Natural Hair Tag

Happy New Year once again. Towards the end of last year I added a new tab on the blog for Natural Hair. I decided to share with you my trials and errors that I go through with my hair in order to inspire others and gain feedback from you guys which may assist me. As it’s a new year I’m starting out with a natural hair tag which would give you a little introduction on my natural hair journey. I’m also not going to tag anyone so feel free to participate if you have natural hair!

Let’s get into it.

Tell us about your hair texture ~

My hair is thick and kinky, or at least it was before I decided to straighten it and end up getting heat damage (post coming soon). If I had to use the hair chart I’d say 4C because my curls are extra tight.

How long have you been natural for?

I’ve been natural for 13 months. A newbie still learning the process.

Why did you decided to go natural?

Honestly, I was tired of putting chemicals in my hair. I was at the stage where I was relaxing my hair every 4 weeks or so and I thought that was too much. *It was because I had a short cut and it grew out too quickly* Also, when I was in university my hair was getting so much damage because the water in Texas is harsh AF so it would be breaking, plus being relaxed often as well as putting in a color. It was just a mess and it was time for it to go.

What steps did you take to make the change?

Well, I decided this in July 2016 when I returned home and couldn’t bother to go to the hair dresser, knowing she’d want to cut it some more. Since I wasn’t sure of my natural hair, having relaxed since I was 10 years old I went with the transitioning method of wearing protective styles. By December I was tired of the braids and wanted to give my hair a break but I was unsure of what to do next. So I went to a “natural hair” hair dresser to see what could be done, but there’s also a Barber in the same building (unisex hair salon) and well both himself and my mom who was there coerced me into big chopping. Surprisingly I didn’t cry but it was scary. In the end it turned out I didn’t look too bad so I was okay with it.

Have you ever been tempted to go back to relaxed hair?

Nope. No. NEVER.
If I want straight hair I can get a wig. (No I’m also not getting a blow out and flat-iron again.)

What are your favorite hair products?

Hmmm, this is a bit hard for me because I’m still testing and trying new stuff. However, I think I’m going to take back what I said in my other post and say As I Am Coconut Cowash. I am still on the search for the perfect cream to use for my twist outs/braid outs.

I’ve also been loving Creme of Nature Intensive Conditioning Treatment and Soft and Beautiful Botanicals Moisturizing Shampoo.

What is you to-go hair style and why?

Wash n go with a band over the front, because it’s so easy to do.

Top 5 hair products a newly natural should have

Sadly I can’t give you exact products because I haven’t found the right ones yet. Also, we may have different hair textures so what works for me won’t for you and vice versa.

• Water in a spray bottle
• A deep conditioner
• Oils – castor oil, olive oil
• Leave in conditioner
• Edge control/styling gel

What is your stance on natural and chemical products?

To date I haven’t tried much natural products so I use a lot of store-bought products. However, I do take note of the ingredients in them *not that I know much about them* but I’ve read that for moisture purposes water should be one of the first ingredients. Also I try to use products without sulfates, parabens etc.

I’ve wanted to try natural products but just the thought of putting all those different foods in my hair is weird. Think I’m going to try a protein treatment this weekend though, with mayo etc. (stay tuned) Oh and also incorporating natural aloe vera gel into my water spray bottle.

Share a funny story in regards to your natural hair

Umm this is tough. There was one time I had combed out my hair and had a big afro for two days or so then some day after before I went to work I washed my hair and it shrunk completely. It looked like when I big chopped for the first time. So because my dad is usually asking me what I’m going to do with all that hair (my afro) when my hair shrunk he was shocked. He kept asking if I went to cut my hair and where all my hair went and I just laughed. He didn’t understand the concept of shrinkage. My coworkers also kept asking me the same thing and were so stunned. Smh

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That’s all for now, make sure to stay tuned to my blog for more of my natural hair posts.
Feel free to suggest products and tips as well.

XOXO