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There’s no denying that laying your edges to perfection is a true art form. Whether hair mavens prefer a toothbrush, rattail comb, or an edge brush, sculpting baby hairs with edge control gel or a pomade is the perfect finishing touch to any hairstyle. However, people have become so obsessed with laid edges, rocking your edges natural has been considered a beauty faux pas.
With the latest “laid baby hair” craze, hair and lifestyle accounts on Instagram often discredit the beauty of natural edges. The idea that natural textures are only acceptable when they’re gelled to perfection, points out very obvious texturism, which defeats the purpose of the natural hair movement.
Laid edges introduced a new problem – Black and Brown women tying their hair down with scarves to the point of a headache, just to solidify a laid hairline. There are plenty of products on the market that can aid in producing sleek baby hairs, but going the extra, (dare I say dangerous) mile just to say that your edges are laid is not worth it.
I recall being told that my hair doesn’t look “fresh” by a woman in college, just because my edge control didn’t hold up and my hair reverted to its natural texture. At the time, I felt embarrassed, but also critical of my natural texture. Thankfully, I had a pep talk with a girlfriend and realized that there is no rulebook to styling your edges.
While I’m a gal that loves to show off my edge laying skills from time to time, I now find beauty in allowing my baby hairs to remain in its natural state. Not only does it help to cut down my styling time in the mornings, but I also don’t feel pressured to constantly touch up my 4B/4C baby hairs throughout the day. Plus, I love the idea of my short tendrils framing my face.
Source: Tatayana Yomary / Tatayana Yomary
As a woman that’s blessed with edges, I understand the logic behind sleek baby hairs. I’ve also learned that not laying my edges doesn’t mean my hair is unkempt. I’m sure that the obsession with laid edges won’t go away anytime soon — especially because our white counterparts have tried to take ownership of the Black hair staple.
Whether you feel like letting your short strands be free or want to rock a sleek style, the choice is yours. Just make sure you’re making the choice for you, not to please other people or live up to a problematic standard.
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