Five things you should know before embracing your natural hair

More and more women are embracing their natural hair. It has become more than just a trend with many looking at it as accepting their identity. 

While this is all well and good, going natural has its pros and cons. I remember when I first decided to do away with my chemically straightened hair and embrace my natural kinks and coils. I thought it would save me a bit of money and also make it easier to care for my hair. All in all, I did end up saving a bit of money and time when it came to maintaining my natural hair. However, there are a number of things I wish I had thought about before I went natural.

1. Going natural doesn’t mean you get to neglect your hair

I’m not the best at looking after my hair, I’ve never been. However, going natural taught me that my hair needed just as much care as it did when it had chemical.

There are many factors that go into caring for your natural hair. You have to keep it moisturized, put on a protective style from time to time, etc.

2. Know your hair type

We all have different hair textures. I’m sure that even among your siblings or group of friends you will have noticed that hair texture isn’t the same. As you consider going natural, you need to find out what type of hair you have, i.e. porosity, curl pattern, type, and density. The easiest way to do this is to look for hair bloggers or YouTubers whose hair looks like yours and then do your research on the best products and practices to help you look after your hair type.

3. Establish a hair care routine

How you look after your hair will determine how healthy it is and how long it grows. Think about what you will do daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do exactly what that YouTuber does. Find what works for you and your schedule.

4. Familiarize yourself with hair care terms

When it comes to looking after your natural hair, you will come across a number of terms that can leave you feeling baffled. Do your research and find out what finger detangling is, pre-pooing, twists and flat-twists, protective styles, etc.

5. Set a goal

As you consider going natural, think about why you decided to go natural and what you end goal is. This could include healthier hair, increased length and volume. Just as you set goals for other parts of your life, having a goal for your hair can help motivate you to keep looking after it.