4 Things Natural Hair Beginners Need To Know

Now, I've been natural all my life, but over the past 5 months, I have really been paying attention to my hair. This means giving it what it wants and what works for it. Even though I've only just started listening to my hair and figuring out the best ways to manage it, these things could be really helpful to anyone just starting out.

1. Shampoo and Conditioner

Find a shampoo and conditioner that works for you. It took me a while to find the perfect combination for my hair. I would use random products I had laying around my house and my hair was not happy at all. I recommend finding something that actually would help your hair specifically, not just the first Shea Moisture product you see. Make sure that if your hair is dry you get a product for dry hair, or if your hair is frizzy and never keeps its curls, find a product that would help with that. For me, my hair gets dry really fast, so I use the OGX Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo and Conditioner together. I also dipped my foot into OGX's Damage Remedy + Coconut Miracle Oil line before, but it was not the best choice for my hair. Another Shampoo and Conditioner duo I really liked was the Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration with Coconut Milk & Acacia Senegal. It also gave me amazing results and left my hair feeling hydrated and healthy. Believe me, if you find a perfect duo that works for your hair, it will be happy and repay you by giving you bouncy and defined curls.

2. Styling products

Don't—I repeat don't—keep using a gel that leaves you with crunchy or flaky hair. Using the wrong gel is the worst thing a person with natural hair could do. I mean, probably not the worst, but it is still bad. No one wants their curls to be crunchy, stiff and dry. If a gel you are starting to try out leaves you with dots and speckles in your hair, then that means it must not be mixing well with the other products you are using. I've tried many different kinds of gels in the past. In five months, the best one I've tried was the Eco Styler Black Castor and Flaxseed Oil. It has never left my hair dry or brittle. It made my hair feel moisturized as it held my curls after my wash and gos. It held my curls for four straight days after wash day without any need for me to touch up my hair with any products. The rules that apply to gel apply to moisturizers and leave-ins, as well. I use the Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie with Silk Protein and Neem oil. It does wonders for my hair, just because my hair is so thick and occasionally it is hard to maintain my curls plus the moisture my hair needs at the same time.

3. Detangling

Some people like to just use their hands to detangle their hair. I'm sort of on both sides: I like to finger detangle when I know there are a minimum amount of tangles in my hair. But, if I know that my hair needs some serious detangling, I would use my Denman Large Styling Brush or a wide tooth comb. There are some cons to using the Denman to detangle or style your hair. You may be prone to more breakage by using it and you may shed more hair because of it, but sometimes when you are trying to save time, it may be your only option. Finger detangling for some may take 30 minutes, and for others it may be a hour. Some people just prefer actually using a comb or brush to detangle rather than their fingers. It all depends on the person. For those who really struggle a lot when detangling their hair, I would recommend a detangling spray. The ones I have found that worked for me were under $6.00 and they cut the process down maybe 20-to-40 minutes. They were a big help when I would need them.

4. Leaving Your Hair Alone

Since I'm giving you tips and tricks, or whatever you would call these, I thought maybe I should add this. For me, when I decide to put my hair into a protective style and allow it rest for a couple of weeks or a month-or-two, my hair comes out joyous. My curls pop and my hair just looks flawless. This may only apply to me though, since my hair is still healing from the trauma I put it through all those years that I thought I was helping it. But I really do think if you just let your hair chill and you give it nutrients while its chilling, that it help a lot. A great oil to use while your hair is in a protective style would be the Wild Growth Hair Oil everyone raves about. I use it when my hair is a protective style and when it's out. Even if it is hard for you to leave your hair alone for a couple of weeks, I would just try to keep it in a style that gives it a break. I can never really keep my hair up for a long time just because I like to touch it and love it, but when I do only a week or a couple of days go by until it's back up. I would try to do this, especially in the winter, because the cold doesn't really help your hair at all.

I know this was a lot to read and all, but some people just need to have this info. Trying to maintain healthy natural hair is a struggle sometimes, so it helps when people who know a little something do things like this. I hope you guys enjoyed this! If you did, check out my other stories. I'll try to update or do more things like this on my account. Until then, bye!