This month I’ll be celebrating 10 years on my natural hair journey. I have learned so much over the years about my hair in it’s natural state. I’ve also been lucky enough to share my findings through my videos on my YouTube channel and here on my blog. In today’s post I want to share some tips for anyone who is just starting their natural hair journey.
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Transitioning to Natural Hair
Starting out I was a little nervous about leaving my relaxer behind because it was all I knew. I remember wondering what my hair would actually be like once I finally went natural. Honestly, I wasn’t even certain if it was something that I would be able to keep up with because I felt like there was so much to learn. Thankfully I gave myself time to gather information on natural haircare during my transition to natural hair.
Some people just go for the big chop early on but I really think the transition period is important for finding out what going natural will look like for you. You can also use the time to try out products and methods. My favorites were roller setting and deep conditioning. My hair really flourished once I started deep conditioning which I later added to my natural hair regimen. Using small rollers also helped because they gave me tight curls which gave me a sneak peek at what my hair would be like after the big chop.
Build a Hair Regimen
You don’t have to have natural hair to employ a healthy hair regimen. Having a routine just helps so that you have something to follow in those early months when you are going natural. Some basic things to include in a hair regimen would be things like cleansing, conditioning and moisturizing. You want to decide how often you’ll be doing those things and with what products.
The products that you choose will depend on your hair type and your hair’s porosity. Early on I found information on using products with all natural ingredients and made some of my own like my aloe vera leave in spray. I also experimented with the few products I found at the store based on suggestions from online reviews. After a lot of trial and error I finally figured out what worked best for my hair. My current regimen includes cleansing my hair once per week with shampoo and doing a cowash mid-week. My hair also thrives when I deep condition once a week. I’m always changing things up as far as products are concerned but have a few faves in my arsenal.
Embrace Your Natural Hair
I went back and forth with the actual, “should I go natural,” question. The idea that I didn’t know what my hair would be like kept me on the fence. I was even to the point where I was calling and asking my parents to describe my hair when I was a child. I mean really? That’s how I knew that it was time to go natural. Right then I decided to see it through no matter what. I figured I was relaxed for all those years so why not be natural for a few years?
After that I started my hair journey and I’ve been here ever since. Now some people may not like having natural hair and that’s okay. I just think that you have to truly embrace it without looking back or you’ll never give your natural hair the chance it deserves. Then when you find yourself attempting to do a twistout for the third time, you’ll stick with it and try to find what works instead of giving up.
Those are some of the things that got me through my first year with natural hair. The journey has been interesting and I still can’t believe that it has been ten years already. You can find some of what I’ve shared over the years by searching my blog or youtube channel.
Be sure to stop by every Wednesday for new Blog Posts!