Most of us have heard or experienced horror stories about how difficult it is to care for natural
hair. All-day shampoo sessions, detangling battles, failed styling attempts, and breakage all add
to the struggle.
No matter where you are in your natural hair journey, there’s one thing you should know -
natural hair care doesn’t have to be hard. It can be a journey of acceptance, self-love, and joy.
In this article, I’ll share how you can put your hair struggles in the past!
Craft a Game Plan
What are your natural hair goals? Reducing split ends? Stopping breakage? Reaching a certain
hair length? Going for these goals without a solid plan can lead to frustration, stress, and
wasted time. It’s essential to develop a game plan to pave the way to your goals.
Here are a few things to include in your game plan (at a minimum):
Weekly cleansing sessions with a deep cleansing, no-residue shampoo.
Trims every 8 to 10 weeks to keep split ends at bay.
Going easy on the heavy hair products.
Cultivate a Healthy Mindset
Your hair and your mindset are deeply intertwined. If your mind is full of negativity, that will spill
over into your hair care journey.
Think about it; when transitioning, you’ll be dealing with two different textures - your chemically
treated hair and your newly grown natural hair. In some cases, you could develop breakage at
the line of demarcation between both textures.
If your mindset isn’t right, you might view this as a horrible thing when, in reality, it’s your old hair
making room for new, healthy hair growth.
Here are a few ways to rework your mindset for a healthy hair journey:
Focus on the positives at every turn.
Throw away negative thoughts as soon as they creep up.
Tune out negative people.
Stand firm on your decision to cultivate healthy hair.
Find Your Community
When it comes to pursuing your hair goals, it’s impossible to overestimate the value of a
community of like-minded individuals. There are thousands upon thousands of other Black
women navigating their hair journey. Their support and experiences can help you overcome
hurdles that may come your way.
You can find your people on social media sites, internet groups, and even in person as you go
about your daily life.
Never Stop Learning
If you want a fulfilling natural hair journey without the struggles, it’s time to get educated. Given
the complex nature of hair, there’s always more to learn.
You may be tempted to take your favorite hair bestie’s tips to heart or follow Pinterest hair mask
recipes. But the best information comes from professional sources.
Whether you’re transitioning or starting all over with a big chop, it’s always good to have
professional guidance from a trained hairstylist.
You get just that in my book, “The Great HairRestart.” It covers everything from basic hair care techniques and heat damage repair to curl
pattern enhancement and self-empowerment. It’s a great place to start.
So, there you have it - practical tips to stop your natural hair struggle today. I hope you found all
the information you were looking for, and I wish you the best with your natural hair now and in
the future.
