A lot of Black girls went through the routine of having their natural hair relaxed, washed and straightened when they were younger. Straight hair was a standard of Black beauty back in the late 90s and early 00s, and whether they consciously or unconsciously conformed to it, it was seen as much easier to look after and maintain as well. 

We were always excited to get our hair relaxed, and most of the time through the blinding pain of the thick paste burning our scalps, we gazed awestruck at the little girls on the relaxer packs. With their hair processed to perfection and big bright smiles plastered on their faces, they provided the motivation we needed to brave the pain for just a few more minutes. 

Being a relaxer girl was the ultimate childhood Black girl fantasy and some girls were lucky enough to live it. A lot has changed since then though, and relaxers are no longer a default in the Black community. The natural hair movement arrived and was widely received, as it taught Black girls to love and see the beauty in  their natural hair, and rightly so, 

However, recently, we’ve all taken a trip down memory lane.