When I was growing up my mother always kept my hair in cute braided styles. Every single day of the week I had braids and only wore my hair down for special occasions. I used to love brushing through my thick hair on wash days but shortly after it was right back in those braids. That is probably a big reason why I love to wear my hair out so much. Hair gurus always tell us that you should wear protective styles for hair growth. I want to enjoy my natural hair so I wear it down about 75% of the time.
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One Thing You Can Do to Start Loving Your Natural Hair
Unfortunately, I’ve met people who haven’t had a pleasant experience when wearing their natural hair out. I’ve been asked what they should do so that they can start wearing curly styles. My response is almost always the same. I usually suggest that they start by having their hair cut into a shape. This goes a long way when it comes to loving your natural hair. Pretty much every style will fall into place once the hair has been shaped. Everything from the wash and go to twistouts & braidouts will look so much more impressive after a shape up.
Find a Stylist That Specializes in Curly and Textured Hair
Going to a stylist can actually be kinda scary but is sometimes the only option for a good cut. You should always look into whether or not they have experience with natural or curly hair before setting an appointment. It may take some time to find someone but this step is key. Then you’ll want to get an idea of what shape you want. Do you want bangs? Are you growing your hair out? Have a plan for what type of cut you want prior to going in.
Where to Find Hair Inspiration
A perfect place to find hair inspiration is Pinterest. If you follow my Fab Natural Hair board you’ll find tons of style ideas for all different hair lengths and textures. I’ve taken a lot of time to curate this Pinterest board so that it has helpful information and images that are beautiful and inspiring. Another great resource is Instagram. If you type in the hashtag followed by things like “wash n go,” “hair to mesmerize” or “curly afro” with no spaces you’ll find plenty of hairstyles for curly hair.
Hair Inspiration on Instagram
There are also many stylists on Instagram who have pages showcasing their work with before and after photos. One of my favorites is the “Curl Doctor,” Shai Amiel who has done curly cuts for Tia Mowry, and Kehlani. His profile has looks he’s done on long, short and mid-length hair and all hair types. Another Insta favorite for curly cut inspiration is CurlPop. This page has lots of hair inspo, before and afters and videos of curly cuts in action. You’re bound to find something that you want for your natural hair now or a style that you can set as a healthy hair goal.
Once you’ve narrowed down the style you want, you can bring a few photos with you to show your stylist the look you are going for. It’s alway a good idea to express to them what your hair goals are at this time. Keep in mind though that a shape up may mean you’ll lose some length. The shape of your choice may also require your stylist to add a few layers. The trade off will be natural hair that falls into a style no matter what. You can do a bomb twistout or wash n’ go without all of the extra effort.
Natural hair is so versatile and should be enjoyed at every length!