The way we see beauty continues to evolve to this very day. The standards we upheld ourselves to in the past are slowly beginning to become memories of the past. This includes a recent movement of women choosing to shave their heads— a decision that empowers women a choice to determine what beauty means to them. In other words, gone are the days where we have to hold on to our hair in order to be considered “beautiful” in society.
Not only have these women made the courageous choice to define beauty for themselves, but they are also creating platforms around pushing back on beauty standards. They motivate thousands of other women to feel empowered enough to do the same.
Below, four beauty influencers discuss what inspired them to shave their heads, their self-empowerment journeys, and more.
Kai Denise
Kai Denise is a beauty content creator who viewed her hair as a bonding moment with her mother—spending Sundays between her legs as she braided her hair. Once Denise went off to college, her relationship with her hair changed. She found it difficult to afford the upkeep of her hair and naturally went back to her roots when she had enough.
“I wanted to have this experience cutting it off with my Mom. We stood in my bathroom, took a pair of clippers started with the most extended length and shaved it together,” says Denise. As the chunks of hair fell to the floor, it set a release within her. She was finally free to live a life that didn’t consider her hair. “The experience of trusting and following what made me happy, instead of focusing on the fears of the unknown, empowered me to focus on my happiness and make decisions that feed my soul over anything else.”
Growing up in a Dominican household, Dash Lopez had no freedom to express herself through her hair. This naturally grew a fire in Lopez. She looks forward to the days she can take her hair into her own hands without having to deal with the “pelo malo or pelo bueno” stigma that lives within the Afro-Latino community. As soon as she came of age, she started her journey with a pixie cut, learning that shorter hair made her feel sexier. This discovery permitted Lopez to move forward and completely shave her head.
“I grew into this confidence I never thought I could comfortably feel,” expresses Lopez. Despite comments that Lopez faced along the way, she continued to blossom. She learned beauty has so much range and depth that can only be told through the human experience. Her passion for creativity allowed her to express herself online and find a community of women who share the same mission.
“It also reminds me that hair doesn’t make a woman. I often hear ‘a woman’s glory is in her hair,’ but it’s also a reminder that a woman’s glory is in her intellect, not her hair.” Lopez’s note is worthy of remembrance on National Hair Day. We are not only our hair. We are the many characteristics that makeup what it is to be a woman.
Shalamar Samuels
Shalamar Samuel’s decision to cut her hair was a mix of excitement and apprehension. She had become eager to see a new version of herself and was unbothered by what others thought around her. It was a moment for Samuels to transform into the woman she knew was within her, and she did as the hair that identified her fell to the floor—a new woman was born. “I ran home, looked in the mirror, and was in shock!!! Shock because I pulled it off; I did it!! It felt like I had unlocked a new level in a video game.”
There was a bright light inside the woman who had once chosen to stay small. That light then exploded into Samuel’s boldness to be different. “The boldness of a short haircut boosts my confidence, making a statement about embracing my authenticity and breaking societal norms. It’s a way to reclaim control over my appearance and express individuality,” says Samuels. Her breakthrough has allowed her to find a new mission in advocating for new, diverse perspectives on beauty. She moves in the mission by encouraging others and moving in authenticity.
Ashley Nicholas
As a Black woman, Ashely Nicholas felt her hair was the key to getting jobs and becoming likable in society. This pressure ultimately became the catalyst for her choosing herself. With all the cards on the table, she picked up a pair of scissors and let go of all the barriers she felt confined to. A new chapter was immediately unlocked for Nicholas. For the first time, she had full permission to rewrite her story.
“Cutting my hair has forced me not to hide behind my hair. I feel empowered to stand in my authenticity and take up space unapologetically.” Nicholas has since let go of the fear of appeasing the beauty standards of others. To her, cutting her hair has allowed her light to shine brighter and appreciate other features she possesses. “By cutting off my hair, I’ve brought more attention to my sparkling eyes, bright smile, and dazzling personality. Black women are so much more than our hair; I feel I’m living proof of that.”
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