For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a never-waning faint brown tint to my natural hair. This does not bother me one bit, but I often get asked why my hair is brown, what I’m doing wrong (or right) to possess this hair color and if I would prefer it darker (what!?). It became clear to me that many people expect Afro-textured hair to naturally be jet-black, and anything other than that is a cause for concern. It’s true that brown (or browning) hair might be symptomatic of some conditions, so it’s always a good idea to pull out your magnifying glass and investigate. So let’s investigate!

Is your hair naturally brown?

The first thing to determine is if your hair is naturally brown, in which case end of story :). If you’re a new natural and have no clue what your natural hair looks like (this is a real thing), then ask someone who watched you growing up. Afro-textured (type 4) hair has color variations, and the idea that it has to be jet black is simply bananas. Things are about to get scientific here so pay attention :). Melanin pigments are responsible for hair, skin and eye color. Some different types of melanin include Eumelanin, Pheomelanin, and Neuromelanin. Eumelanin is abundant in the black population and provides brown and black pigment in your hair, skin and eyes. On the other hand, Pheomelanin provides red and yellow pigments. The amount of each type of melanin is typically unique to one’s genetic make-up. So, if your hair has been brown from that start, it’s very likely that this is your natural hair color.

Is your previously dark hair turning brown?

And finally, if your dark hair is turning brown, find out what you are doing differently. The main cause of browning hair is long exposure to the sun. Take some precautions, before you go into the sun cover your hair with a fancy hat, a scarf or use an umbrella. Other culprits include stress (isn’t stress the cause of everything?), diet and chemicals (ingredients in hair products).
There are simple remedies to temporarily darken your hair if you so wish; for instance use more organic hair products, henna, tea and coffee rinses.

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Cover Picture: Whitney Madueke