Twist-outs, flat twists, locks and ‘fros: In the last few years, what many considered a fringe phenomenon has now become a full-fledged revolution. African-American women are eschewing chemical straighteners to embrace their natural hair.

According to marketing research company Mintel, sales of hair relaxers (the lye-based chemical products that temporarily flattens the coils) have steadily decreased 26 percent in the last few years. They account for only 21 percent of all hair care sales because of consumers opting for moisturizers, pomades and other items meant to work with, instead of against, their given texture.

As the natural hair movement grew, some discovered an opportunity to trade grooming tips, compare brands and develop a coalition of trusted vendors and stylists. Founded in 2007 by natural hair enthusiast De Johnson, D-FW’s Nappiology Expo being one of them. Founded in 2007 by natural hair enthusiast De Johnson, the Nappiology Expo educates and celebrates the individuality of curly/coily hair, hosts workshops and encourages networking between those who are curious about, cater to, or currently wear their tresses chemical-free.

“You don’t have to have natural hair to be there, it’s open for everyone looking for an awesome experience,” Johnson said recently. “We offer entertainment, education and self-awareness—- it’s a one-stop shop for natural beauty.”

The theme of this year’s event is “Healthy Mind, Body and Hair.” “We want to bring awareness to the fact that you have to exercise and watch what you eat and drink to have healthy hair,” Johnson said. “I always tell people to visit a professional for their personal health, but we want to just offer friendly reminders to make better choices overall.”
Nappiology began as a small meet-up group and currently has more than 3,000 members. In addition to products and accessories for sale, there will be several workshops and speakers sharing their own knowledge and personal journeys, including talk show host and former WFAA anchor Rene Syler and NBC reporter-turned public relations professional, Ramona Logan.
Logan, who will share her experience with newly-natural hair in a presentation called “Finally Free: The Journey To A 5 Minute Curly Natural,” also confessed that it took attending just one workshop at a Nappiology event to free her from the urge to use hair relaxer ever again (jokingly referred to among naturals as ‘the creamy crack’).

“I liked all the different styles I was seeing,” Logan says,”but I wasn’t sure of what to do.” In the three years that she went natural, her styles ranged from micro-braids, roller-sets, flexi-rods and what she laughingly refers to as ‘5 Minute Hair.’

“First it was all about, ‘Do I have time to wash my hair, dry my hair, roll up my hair?’ But now that I’ve found the right brand to use, I practically just finger-fluff and go!” Logan chuckled. “It’s all about finding the right product for the look that you want and the lifestyle you have. I don’t want to even mess with my hair, okay? I had to do that everyday as a news anchor.”

2014 Nappiology Expo: A Healthy Mind, Body, and Hair Event
Sunday Nov. 2, 2014
Grapevine Convention Center
1209 S Main St
Grapevine, TX
Grapevine, TX on SUNDAY, November 2, 2014.

General Admission to Expo exhibits is $10 (at the door)
Workshop sessions + Expo is $20