Haircare is Selfcare – What Our Hair Means to Us
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Haircare is Selfcare – What Our Hair Means to Us

One of the most tragic and jarring bodily changes a woman can face is the loss of her hair. Maybe it seems shallow to think about it this way, but we are attached to our hair. It’s a part of us and that’s ok.  Hair is one of the first things people notice about us […]
Haircare is Selfcare – What Our Hair Means to Us

One of the most tragic and jarring bodily changes a woman can face is the loss of her hair. Maybe it seems shallow to think about it this way, but we are attached to our hair. It's a part of us and that's ok. 

Hair is one of the first things people notice about us when we meet them. It’s only natural, it covers our heads and it jumps out compared to smaller features such as eyes or nose.

When you look in the mirror, the first thing you see is your hair! So, it is clearly an important part of our identity and it should be treated as such!

Hair is part of how we frame our identity

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You’ve probably heard about the joke which states that after a rough breakup or a sudden change, women want to cut bangs to change up their appearance.

And maybe you’ve gone through that phase in your teenage years where you dyed your hair an outrageous color such as blue or a vibrant red, just to revolt against your parents and feel more included in a group of your peers.

Not to mention that hair is also a fashion and stylistic statement. We can express so much just with that little, almost insignificant part of our body! And, as you may have experienced yourself, changing our hair in any capacity can take a toll on our emotions too!

Snipping off even a little bit of it is a big decision! Don’t we all remember 2007 when, amidst a divorce, custody battle, public scrutiny, and constant harassment by paparazzi, Britney Spears went into a hair salon and shaved her own hair off completely?

In this state, Britney claimed that shaving her head was liberating as if she managed to take back at least some control she had lost over her life!

Women’s hair is tied to femininity

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In fact, it’s a valuable source of self-expression we sometimes struggle to accept. Sure, we’ve been taught for the longest time not to be “shallow” and focus on such things, but on the other hand, societal expectations of a woman to look a certain way are high.

Our hair defines us at work, just as much as it defines the way we feel about ourselves, so why not use it as an armor of self-confidence? A good hair day is a good day, after all.

Hair has been tied to femininity since the very beginning of human cultures: women’s hair tended to be longer than men’s, and styled differently with braids, curls, powders, and wigs retraced back to ancient Egypt! Cleopatra’s iconic bob was most likely a wig!

So, it’s clear: femininity and the way each of us expresses our own femininity is closely tied to our hair. It’s a source of self-expression as strong as makeup or clothing.

Just think about the rituals a girl goes through in her life: at weddings, the bride’s hair is almost as important as her dress, placing the veil over your hair is important and a touching moment.

Learning how to tie or braid your long hair, your parent brushing your hair and putting clips in it when you’re a little girl – these experiences are part of bonding with your parents.

But keep this in mind...

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Hair length or style does not define how feminine you are! It says more about what kind of girl you are, what your style is, or even how much effort you like putting into styling your hair.

You are just as much a woman with the shortest hair and the longest! However, you should never feel ashamed of feeling attached to your hair. It’s only natural! Cutting, dying, or changing our hair in any way can be a jarring experience.

We like what we are used to, we know what we look like with the hairstyle we have and we know just how prominent our hair is at defining our faces. So, change, whether it is a voluntary style change or involuntary hair loss, is jarring and scary.

Women who experience alopecia report that it takes a huge mental toll on them, which is understandable. Hair is part of who we are and how we present ourselves, so losing it is no easy feat. So, if you experience hair loss or think your hair is not doing so great nowadays, don’t be ashamed and don’t overthink it!

Take care of it! Many of us overlook the importance of hair care and only take time to go to a hairdresser and maybe run a curling iron through our locks for an event or a date, but so much more goes into keeping our hair looking nice.

It’s not a requirement to have perfectly styled hair every day, but it’s a massive confidence boost when you feel good about your appearance!

Keep in mind that hair care is self-care

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You deserve that time allocated for your hair. Try a hair mask or an oil, see if it improves your hair texture or fixes any problem you are self-conscious about. As much as hair can boost our confidence, a bad hair day can ruin our mood!

Bad hair can cause unnecessary worry and stress, even annoyance at work or school. We’ve certainly experienced a hairstyle that just didn’t sit still our hair annoyingly sticking to our scalp because we got lazy and decided that we could go without a wash or that hair treatment.

Our tip is: don’t sacrifice your precious self-care for other things, you’ll be much happier when you walk into a room and your coworkers praise your hair or you get appreciative glances! It’s all about confidence and your hair is a source of confidence if you treat it right!

And, if you have been struggling with a hair-related issue for a while, do some research, find out what could get rid of that grease, or help you detangle your locks easier. Whatever bothers you about your hair, you might be able to change with just a little effort and it will raise your confidence through the roof!

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