Whether proudly worn in an afro or hyper-defined by a twist-out, natural hair is finally becoming the choice for many women of colour.
The so-called movement is important because of the message it conveys: that girls and boys with naturally coily, kinky or curly hair can proudly rock the locks they were born with.
Style icons like Lupita Nyong’o and Thandie Newton are outspoken about the preference they have for their natural look and the style statements they’ve made have reverberated across digital spaces.
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Take a look at our gallery of natural hair heroes.
Lupita Nyong'o
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Nyong'o decided to shave her head at 19, after her father jokingly suggested she go for the chop because he was fed-up with the expensive up-keep of her relaxed hair.
Now, the Queen of Katwe star is known not only for her acting chops and brains, but for her beauty too - which of course includes her natural TWA (teeny weeny afro).
Now, the Queen of Katwe star is known not only for her acting chops and brains, but for her beauty too - which of course includes her natural TWA (teeny weeny afro).
Thandie Newton
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Westworld star Thandie Newton wrote about embracing her 'otherness,' including her natural curls, on the popular platform she co-founded with her friend Kay Montano.
"My epiphany came when I realised that I had been holding myselfback – by allowing the mainstream to define and determine who I was," she said.
"Once out of that pecking order I felt liberated, ecstatic and keen to shift the ground for other people who might feel similarly trapped."
"My epiphany came when I realised that I had been holding myselfback – by allowing the mainstream to define and determine who I was," she said.
"Once out of that pecking order I felt liberated, ecstatic and keen to shift the ground for other people who might feel similarly trapped."
Viola Davis
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The Oscar-winning actress told Vulture it took a lot for her to embrace her natural hair: "I had a wig that I wore when I worked out. I never showed my natural hair. It was a crutch, not an enhancement. I was so desperate for people to think that I was beautiful. I had to be liberated from that to a certain extent."
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Solange Knowles
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Solange Knowles told Essence that she actually loves her "natural hair when it's in a twist out and it's been slept on for five days and revived by the steam of the shower." Right on.
Nicole Ari Parker
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Actress and model NA-P told Curls Understood: "I wanted my daughter Sophie to love herself, and hair is a big part of that. So when she saw mommy wearing natural styles she started to embrace the beauty of her own natural hair."
Sanaa Lathan
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Sanaa Lathan often wears her natural hair blow-dried straight. But during the summer of 2016, the actress took to instagram to share a photo of herself donning her hair completely free from manipulation. She captioned it: "Summer '16 is Au Naturel. No Makeup. No Weaves ✊🏿."
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Janelle Monae
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To Essence magazine, Monae said: "I haven’t always paid much attention to my hair, but as I grew older I found the beauty in it. I’ve been natural for many years now.
"I’m an ideas type of girl, and being natural allows me to have more versatility with natural hair. Hair is about options and showing diversity."
"I’m an ideas type of girl, and being natural allows me to have more versatility with natural hair. Hair is about options and showing diversity."
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