10 THINGS I WISHED I KNEW BEFORE I WENT NATURAL
Pictures like the one above are what we see that makes us want to take the big plunge into the continuously winding hole of being a naturalista.
We all commit to the big chop thinking our hair is going to look like this
And more often than not we end up with something else, so here is my personal advice based on experience.
- Erase the thought of your hair looking like anyone else’s, same way everyone has different fingerprints…everybody’s hair is different.
- It is high maintenance
Gone are the days or way back in secondary school where all you needed to do was wash your hair in the shower and go, maintaining natural hair is expensive!!! And time consuming (bantu knots and twist outs ain’t no joke).
- Prepare to throw out all those products you could use on your relaxed hair, it is bad for natural hair. It contains ingredients that are bad for the health and growth of your hair.
- You can’t shop anywhere for hair products as not every shop carries natural hair friendly products and they are expensive.
- If you intent to go past the TWA (teeny weeny afro stage), you have to invest in a salon that is familiar with natural hair care because all that pulling and tugging will not do your hair any good.
- Say bye bye to leave outs and hello to closures. It gets tiring to constantly keep wearing your weaves in a fringe or pixie cut because you cannot afford to leave out your hair lest you like a chicken they are plucking feathers from. Prepare to invest in closures if you intend to take a break from one look or your work doesn’t permit you to wear your hair out, closures=expensive.
- Be sure of the texture of your hair or better still understand your hair before you decide to make the decision, not everyone’s hair is easy to manage in its natural state.
- Shrinkage is the enemy, natural hair shrinks!!!!!!!!!
Prepare to be dazed by how you go from shoulder length hair to a skull cap when your hair is washed. - Research, Research and Research
Prepare to be dazed by how you go from shoulder length hair to a skull cap when your hair is washed.Read up, watch Youtube Videos, talk to people who are already naturalistas , make sure you are properly equipped with all the information you need but NEVER!! NEVER!!! Assume your hair will turn out like anyone else’s brings me to my final point.
- If you decide to take the plunge, OWN IT!!!!!!
You may look and feel like a fish out of water initially, but confidence sells it everytime.
Chopped off all my hair over 2 years ago and decided to start from scratch, I am currently a dread head and loving every bit of my hair evolving.
If and when you decide to make the decision, own it and be proud of your tresses.
Love,Anu….xx
Images:shorthaircut.com, mynaturalhairevents.com
Let’s see your hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Berry Dakara Blog
Nice info
This post was too real!
Wish I knew these points before going natural too
BLEURGH – http://www.bleurghnow.com
I regret going natural, my hair is hard and it shrinks like crazy
Anu, I love love washing toilets too…I don’t like washing plate! Plus I am a non-practicing engineer (*there should be a cool name for that)…lolz
Anu.. Thank you for this post.. Anytime I see a naturalista.. I go Aww i want to be like that… But my hair is not manageable when it’s due (not relaxed) for just three months… I can’t comb, I have a headache and i literally cry out… I wonder what it’ll be like when or if I go natural…
I know what’s at stake so if I ever take the plunge I’ll either own it or bear my misery with a bold face.. Thanks again..
I’ll keep relaxin for now… But I’ll be watching my hair more to learn how it behaves.
Muah!!