The hair grail for new naturals

It’s been approximately six years since I did my big chop. I had done everything from dyeing my permed hair bronze to getting bangs; there was nothing left to do it.

So, I walked into a barbershop, got a buzz cut then proceeded to rock a series of bold fades and tapered cuts for about a year (before I got bored again).

That’s when I started on this honestly exhausting natural hair journey. Unlike now, there weren’t as many resources for women with coarser hair textures.

But over time this has thankfully changed and more women with hair like mine are sharing insight and lessons we’ve learned along the way. 

Ready to ease your journey? 

Know your basics

Social media is a wealth of knowledge for anything you need. It especially has a strong natural hair community; naturals can’t help preaching about protecting your crown and how shea butter fixed their bank accounts.

When starting it’s important to learn certain basics: What products do you need? What is the difference between a moisturiser and an oil? How do you create a routine that works? Why is detangling important? 

As you do your research remember that it’s easy to get sucked in by the consumerism vortex. So, stay away from brand influenced information and focus on hair care techniques, essentials, and maintenance. 

Yes, your favourite hair influencer is lying to you about how much you need that curl cream or scalp massage brush.

She also failed to tell you that fermented rice water smells t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e.

Spend time with your hair 

This brings us to the denial we all start off with- that watching or listening to other naturals will somehow make us competent at managing our own. Let me be the one to tell you that someone can only show you how they do their hair, not how to do yours!

The truth is, you can watch as many tutorials as you want and follow every impressive Naturalista out there and still fail at this natural hair thing. You will fail because instead of catering to your hair’s unique personality your prioritising practices and products that aren’t for you.

The only way for your hair to thrive is by spending time figuring out what works specifically for you. Documentation is a big part of this, and I would strongly recommend taking notes or pictures.  

Your hair isn’t nappy; it’s just not moisturised 

Every time someone says their hair is too hard to manage or that they can’t achieve certain styles because of their coarser texture, I roll my eyes.

Even 4C hair which is the kinkiest texture can be just as ‘dynamic’ as looser curls when cared for properly. 

How? By prioritising moisture which is what keeps our hair pliable. The necessity for moisture cannot be overstated for curly and coily hair types as the makeup of our hair doesn’t allow the natural oils from our scalp to easily travel down the hair shaft; we, therefore, need to find other ways to add moisture. 

If you still find yourself struggling with manageability even after moisturising your hair, then you’re doing it wrong.

Sucks to hear but it means you have to reassess your basics.

A consistent routine trumps hair product every time

There are so many things that are more important than ‘good’ products. You can smother your hair in all the name brands (*cough * Shea Moisture *cough *) you can afford and still have dry or brittle hair, breakage, shedding, and no length retention.

The fact is that no ‘magic’ product can replace regular tender loving care. 

An effective routine is what sets the Naturals living their hair goals apart from the rest of us stragglers. 

Yes, even at this big hair age, I too am still learning and probably will continue to for the duration of my hair affair.

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Instead of blundering through your natural hair journey, use these tips to help you create a strong foundation. Let me know how it goes! Email [email protected]