Black Hair,
Hard Water

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Excerpt of work:


As a child, I remember wash day vividly. I hated it. I would scream and yell and plead that my mother be gentle. I smelled the burning hair as my mother passed a blow dryer and flatiron through my natural curls. I felt the hot sting against my scalp as the hair products burned and filled the air with a thick cloud of smoke. Occasionally, I would cry as my mother demanded I “turn my head,” or “stay still.” 

After she was done, I had damaged, “manageable,” boring, “perfect,” socially acceptable, straight hair...

Years of doing my hair have helped me to realize and to be grateful for the substantial role water plays in maintaining the health of my hair, though as of late, I have noticed a trend of hard water patterns in Texas. 

Hard water is water that is high in mineral content. This kind of water presents many health risks for drinking, dry skin, and mineral build-up within hair.

Kinky, coily, and curly hair in general takes lots of maintenance, diligence, and care. In combination with the effects of hard water, this can make caring for curly hair types significantly more difficult—although this issue does affect all hair types...