This is What Motivated Naomi Campbell To Embrace Her Natural Hair

When you think of the breathtaking Naomi Campbell, you probably picture her with long, pin-straight hair or possibly subtle waves flowing down her back. Her crazy long hair is one of her trademark features, and it hasn’t changed much throughout her many years as a public figure. Sure, we’ve seen her grace magazine covers with various hair looks, but that’s par for the course for a supermodel. However, Naomi recently took the beauty world by surprise when she posted a stripped down selfie featuring her natural hair in cornrows she had done in Kenya on Instagram.

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Though the 48-year-old model has spoken of damage to her hair in the past and has popped up with perfectly coiffed curls on occasion over the past couple of years, this is the first time many of us have seen her hair in such a natural state. “I do take more care of my hair now because I lost all of it with extensions,” she told The Evening Standard in an interview back in 2017. “I am more careful and I do different things,” she said.

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Cornrows are a very traditional, tried-and-true protective style for women with natural hair, but they are not typically a style that women of color wear in public or in any sort of glamorous way. For a supermodel who represents a certain standard of beauty like Naomi, showing her natural hair in this way is kind of a big deal. It speaks volumes for the turn the natural hair movement has taken. Thanks to increased acceptance and appreciation of all hair textures, even celebrities are prioritizing healthy haircare, and aren’t as afraid to show a more real side of themselves.

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Since weaves and extensions typically put weight on the roots of the hair, many women experience thinning from extended use and reliance on them, along with damage caused by chemical straightening and coloring treatments. While every woman clearly has the right to style and treat her hair however she prefers, it’s usually a good idea to give the hair a break from time to time and Naomi has obviously gotten the memo.

“People who wear weaves should give themselves a weave break to avoid the risk of traction alopecia. Also, to properly cleanse the scalp and make sure that the health of the hair and scalp is maintained… I believe one should take a weave break every six months or so, for a few weeks,” Naomi’s hairstylist told Essence last year.

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Naomi is honestly so stunning she could go bald and still look amazing, but we’re glad to see she’s embracing her natural hair proudly. We should all be more focused on taking care of our body, mind, and soul than on keeping up perfect appearances.