists in the natural hair community is unfortunately just another are of divisiveness our world as a whole has yet to work through. I’m so grateful you bring up topics that are so much larger than just what ingredients are heaviest for your hair, because it brings awareness and more importantly creates conversation around systemic root issues in our world. Thank you for choosing to celebrate all the differences in everything on your channel, it’s beautiful and it makes me feel happy inside!💜✨🙏🏽

I am Extremely selective with who I consume on YT so my experience has been more positive within the natural hair community than the few toxic people I bypass . IRL the "toxicity" has mainly been outdated terms used to describe tightly curled hair aka nappy by older people (which I gently check) The key point that is missed, ignored or people don't know, that you mentioned is that being natural was coined by us breaking away from baseless, forced, false and weak standards. So the phrase being/going natural has very different context then the technicality of just wearing your hair as it is without repercussions. I'd suggest googling The Crown Act for deeper context. Other than that, I'm here for people doing whatever they want to their hair, that ain't my business but if you ask for help with technique, products or maintenance I'll share what I know. Also, there are tons a people like myself with various tight/ kinky curls that promote working our curls as they are! No change or altering needed, they are perfect from the tightest to the not so tight to multi-textures. P.S. Miche is pronounced MEEsh 💚 The owners name is Michelle💚

I’ve been watching your videos for 4 years now and you have helped me so much to look after my hair. I am white with 3a hair and I cannot recall the number of times I have hated it and felt helpless in making it beautiful. I love your channel and I think you’ve been great for the ‘I want to wear my hair natural because it’s beautiful’ community!! Irrespective of skin colour you have been incred love you lots xx

I can agree with the pressures of being judged if I want to straighten my hair from time to time or not using high end products. I feel like as long as I'm focusing on the health of my hair, that's all that matters

This was such a nice video!! I was so happy to hear you mention the Latino/Hispanic community because I am part of it and I grew up feeling and getting the message that curly hair wasn’t beautiful.

Thank you for this! This is something I have been noticing for a while now and it’s caused quite a lot of insecurities and jealousy among my friends and family and community. There is a MASSIVE belief system where I’m from that the type 3 textures are the “good hair”, the type 4 are “nappy and need to be tamed” (usually through perming), and anything below type 3 is “white people hair” and therefore not counted. It’s toxic and of course all links back to the history with black hair and supremacists views and the adoption of racist ideologies within the black community (i.e. colorism). We all need to remember that we were once collectively hated for everything about us, so let’s not do the same to our own - or to ANYONE. Also, a side note, I’ve also had comments thrown toward me that I’m not doing enough in my routine. I don’t prepoo and I only use two products when I style (styler and gel) so there are some persons who feel like I need to do more. I need to prepoo and oil treat and shampoo and conditioner and deep conditioner and leave in and oil and styler and gel and spray EVERY time I do my hair. So there’s also some criticisms happening with regards to routine and/or number of products and steps used in addition to everything else you spoke of (products, texture, style preferences, etc).

It's so interesting to me how the very same people who were part of this whole community and making it popular on social media all of a sudden now want to act like they're not a part of it or they didn't contribute to some of the issues with it

The “natural hair movement” was about black women evaluating the massive amounts of energy they were putting into looking “presentable” according to Eurocentric beauty standards. The movement was commodified when companies saw an opportunity to tap a market, which then led to marketing practices that reinforced the very reason why we started the movement in the first place. As the net was cast wider, “natural” gave way to “curly girl” rhetoric that allowed more “inclusivity” to the detriment of the very tighter coiled people who started the movement. While conversations about representation eclipsed the hair itself, everyone benefited from the knowledge gains, product options, and styling choices that came out of the movement. All this to say that we all still live in a world that is ANTI black. So when non-black people began to reap benefits from things like “mini buns” and baby hair, it signaled that people love black things when they are not on black people. The real natural hair movement would mean that black folks get to be just as nonchalant with their hair as people who show up to work with stringy, wet, messy buns and receive zero judgement about their character, work ethic, or morals.

I need to add that you are one of four of the people I like to listen and watch. I’ve LEARNED from you. We all need to be open to learning. I once criticized someone, an acquaintance, for spending her time making funny videos. I said something like she must have a lot of time on her hands. It made her feel bad and she addressed it. She never pointed me specifically but I realized that she meant me and possibly others that judged her. I apologized because I had to understand that she needs her creative outlet. I have enjoyed her humor more ever since. I hope that makes me a better friend. Thank you for your contribution to helping us all better ourselves. ❤️

I love when you do hair styles and talk about controversial things! It’s fun to listen while I do my makeup 😂❤️ Thanks for talking about this! As a white person within the curly space, I understand that while I may have had a hard time getting a GOOD haircut there are many Black people who have been turned away from a service all together because of their texture. Hopefully as more and more people are wanting to wear their natural hair textures it puts more and more pressure on cosmetology programs to provide that as basic education!

There was a time where I stopped using all silicones (thankfully I had put the products aside in a little cupboard in the garage) and all sulfates, and I had terrible hair. Then I realized and just continued to do what I have *always* done. Sulfates & silicones, and my hair is not dry, not damaged, it is super nice! Exactly Bianca, you do you!

Somebody had to address this, it was long overdue. I'm glad it is you! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

The natural hair community started off as a movement for black women who decided to stop putting heat and cancer causing chemicals in their hair. White people hijacked the movement and now we’re questioning what “natural” means bc we’re having to make space for non black people. If you want to love your hair the way it grows out of your head, GREAT! But stop whining because you feel excluded from a space that you have no place in!! The fact of the matter is that there is a difference between waves and curls and wavies tend to over type their hair and end up bashing products that were never meant for their hair in the first place. The truth of the matter is that white people are trying to “all curls matter” this movement and I’m sick of it.

I'm white, ethnically Jewish. I have the stereotypical "jew curls" everyone loved to make fun of in high school. Then I got Systemic Lupus and RA in my early 20s which effectively destroyed it. For a while I hated it and i felt so ugly on top of dealing with everything else. I always wore my hair curly since I was 14 and then suddenly it was like everything I knew about my hair was wrong and i didn't know what to do until i found this community on youtube. I get talked to (and about) at work on a pretty regular basis because people don't like to look at it. How it looks unprofessional, how it looks as if I don't wash it, how it looks like I don't brush it, how I basically look like I rolled out of bed with it. Someone always has something to say about it (and whatever they feel like sharing about my illnesses in general lol). But I'm still inspired and happy when I see other people rocking their curls. I still take the best care of my hair that I can, and without the curly hair community I wouldn't still love my hair. I'm thankful for the women who taught me how to take care of my hair, and that includes you, Bianca! Thank you for talking about this.

Thank you Bianca for talking about this! Your entire channel is very positive and a I’m glad you also tell it like it is. Your transparency is a HUGE reason I respect your hair advice. I’m thankful for you and appreciate you! 💕 I’m loving these new style and chats. It’s kind of like being in the salon chair and talking to the stylist.

I forgive you Bianca. You were the one who made me not want to straighten me hair for the health of my hair. So thank you for being a little mean about it. It's what I needed to hear and now I haven't straightened my hair since July 2020 because I choose not to. And all the heat damage is gone and I have healthy curly hair now. So again thank you!

I also call my hair wavy, and it’s because it looks super different and wears different than curly and coily hair. It frizzes like crazy, the waves change shape so quickly depending on the time of year/products used/etc. I used to hurt my self-esteem by trying to emulate curly hair and failing, before learning about the typing system and accepted my hair for what it is: wavy! It’s still a long road for me but accepting my hair for what it is helped a lot.

Gurl you be hitting all the bases!!! Love this topic!!! You are absolutely right. It shouldn’t matter your ethnicity or tightness of your curl or lack of!! Personally I feel fortunate to have found your channel. I have learned so much!!! I started my natural or curly journey in the nineties!! But when my daughters came along they did not appreciate the natural look. So they begged me for perm. Now we are all natural!! It’s amazing how times have changed!!! Personally I love my curls, but I an not a creature of habit when it comes to my hair!!! I love that we can switch it up!!! I wear it curly, I braid it, and I am seriously thinking about sister locs!!! So as a community of natural we should embrace our differences and celebrate each other!!!

I am European I have wavy hair , I was told to brush my hair out it looks messy . I know how it feels because i was bullied a lot by classmates and teachers because of my hair .

i’m not part of the natural hair community, i’m a white guy with very similar hair to yours, and i found this channel looking for products and hair ties for my hair. i’ve always been told what ingredients were supposed to be bad, but you were the first person i’ve found that actually explained why those ingredients were harmful. thank you for making such informational videos, cuz even me, someone quite far removed from the community, your videos are super useful. (also i’ve been using hask products in my hair for years now, which are all paraben, sulfate, and silicone free)

I have 4c hair and a lot of the tutorials online show how to make my hair not look like 4c hair, which I guess I don’t mind, but it’s kinda not fair that looser textures have tutorials that showcase their curls.

I love that you brought this topic to your channel. I never felt judged by you; if anything I've only felt inspired and encouraged. At the end of the day this is all based on perspective for the individual. As a community all we should be doing is showing support and being respectful. Much love! ❤️

Great content. I appreciate that we can acknowledge that there is so much toxicity and bullying going on in the natural hair community. I started out following the 20 steps and all the madness. The process was overwhelming and time consuming. The moment I started educating myself and found a routine that works for me, my hair began the thrive and grew down my back. I plan to reach tailbone by years end. Now, that said I am an old exclusive straight natural. I wash, deep condition, and flat iron my hair once a month. The process takes me about 2 hours start to finish. That said, I stay ready to pop off on a bully because I lived both realities and I switched to what works for me. So if have never grown tailbone hair I don’t even listen. It takes someone who has been on the journey to blaze the trail period. I broke all the “rules”and followed what works for me and my crown.

I feel like the "movement" became necessary because there was not enough products or representation for people with tighter/kinkier textures and it's has been hijacked by people with looser textures who didn't have that big of a problem in the first place. I can understand the ppl with looser hair who were forced to straighten wanting to grow out their hair in it's natural state. But I do feel like the people who started the movement have been shoved to the back.

Omg omg! I was waiting for a moment in the day when I could truly sit down and watch you. Bravo Bianca! I fall into that unknown community. I am Afro Dominican. I fight on a daily basis with the entity I grew up with enforced from the Dominican culture that I have “Pelo Malo” or “un pajon” ( bad hair and Afro respectively.) since I decided 2 years ago to do the big chop I have had 3 big chops since then. My hair is so healthy and shiny and strong since I did it . I have accepted all of me and embrace who I am. This convo soo needed to be had. I totally can see where I fall into discrimination because I follow the thought that to be natural is not straight. Going forward I will correct myself and be the example for others to follow. Thank you soo soo soo much for having this convo and shouting out the toxic Dominican culture that I try to change within my family, friends and neighbors. Love yah girl!! And your hair is fiyah! 🥰🥴😍😍

B, you've said so much here! Girl, you've never been a bully, you're just passionate! And your even apologizing just in case you might have come off that way shows how far you've come in conquering the need for 'perfectionism' you once described. Your channel is so lovely & positive! I only watch channels I truly enjoy & that I feel happy for having given my time & attention to... it's my time to relax. Ppl are entitled to have & express honest concerns, & we can all learn so much from listening to each other. But that is different from the types of ppl who just want to constantly pump negativity & toxicity out into the world & bully anyone they can. No time for that ish, life's too precious & I'm too grown! 😘 xoxo

I don’t get why non-Black people want to butt into the natural hair community. It formed precisely because of anti-Black hair history. Us other wavy/curly folk have the general curly hair community. We don’t need to jump on the bandwagon, we can easily be best buds without butting in.

This video was soooo needed. I have neglected going on my curl journey for so long bc of so many of these reasons. Not to mention when you are going on your curl journey some people will tear you down bc you didn’t always leave your hair curly and now it’s “ too late” this community needs to remember where we came from and why we started. We are supposed to bring people together. Not tear them apart.

I am white and I have wavy/curly hair. I use drugstore products and sometimes use silicones AND I watch you ALL the time. You have taught me about ingredients and I am forever indebted. I don’t feel judged by you or anyone!

Hey Bianca, I wanted to say thank you so much for your tutorials and videos. I've been following you for the longest time, and some of the tips you give I follow, but some others just doesn't work for me. I take what works and leave what doesn't. I feel that you do an excellent job explaining product's ingredients and what works for you. I have learned so much from watching you! I'm dominican and wear my hair both curly and straight because that's what I like, just like you said, do what you like to your hair, as long as it makes you feel good!!

Ok, pausing the video 😅 You can do to your hair whatever the f you want and NO ONE but you should have an opinion about it. Now, if you destroy it through chemicals, fryirons, and whatnot and have no clue on how to get your curls back, following Bianca's advices and yearly challenges might be a great starting point. But like everything in life, you have to put in the work and be consistent. I used to relax my hair once or twice a year because everyone said I looked better with straight hair and I believed it. I didn't really care about how I FELT when doing this until my hair was an absolute nightmare of damage. Feeling somewhat "pushed" (but also super encouraged!) by your content, Bianca, by your challenges, I've gotten my beautiful naturally curly hair back from the dead in a litter over 2 years. So, no, no, NO, I've never felt personally victimized by you. On the contrary, you've really made things clear to me with your straightforward opinions and advices ❤️

As I remember my generations natural hair movement was about loving the hair that came from our head and seeing ourselves as beautiful without the need to straighten our hair. It was about Black beauty. Even back in the day the negativity towards my natural hair came from Black women.

Hi from Puerto Rico. Very good topic. Here on the island there is a beautiful awakening for wearing your "natural hair", but there is still a lot of internalized discrimination and external cultural discrimination. Is a work in progress. Here "natural" or curly hair is called "pelo malo", which translates to "bad hair". This kind of verbalization does stem from a historic racism in our culture. Hair that seems "unmanageable" or "messy" is called "pelo malo" (bad hair). Unfortunately the people that usually presented with this "pelo malo" where black or mixed people. Therefore, people where taught to break away from that; to be better or "mejorar la raza" (better the race). Terrible. I know. I promise, it's getting better, but there is a long way to go Wear what you want to wear!

I now understand why black women say that we aren’t black if we are mixed. We pretend that we don’t get privileges and WE also take opportunities from 100% black women. The thing is type 4 hair representation shouldn’t be “getting better” this MOVEMENT was about them! It was their REPRESENTATION! This natural hair movement was theirs, it’s toxic because we took it and NOW they’re (type 4) told they are Not good enough to be in THEIR own movement. And some of us mixed women pretend as if we don’t see this because we gain from it.

I love my curly hair, normally after the wash day I’m going to use it in a bun, I try to style it following different styling products or tips… however I do like to straighten ir now an then trying to protect my hair when I do it.

I am over 50 and never knew I had curly hair until I was over 28. I never knew how to care of it until 50. So…..I brushed it out wet, used curling irons and the like. I am a white woman with naturally curly hair. I no longer wear my hair up in a ponytail or messy bun 95% of the time! I love my curls. I haven’t died my hair in 20 years. I rock my curls, wearing them down or with a few tiny claw clips and I LOVE IT! I had always wanted curls! For decades I had permed and then curled my hair and never achieved what I have now (after recovering from nearly loosing it all to DC.) Use whatever works for YOU, despite to whom it is marketed or what any group or”manual” says! HUMANS are Toxic! Far too many focus on the .01% of DNA that separates us and not on the 99.99% that Unites us! Show love, not hate! That doesn’t mean you have to agree! It means being loving and kind to others! Bianca, you are a gorgeous woman with a sweet spirit. Thanks for all the love, sarcasm, en and knowledge!!!

Natural hair is non relaxed hair. It stems from the black community bc before it was looked down on to wear your type 4 hair out freely. It was seen as unkept. Power to the curly girls rocking their curly but this fight was for the black women and particulate the ones who look black not the racially ambiguous ones

God I’m glad that you made this video! You brought up gripes that I’ve had with this community for the past 3-ish years. I just wish people would be proud of the hair type that they have regardless of what it is or who you are. There is one thing though that I have seen in the “natural hair” community that you perhaps didn’t know about. There are people who crap on curly haired people who use DIY or all natural products. The argument is that we (primarily Black women) are trying to copy our South Asian cousins’ hair growth when “we’re not supposed to have that kind of hair length/growth.” I honestly hate it because I went from being a Cantu user and hating my hair to loving my hair and making my own oils, hair butters, and even cleansers. Why encourage people to stop doing something when it’s natural and it WORKS FOR THEM??!

13:30 I relate to this part so much but I’m Mexican and white and many people have told me I’m not Mexican because I’m also white and it always feels very discriminating to me and my dad. I also have curly hair but mine is more loose like around 3a and many people that have more curlier hair have told me my hair isn’t curly and made me feel very bad about it. Also I love you so much you’ve helped me so much especially because I never got much help from my mom with my curly hair and not having my dad in my life that has very curly hair thank you so much again :)!

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I STOPPED PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO ANY OF THE NATURAL HAIR OR CURLY HAIR GROUPS ON FACEBOOK, BECAUSE OF THE TOXICITY & BASICALLY JUST THE RUDENESS OF PPL OVER THERE, YOU CAN'T EVEN GIVE AN OPINION WITHOUT GETTING A BACKLASH AND I DON'T NEED THAT SHIT 😣

Girl bye.

Thank you so much! I have learned a lot from your channel and others as well! For me, the curly hair community is a place where you can learn about your curls without judgement. I also treat the videos and posts as educational. I look at what the reviews are then I decide what might work for my hair because everyone's hair is different! It also takes years to understand your hair, and it may take longer than you expect. When I first started researching about the curly hair products, I just wanted affordable products that could keep my hair strong after my desires to box dye.. also I lived in smalltown Alaska, and it was easier for me to get "drugstore" products such as Shea Moisture and Maui Moisture. Neither product worked for me, but they work for others and that's all that matters. Now, I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I have a lot of access to more items, and I am learning about caring for my hair in the desert! Right now I am trying Love, Beauty, and Planet shampoo and conditioner. And I am also trying Briosio hair masks, gels, ulta style things that were not in AK (unless you were in Anchorage). It's up to me to find the products that work and what my hair goals are. However, watching BiancaReneeToday, Penny Tovar, India Batson, Ayesha Malek, and other channels have greatly helped.. and still continue to help. Bianca may be sad for me about my haircut because it was cut too short, and I am okay with that, I actually am encouraged to hear her responses because now I know where to go for curly haircuts... but all I can do is rock this hair cut until my hair grows :)

i never felt judged or personally victimized by you i always felt like i was getting real help from you; now my hair is two inches past my shoulders and my curls are back thanks to you! i love and appreciate all the curly knowledge youve passed to me! i love you and your beautiful natural hair!

Your comment about 7:30 mins in is spot on! I feel like so many other people are judgmental about how others do their hair/ take care of their hair. Like you said it’s YOUR hair. I’ve always seen it as more encouragement when you say not to straighten your hair. I struggled with loving my curls for a LONG time throughout school years. I still struggle now. I see all these women with beautiful straight hair, and I’m jealous of how their hair looks so manageable, and they don’t have to take as long to do their hair. But at the same time I know people who would kill to have beautiful curls.

This was an interesting watch! I’m 1/4 black on my granddads side…so i have an olivey complexion, curly hair, get mistaken for Italian more than anything 🙈 but I feel like calling myself “white” would be sort of erasing a whole part of my family tree, it that makes sense? I thought that “natural hair” stemmed from the Natural Hair Movement of the 60s so I wouldn’t use it myself - maybe natural curls, but not natural hair. It’s a really difficult one because everyone sees it differently!

I have mixed hair textures and I “wasn’t fully natural”when I transitioned because I blow dried my hair weekly and cut off my hair over a period of time. I didn’t do a big chop!!! My hair dresser gave me to best advice. For you to succeed at transitioning to natural, you have to do what works for you. Now my hair is getting longer and easier to wear it natural cuz my hair is so thick with many curly patterns. And I’m so happy I embraced the journey that worked for me!

I am so glad I found your channel and that you are Not running away from controversial topics. I am a 53 yr old Dominican woman who stopped relaxing over 12 years ago. I chose to cover my premature grays, rock my type 3 curls. I’m just recently becoming familiar with terms like curls types, porosity, etc. When I decided to go natural, and yes, Natural, I got a lot of criticism. However, I also became some type of trend-setter and many women in my family and friends from various ethnicities started going natural too. Fast forward 2 years ago, I started regularly going to my hairdresser to blow outs, out of convenience due to my hectic schedule. Then, I naively allowed someone to do a Brazilian botox which I thought was a deep conditioner. Now, I’m trying to restore my curls and educate myself (hence is how I found you, 2 days ago). I feel hopeful, as I see all if not most of my Dominican high school students relishing in the freedom of natural curls. Still, I’m about to say something to one of my Latina colleagues who keeps asking our students with natural curls to “get a comb” and make themselves presentable. Today, I made up my mind to have a conversation about building up our All our students so they feel proud about their beauty, and diversity in all shades and styles. So I agree with you 100%. Style your hair they way you like it or the way it works best for you but do not give into bias, ignorance and negative pressure. Keep up the good work! There is hope.

A girl made her senior quote in the yearbook to not use Cantu 😭 it was hilarious but I was using Cantu

Thank you for making this video. You discussed a lot of important topics. I've been on healthy hair journey for about 6 years now, and just big chopped last May. Used many of your recommended products, while I was still relaxed. Now that I'm natural, I know my years of watching natural hair influencers are helping me accept my 4c hair more easily. I agree that many 4c women seem to try to change their appearance of their curls by doing twist outs, braid outs and other stretched styles. Thankful for the positive voices like yours, that help me to be happy with my hair in a wash and go!

I have 4C hair and i just want to thank you for creating your channel for us curly/coily hair community, I appreciate you so much and keep doing what you're doing. It's amazing how as we progress in something that's encouraging and positive, we always find a way to tarnish all that progression to the point where we become divided AGAIN. That's why these conversations are important to have, especially in the curly/coily hair community. What helped me is discovering that natural ingredients in the products I use actually improved my hair health, as well as discovering the different hair textures that i have, instead of just one type which is normal. The judgement and discrimination NOW is insane. Its to the point if you use a "canceled" hair product, you're immediately CANCELED. We need to show love to each other by not judging each other but having discussions like this often so we can educate each other and not discriminate each other, let us be willing to understand and be more aware.

YES, I do enjoy all your styles of videos, but since you asked specifically... I like the conversation plus hair style duo. I WILL almost never watch someone just sitting in front of the camera talking for 20 minutes straight without some other visual aid. AND THANK YOU for touching on this topic. I am just a handful of months into this curly/natural hair journey but only 2 months of actual practice and heat tool free. I am shocked by all the hate and judgement from people in the curly community but also people OUTSIDE the community with so many weird comments and opinions. Thank you for spreading love and kindness. Be the light :)

I wash & go more when it’s warm/ humid and then I straighten it when it gets colder. I have no issue with my curls after straightening. I wrap at night when it’s straight so I don’t put heat on it everyday. It works for me and I’m glad your telling everyone to do what’s best for them. I feel great about my hair no matter what even when I get protective styles. I have never felt judged by you or your vids. I love your content!

The origins could be traced back to Afros, but then relaxers and jheri curls were the rage😅 However, the origins of the actual movement, not using relaxers and highlighting curl pattern, were really type 3 textures. Type 4 natural styles didn't even start blowing up until tumblr pinterest and other forms of social media were really able to share the beauty of the styles globally. This perception that the movement was hijacked is false, because afro styles simply fell out of style. 3b/c just was able to use gels and jheri curl products, instead of relaxers. Those products weren't as effective on type 4 hair.

Minute 6:19 of your video spoke to me. It would big me to when I would straighten my hair and get so many more compliments than I ever got wearing my curls. That right there is what made me want to search for channels like yours. I was determined to show the people in my life that my curls are worth complimenting. Thank you for all the work you (and your editor) put in to your videos.

Much needed video 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 You’ve been on a roll Bianca!! I’m so glad you’re trying out Miche (mee-sh)! Your channel has always been super helpful and very encouraging! Your statements about your experiences as a mixed woman really resonated with me. Growing up a multiracial child of color (Ethiopian, Latina & Middle Eastern), it was very hard for me to “fit in” because I was never ______ enough and almost felt like I didn’t belong to a particular group. I don’t say this to lessen or discount the experiences of non mixed people. Members of the natural hair journey has been a way for me to connect with my culture and equip me with the knowledge to fix my hair and my future children’s hair. It’s also been eye opening to learn why texture hair wasn’t celebrated historically and why bills such as the Crown Act are still so important to fight for. It’s important that within the natural hair community, we truly LIFT and CELEBRATE all hair textures. Thank you for always keeping 💯 and I cannot wait for next week’s videos!

I was always told growing up by other kids that were my age or older that I had to be mixed with something because I have a looser curl pattern. They always told me that I couldn’t be fully black or majority black🥲

I've gotten to the point where I can't talk to people about my hair etc because I get criticized for every little thing. I feel very solitary in my technique but my hair rocks! 😋

You are the person that got me to embrace my curly hair so thank you. 3 years without straightening and it has made me learn how to actually style it.

I’m glad you provided all the definitions for “natural hair”. To me natural hair was no alteration of your texture by heat or chemicals and only using natural products. I never knew that it meant something different depending on who you are. I have never bleached or dyed my hair. Have never changed the color of it in its entirety. Did highlights just once years ago (to try it and didn’t like them) but other than that…been natural! because of you: I haven’t straightened my hair since I found you I live a silicone & sulfate FREE lifestyle One thing that surprises me is to see how every so often (once in a blue moon) I see comments of some of your fans approve of the use of silicones and that’s them and that’s fine!

I don’t feel victimized by people that have product ingredient preferences no more than I feel victimized by someone with dietary preferences. The difference between different preferences and toxicity is when you make someone feel like they are wrong or bad for the way their preferences are different.

When I was in high school, the moment I got a hair straightener, I straightened my hair EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I thought my curly hair was part of what made me ugly. As an adult, I discovered the natural hair community, and it helped me learn a lot and gain confidence in my hair as it is. I know the natural hair community was initially established to empower black women, but it feels like it made an even bigger, overall impact on today’s beauty standards in general.

as a mixed white/latina woman I can say i’m incredibly grateful for the acceptance i’ve felt in the natural hair community. most of the people who don’t accept me are actually white people. I once had a white woman come up to me at a nas concert and ask “how I got my hair to look like that” because she kept trying to perm it and it didn’t work. I had to tell her “i’m puerto rican and jewish so this is my natural hair” and it felt really weird that someone didn’t believe this was my hair and also that they are planning on “trying out” my hair texture for fun. not the first or last time a white person told me my hair looked permed. i also went to an extremely white school and was the only non-black girl with type 3b/c hair and was only ever told my hair was pretty growing up when i straightened it. i’ve also had multiple white hair stylists tell me I should relax my curls. for this reason I only get my hair done by black, latina or mixed stylists who have curly hair themselves. the fact is that, even though white, latina and mixed women don’t experience anywhere near the discrimination of black women for our hair, we are sometimes still seen as “other” for our natural born hair textures and taught not to love our hair. most people in the natural community I meet seem to understand that. i think the real problem is under representation of type 4 hair in media and product formulation.

Hi Bianca, I will say I started watching your videos because I wanted my hair to look like yours. Only after a few years of experimentation did I realize my hair was never going to look like yours, and that’s OK. I remember when I was younger and used to get relaxers if I drenched my hair with gel and conditioner I would have a loose curl pattern like yours and I thought I was the bomb, lol! That was until it dried into a little Afro (if I didn’t use enough gel), or stayed stiff like Ramen noodles (if I used too much gel). You encouraged me to get my first devacut and learn more about what it was going to take to get my natural, unrelaxed but still terribly heat damaged, hair healthy. I very much enjoyed when you did collaborations with other curly girls and that’s how I branched off and found some techniques that finally worked for me and my curls. The fact that people are out here hatin’ is such a waste of time and energy. Just be happy that all curl types and textures are living their best life and FINALLY being able to wear their hair the way it grows from their scalp without shame. ♥️♥️♥️

I loved this video!!! It’s so important to talk about these kinds of topics. At the end of the day, we all should be showing love and supporting one another through their hair journey.

Bianca I completely agree with we should be comfortable to wear our hair the way we were born with how we want . But I was brought up that natural hair is hair that hasn't been or no longer permed or relaxed. Blow drying and flat ironing is fine as long as you don't over due it and heat protect when due. Coloring your hair is fine as long as it is done correctly(salon or following instructions) I did fall into the strait hair trap as a kid and begged my mom for a perm she didn't want to but caved. I can now say I haven't had any perm or relaxer since 2007. I do blow dry and flat iron my hair on occasion when I feel like it and I have colored my hair and worn braids. Ain't nothing wrong with changing up your look every now and again. Protective styles Rock. So rocke them how you want!❤️😁💕

For me, “natural hair” is hair that has not been chemical altered . The natural hair community was started by black women because nobody was celebrating natural hair with a tighter curl pattern . A loose curl patterns was always acceptable. It’s saddens me to know the people who created the platform are now being overlooked.

This was such a good topic! I certainly been guilty of being against straightening curly hair but mostly when is done to kids (and I talk to the parents about options they could use, to the child I usually say they look very pretty with both their curly and straightened hair). Mostly because I know how impactful are the reactions of the adults to a kid who all of the sudden has straight hair...and so they can drive said kid to want straight hair merely because of the way others are reacting to them. Also, good thing I saw this video before I suggested talking about the media jumping into the curly hair trend because you did touch on it for a bit. I think it could be a topic to expand maybe on a different video. :)

Thank you for calling this out! It’s horrible and exhausting to see so much discrimination in the community. I feel that we all should just do what we want with our hair and leave other people alone. We’re all great just the way we are!

I'm of Mixed Black Heritage, when I have products to style my hair, my curls elongate and are wavy and big loop curls. But when I run out of products due to low income or not having enough money to buy some of my fave products due to them being super expensive. when my hair is bone dry it poofs out and gets wooly and wild, and drinks up. My parents often tell me to cut my hair when it takes me 2 years to grow it out. for my music career as well as a masculine man who was forced to cut it as a child by my dad. Since high school, I began to embrace the wavy loop curls that I loved. Ive decided to love my curls and embrace all of the man that i am and who i am becoming even if my parents don't agree with me growing long curly hair.