Yes, you read correctly there are some things I dislike about being natural. For the most part I love it. However, a reader contacted me to ask what are the pros and cons of going natural and how do I recommend beginning the transition from relaxed to natural hair. Let’s start with the pro’s….
- Versatility- you just can’t beat the many options you have when you decide to go natural. You can wear your hair straight, curly, in a Afro or twist out. I love being able to have many choices.
- Health-when I had a perm my hair only grew to a certain length. I noticed once I stopped getting a relaxer, my hair starting growing rapidly. I can only attribute this to giving my hair a break from the relaxer chemicals.
- Image- If you want to stand out then going natural is definitively for you. Think about it wherever you go most women are really into the weaves or relaxers. However, you have a different look when you rock your hair natural.
- Self love-this is the biggest benefit for me, I hated looking in the mirror and feeling like there was something wrong with me because my hair was kinky, puffy and not straight. When you go through the transformation you reach a new level of self acceptance and love.
Con’s
- Transitioning is the hardest part of going natural. You have to get used to see yourself without straight hair, you are redefining your beauty…This is BIG! One of my readers said “I had no idea how to style my hair. I’m not a fan of weaves so that was not a option for me. It was also hard to exercise and then go to directly to work with a pile of mess on my head. I wore my hair in ponytails a great deal, which became very boring. I did put my hair in braids every now and then. I eventually got tired of having 2 textures so I cut it all off.”
- Finding a hair stylist, this can be quite a challenge. I have to say in my 13 years of being natural I have only found about 3 hair stylist that I trust to care for my hair. I have had my share of horror stories with trying to find a stylist who is patient enough to deal with my thick hair and doesn’t try to talk me into getting a relaxer or texturizer. Since natural hair is becoming more popular if you ask around, use google or even youtube you maybe able to find a qualified stylist in your area.
- Trying to find the right product for your hair type is a big issue with lots of naturals. You can really go broke if you try everything out there! You Tube is a great resource for product reviews. Not every product works well for all hair types so be sure to keep your texture in mind and read labels to make sure you are getting good quality ingredients.
Now to answer the last question “How do I recommend going natural?” This really depends on your personal preferences. I decided to cut my relaxer out because I did not want to go through the transition process. The transition process is time consuming and in my experience this is where a lot of people get frustrated and give up. My sister is currently going through the transition process she has used many options a half wig, bantu knots and flat twists. All of these are working well for her and most days you can’t tell the difference between her relaxed hair and natural hair. Take a look at my video on transitioning here.
I am sure I have not covered all of the pro’s and con’s, if you would like to add more please feel free to do so in the comment section.
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| Flat Twist |
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| Braids |
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| Transition Up Do |
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| Half Wig |
What are the some of the best shampoos and conditioners for natural hair? I have hear of deva curl. Do you know anything about it. If it is good for natural hair? Is it better to cut your hair then to grow it out when you are transitioning? What is the everyday hair routine for taking care of black hair. What products should you use on a daily basics?