Have you been thinking about going natural for some time and are weighing in your options still? You might be asking yourself is it the right thing for you to do, or is it a bad idea?
Now that the natural hair movement has really taken over the world, going natural seems to be the cool thing to do. Everywhere you go you can’t help but notice black women flaunting their kinks and coils for the world to see. There is definitely a big rise in the number of black women all over the world thinking about going natural and ditching their relaxers. Some of these women have been relaxed all of their adult lives. So that means they most likely have no idea what their natural hair looks like.
When it comes to me, I have a slight idea about the natural state of my hair, but I can’t know for sure until I am 100 percent natural.
If you are currently thinking about going natural, that’s great! But you have to be serious about it. Going natural is a decision that should not be taken lightly
Why you might ask.
Going natural can be a breeze for some, and a pain for others. How do I know? I’ve been going back and forth about the possibility in my head for the past 2 months, yeap, 2 months. I still can’t figure it out. That is also the longest I’ve gone without a relaxer.
As much as I hate to admit, I have some insecurities when it comes to my hair. My mind is full of doubts. I battle with the ” What Ifs“. What if I can’t deal with my coils? Then there’s: what if people look at me weird? What if I lose job opportunities because I look different? Each day, a new set of insecurities surfaces in me. I know that although now it is more acceptable for a black woman to walk around wearing her natural hair, it doesn’t stop prejudices and discrimination that we still have to deal with.
What I want to convey is the fact that there is more to going natural than giving up your relaxer. Going natural is also a mental process. You have to be ready to accept and deal with the changes.
Unfortunately, society has set strict standards when it comes to beauty that we’ve all been slaves to at a very early age. And sometimes it is hard to free ourselves from these chains.
So if you are thinking about going natural but are still indecisive because of some the reasons mentioned above or else, here’s a list of 5 things to factor in before you make the switch.
1- Know your hair type
It is exciting to scroll through Instagram and look at beautiful natural hair pictures and imagine the same results on your hair. But people have different hair types and therefore, the styles might look different on you once you try them. Figure out your hair type. If you’ve been relaxed for a long time like me, you probably never really bothered knowing your hair type. It’s an important factor to consider before you take the plunge. Your hair could be curly, wavy, coily/kinky. What looks good on curly hair doesn’t necessarily look goo on kinky hair. Learn more about natural curl patterns here.
2- Once you know your hair type, it should be easier for you to decide whether or not to make the switch.
You should know that it’s a lot easier to manage type 3A hair vs type 4C hair. I’m not saying it’s impossible to get beautiful results with kinkier hair. But if you are looking for an easy way out and you have 4C hair, being natural might not be for you. The frustration might be beyond what you can handle.
3- You will need time.
Taking care of natural hair requires time. Will you be able to dedicate the necessary time to nurture your natural hair? Natural hair needs a lot of care and patience. Being relaxed is far easier than being natural (some may disagree, but I stand by it). One thing I’ve learned these past two months transitioning is that it takes more time to take care of natural hair than it does for relaxed hair. Go Figure!
4- The journey to natural is not always easy
There will be days where you will feel like you’ve mastered the process and days where you will get completely discouraged. This is especially true if you decide to transition instead of doing the big chop. When you’re transitioning you have the “pleasure” of dealing with two textures (natural and relaxed). Dealing with two different textures on your head can be one heck of a painful process. Take it from me.
5- You won’t always feel pretty.
Sounds crazy, but it’s true. I hear women complaining all the time about how unpretty they feel while transitioning. Personally, I sometimes don’t even want to get out of my house because I have no idea what to do with my hair. My 4C hair is so hard to manage that all I want to do sometimes is keep it tucked under my bonnet, and forget all about it. Unfortunately, I can’t always do so.
Related article: Going Natural Is It Really For You
So there you have it on why you should think twice if you’re thinking about going natural.
This list is not to discourage you, it’s just to help you understand the reality of going natural. These are just my personal thoughts on the subject based on my own experience and what I’ve witnessed. I just want you to be aware of what the process of going natural entails so you don’t to take it lightly.
Wearing our natural hair as black women is such as beautiful thing and we should all do it with pride. But if your reason for going natural is just to look cool or to fit in, then you won’t make it far.
Remember there is more to going natural than the physical transformation, your heart has to be in it for the right reasons.
Was it easy for you to make the decision to go natural? Is there anything you’d like to add to the list? Share in the comments below ⇓
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