Are you looking for natural hair tips for beginners? You may be a new natural or maybe you just want to wear out your natural hair. Whether you are transitioning from relaxed hair or damaged hair It’s always great to have some tips when starting out no matter what the reason is.
I don’t want to tell you what you should do but I want to approach this in a way that gives some important perspectives to think about and to consider when going natural. Here are some natural hair tips for beginners.
# 1 Start with simple natural hair care routine.
Now that you’ve decided to transition to natural hair, here is my number 1 tip for you. Take your time and be patient with yourself. This is a very exciting journey and for some, it can be very overwhelming, especially when you are hearing different things from different sources. One person may tell you that you will need to get a specific product while another person may lead you in a different direction. Here is something you should know, your hair is unique and what works for them may not work for you.
This can be very frustrating when starting out because you might blame yourself for doing something wrong when that isn’t the case. When I say that you should be patient with yourself, it means that it will take time for you to know your hair and what works and doesn’t work. After all, if you are transitioning that is a different hair texture than you’re used to. You will have some wins and unfortunately some losses but that is part of the process and it’s completely normal. There is no need for you to stress yourself to get it right from the beginning.
Start out simple and make a list of the key things that you need for your natural hair. For most of the products that you need, you may already have them in your house. A shampoo, conditioner, and possibly a deep conditioner.
Type 4 hair is drier than other hair types which is why moisture is key to healthy hair. You don’t need to break the bank and make a whole shopping list in order to go natural. You can start today! Even if you don’t have some of the products in your house, you can easily whip up your own natural hair products from the comfort of your home with foods that you already have anyways. I know that not everyone has the time to DIY their products so if you don’t have the time or you simply don’t want to do it, then you can always find products that are cheaper.
Nowadays, there are more options to choose from for natural hair and the internet has made it easy for you to look up reviews and videos for those natural hair products. Don’t be scared to make a mistake and enjoy your journey. I can’t say it enough but, start with something simple so that way you don’t get overwhelmed or frustrated.
If all you have is a shampoo and conditioner at home, that’s great and you should start with that. Add a deep conditioner because that will keep your hair conditioned. You can deep condition on a weekly basis or 1x a month however, maybe you will require more or even fewer deep conditioning sessions.
If you want to incorporate more products in your hair care routine such as leave-ins, oils, styling gels/creams that is completely up to you. Just remember the 2 main factors that will lead to healthy natural hair. A clean scalp and moisturized hair will go a long way, you are completely in control of how you choose to get there.
#2 Be consistent
Now that you have a hair care routine set up, it’s time for you to stick to the routine. I know it sounds easy but you will have times where you don’t want to get up to do your hair. I have had times where my hair would get neglected for weeks because I had just become lazy and complacent with my routine. It’s understandable to slack off some time however make sure that you pick up quickly. Leaving your hair unattended for long periods of time causes your hair to be more prone to damage such as breakage and hair knots.
Your hair doesn’t have to be a second job and there are ways to keep your hair protected where you don’t need to constantly have to be in your hair. You don’t have to overdo it because that oftentimes leads to frustrations and could cause you to abandon this journey. There are “lazy” naturalistas out there that have minimalistic hair care routines that are low maintenance and don’t require days of your time. It may take some getting used to if you’re not used to it but keep you’re head up and don’t be discouraged because it’s absolutely worth it.
#3 Be realistic
I know firsthand what it’s like to get frustrated about hair growth. When you see beautiful young ladies with long natural hair promoting get long hair quick products, it can be deceiving. For your own good, it’s very important to have realistic expectations in order for you to not get discouraged. If you ask me, I don’t believe that there’s an ingredient that can speed up your hair growth.
Many of those ladies with long hair did not grow their hair overnight and have been at it for many years. Some haven’t even started to use those products that they are claiming to be responsible for their hair growth before they recommended it to you, which is very deceiving. Your hair grows about ½ inch every month, for some, it’s above the average and for others, it may be less. My point is that you can’t expect yourself to grow your hair to waist-length in 3 months because that’s simply not realistic. It’s equally important that you are patient, consistent and that you don’t compare yourself with others.
Don’t focus so much on the length of your hair, but rather the health of your hair. I know that’s so cliché and it may even sting to hear that. When I started my hair journey, I personally never liked hearing that. It was almost like a shot to the heart and even though it’s not what I wanted to hear, it’s what I needed to hear and now I’m telling you the very same thing. Be realistic!
Final Thoughts
So this is it. Those were some of the tips I wanted to share with you for your natural hair journey. You don’t have to schedule your natural hair journey for next month, you can easily start today. Here’s a recap of a few things that will help you to put things into perspective. Start out with a simple hair care routine for your hair, there’s no need to make it too complicated when you’re just starting out.
After having set up a routine it’s important that you stick to it and for you to be consistent. To finalize this list, it’s important for yourself that you have realistic expectations so you don’t get discouraged. I hope you enjoyed these natural hair tips for beginners and stay in touch for a follow-up on this list.
So, what are some tips that you would share with someone who wants to go natural?
