This post is going to be about all the things I wish I knew when I first went natural. First things first, I wish I really grasped the magnitude of going natural at the onset. For me, and I've said this before, it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't. I cut my hair because I was in the mood for a change. I was in Austin at the time, and there wasn't a big "movement", at least not one I was aware of. Don't get me wrong, I loved my hair short, but I think that was mostly coming from a convenience standpoint. All I had done prior to cutting my hair was relax, although I can't remember when I got my first one, but I permed pretty much throughout junior high and high school. I think I had a texturizer somewhere in there, and I did cut my hair short I think junior year in high school. That should give you a general idea of how I kept my hair...it was just "okay" hair, I never had any spectacular hair days like I do now ;)
Relaxed hair, circa 2004
When I finally went natural in 2004...and after my hair entered that "awkward" stage I didn't know what to do with it. Instead of embracing it, I flat ironed it. First chance I got and then what happens? HEAT DAMAGE!! UGH!!! And in my previous post, I told y'all that my friend specifically warned me that it could happen. It wasn't until this moment that I realized how fragile my hair really was. (Myth #1: Natural hair is STRONGER than relaxed hair false!) Of course after this tragedy, I had no choice but to flat iron it because it was horrible...and that lead me to my 2nd BC in 2006 :/
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| I think this is the only picture I have with a full blown fro |
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| um...yea...the heat damage :( |
So let's fast forward past 2006 to 2007 I pretty much wore braids to get me through my awkward phase. This was good and bad. Good in the sense that it was a protective style, but bad in the sense that I didn't know anything about deep conditioning or taking care of my hair outside of the braids.
I did not know...I just didn't know, and ignorance is bliss. When you know better, you do better :) I bought a bunch of "good" products for my hair, but unbenownst to me, these were not of benefit to my NATURAL hair. These products would've worked great on my relaxed hair, but again, I didn't know any better! I continued to go through the process, just about weekly, of blow drying & flat ironing, flat ironing and blow drying. I dread the process so much that even know that I would love to try and blow out my hair I'm scared. I guess a little bit of fear is good, hey, it worked growing up didn't it! I invested in a Chi flat iron, which really did wonders on my hair, as well as an arsenal of blow dryers, attachments, diffusers, brushes & combs. I really am a product junkie to the core! These tools kept my hair pretty much under control, but boy let that Houston heat and humidity catch me off guard and my sleek style was so through! Before my sister's wedding in 2009 I braided my hair (with hair added) and that was the last time I straightened my hair. HALLELUJAH!
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| The week leading up to my sister's wedding...hair's a mess! |
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| I finally figured out the key to flat ironing my hair - a CHI!! |
All that being said, I wouldn't be where I was today if I didn't go through all that I had been through. Sometimes I wish I had been able to take a class on being natural...it's hard sometimes learning on your own, but if you don't go through certain things, how will you appreciate the good you actually have? Myth #2: All natural hair is the same false! I can tell you all day what works for my hair, but what works for me may not work for you. I choose to use or not use certain ingredients in my hair...not to say that those ingredients may not work wonders for other Naturals, they're just not for me. Now what I think I can say with some certainty is that a particular style may work across the board. Twist outs, braid outs, bantu knots, mini twists...these styles are pretty much universal whether you have 3A or 4C hair.
Another myth stems from lack of correct information. Myth #3: Your hair does not like/need water false! FALSE!!! Your relaxed hair despises water (at least mine did!) but your natural hair NEEDS water. Most of the people I talk to or meet describe their hair as being dry...I can bet 9 times out of 10 they're not giving their hair enough moisture. Water is the only true and consistent moisturizer, if your hair doesn't have it then guess what, it's NOT getting enough moisture! So we as Naturals have to separate our thinking from relaxed to natural...water is your friend!
These were just a few of the things that I wish I knew when I first went natural. My hair would probably be to my waist by now had I known how to take better care of it. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to make this blog. I don't have all the answers, but I think if there were more places spreading good, knowledgeable information about Natural hair care (not that Type F junk on YouTube) then more people would be encouraged to make this lifestyle change.
What are some things you would do differently if you knew better when you started your natural hair journey?
Lisa Michelle :)
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