It's aaallll about the hair.

I had no idea that black women had to go through all that just so they could have "good hair." I knew it took a lot of time because of some friends, but I didn't know it could wind up being that expensive.

Oddly, enough as a white girl with baby fine, straight hair, I felt I could relate on the subject of spending whatever amount of money on hair just so it looks good. Seriously, I think I spend more money on my hair than anything else. Between trims that are $45 and cuts about $60, hair color from $3.00 (box), $8-$14 (manic panic and all that) and $60-$96 (profesional), a $45 hair mask, $75 extension (clip ins), anywhere from $120-$20 straighteners, and numerous other products, I spend I ridiculous amount of money on my hair. Why do all this? Well, as one girl said in the movie, "I get bored."

Another thing I was surprised by was the relaxing chemical. I thought bleach was bad with it's itchy-burning-ness, oh no, that's like a piece of cake compared to risking getting your scalped burned. Like seriously, mad props to you if you're willing to go through with relaxing, mad props.

But it also got me thinking again about something that I've thought about quite often, "When did women start believing they need to do these things to be beautiful?" I wrote something about that a few of years ago, and I decided to share it (keep in mind, I was only 16 when I wrote this, and yeah, it was really written in that obnoxious blue color):

March 21, 2007

So it was after testing, and everyone else was watching a movie, I was like, "Hey, I'm bored. I'm gonna listen to my mp3 player and do my make-up." And so I did.

Shortly after finishing my face, I began to wonder, "When did I start believing I looked better with make-up?"

Since then I've been wondering all day what mirror first told me this and why do I believe in order to feel beautiful that I have to apply eyeliner and mascara. Then I started asking a bigger question... When did women start believing they needed this to feel beautiful?

Who decided that flaws were imperfect? Who decided that freckles weren't cute? Who decided that healthy pink skin was out and bronzed skin was in? Who decided that your lips just aren't red enough? Who decided that it was uncute to have short eyelashes? This I have a major problem with.

I know this might sound a bit odd, but I truley do love the ones I do for they're so called "imperfections." And I'm sure many will agree, without these, people wouldn't be who they are. So why are we covering up the things we are adored for the most?

The saddest part is, even after writing this I'm still going to feel unpretty without that eyeliner. I'm still going to cover my "imperfections', and I'm still going to be unhappy about it. I'll still be waiting to feel happy in my own skin and who I am. And one day, I will find my perfect picture.

I know that really had nothing to do with hair, but it still applies to the concept of what's "beautiful" or "good." It's just sad to know that they're are so many more things that society dictates about beauty.