Most of the universe has transitioned to natural hair: The Early Adopters started the trend about 10-15 years ago and those of us who were Fast Followers have been all-natural 3-5 years now; but, there may be some newbies out there, still pondering the move and this post is for you, too! Before I start, let me just say that when it comes to time, different people invest it in different things. Some people like to research & investigate recipes for making their own hair care products – I don’t. Some people prefer to spend $50-$100 on a quick trip to the salon every few weeks/months to let other people do the work – I don’t. (Ok, I do fall prey to this when I get tired and frustrated).
You get my point. So let’s get started because I want to share the tips no one is telling you:
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Wash and Go No. Some people believe that once they go natural they will be able to rinse their hair, run their fingers through it and go! This is a myth (unless your ancestors are from a certain part of the world). Each and every style requires work and a LOT of it. In fact, maintaining natural hair is more work than having a relaxer. So, if you’re not up to it, take a few moments now to adjust your budget so you can join the salon club if you actually want to look like somebody (there are days when your hair will NOT feel or LOOK the best).
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Shower Turned Beauty Salon. When you decide to do something with your hair, the shower will be best known to you as your beauty salon. You absolutely must wash, comb out and twist your hair while in the shower, regardless of how you plan to style it. You’ll need an extra 30 minutes for this but you’ll save yourself a TON of time in the end. Your hair WILL shed, a lot. Buy yourself a stop for the drain. You’ll learn to get over it when you realize you do still have hair on your head after the lengthy styling process.
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Oil and Water Do Mix. Because your hair will be DRY and will soak up EVERYTHING you put in it – sort of like a plant that hasn’t been watered in a few days. The water makes it more manageable (see point above) and the oil adds much needed SHEEN. You can use coconut oil or whatever you like. Some people actually carry these items in their purse. #whateverworks
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Save your Money on Products. This is probably the most contentious point. FOR ME, fancy or expensive products do not matter. As long as your shampoo is free of sulfate, you win. Find a leave-in conditioner you can actually afford to use a LOT of and you also win. (see point above about moisture). The gel thing didn’t work for me; but, maybe it will for you! Buy a small container and give it a whirl. Also, the product that worked for your friend may not necessarily work for you. Spend your money FIRST, trying inexpensive products to see if you can find something that suits you. There’s absolutely no way around trying out different products and spending a few dollars along the way, unless of course you can share products with a friend. #whodoesthat I absolutely refuse to spend $50 for 2 tablespoons of anything, unless of course it’s liquid gold.
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Styling. You will struggle. Over. And. Over. Again. No matter how far along you are in your hair care journey. Watch videos on YouTube and ask your friends & family – the key is to plan ahead and be sure to practice before that big picture or work day (remember our talk about time?). You will eventually get tired of that one side-braid you finally learned how to do and when that happens, you will question your sanity. Cry if you must, but you’ll get over that, too. Find an easy go-to style for worst-case scenarios and keep practicing (advice from my sis)!
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Salon. Sitting for 3+ hours, waiting, watching, wondering when it’s your turn. Your beautician overbooks, all the time. I can’t. I mean I physically can’t. So when I DO decide to take the salon plunge, maybe for a trim (straightening not required), I book the first appointment of the day (same with dentist, doctor, etc.) so I’m in and out, no questions asked, no excuses about being “behind schedule” or “client requesting additional services that threw me off”. Twist my hair while it’s wet and I’ll sit under the dryer when I get home thank you very much! Oh and I don’t play the extra $10-$15 deep conditioning game. As long as you are doing maintenance at home and conditioning on a regular basis, that hot hooded-machine is no different than the $3 pack of conditioner you bought from Target. #ihatehairdryers
Bri Alys, LLC 