So, you've gone natural, now what?

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 First things first, Happy New Year🙌🙌. May 2022 be all that you hope for.

Ok, back to the matter at hand. You've done the big chop, are transitioning and you're wondering what next? I've got you.

 Starting something new is bound to be clumsy, messy, and ultimately rewarding. Throughout the years, I've realized going natural is starting a healthy relationship with your tresses. This comes with tears of joy, frustration, and disbelief. No matter, the important thing is you've made that first step, going natural.

Before we get into it, a few disclaimers;

• Every head of hair will respond to various products differently
• One head of hair can have a combination of various textures
• Patience, patience, patience. As with everything meaningful, patience goes a long way.

Now, back to business. Here are a few guiding principles to make the transition smoother.

Start simple

I did my first big chop in 2017, and it was anything but easy. Juggling products, handling my new hair texture, all took a toll which led to many mistakes. What I learned is that, it doesn't have to be hard. All you need is a clear regimen. Here's what I recommend:

Wash day

If your hair is short, there's not much to it. Find a sulfate-free shampoo, a conditioner and you're set. You can always apply a bit of oil after your wash to seal in the moisture. I recommend olive oil, it's a wonderful sealant. Wash day doesn't have to take the whole day.  

Longer hair takes a long time because of washing in sections, but so long as you have the steps down, it's easy peasy. The longer your hair grows, the more care you need to take care of your ends. This can easily be done by ensuring your ends are moisturized. If you can, use products from the same line as they are formulated to work in synergy. The frequency of your washes depends on the amount of products you use. To avoid limp strands, heavy with build-up, wash your hair more frequently. It's important to note that the focus of wash day is to cleanse the scalp as you move up your strands.

Moisturizing

I have talked about this before, but just a quick recap. Whether you use the LCO or the LOC method, the end result should be moisturized strands. Basically, you wet your strands with either water or a combination of water and a leave-in conditioner. Spread the wetness all the way to the ends. The next step is to seal the moisture, and this can be done with oil or butter. There you go, you now have moisturized strands. You can use heat to ensure maximum hydration. After moisturizing, monitor your hair and observe if it looks or feels dry. This will give you the cue to re-moisturize. Once you get a hang of it, you'll know how long your hair stays moisturized, and curate your hair regimen around that.

Products

It's fun trying out different products and styles, but I will advise you to be cautious. Try to use a particular product for a month or so to determine its effectiveness. This is where the patience comes in, give your hair time to make up its mind😄. It's so easy to become a product junkie when you are a new natural but focus on the necessities: a good shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, oil/butter. The rest are just frivolities (In my opinion😂). Ok, a good hair gel goes a long way, just use it sparingly.

Protective styles

As your hair grows longer, you will need to add a few steps to your wash/moisturizing days. Protective styles stretch your hair and also prevent breakage because of over manipulation. They give your hair some breathing room which is necessary for healthier tresses. You are spoiled for choice when it comes to protective styling, be it twists, braids, flat twists, cornrows, etc. Keep in mind that protective styling limits manipulation, which means no touching your hair. Find what works for you, just make sure your hair is well moisturized, before doing the protective style. Stretching your hair is necessary to avoid unnecessary tangles, as your hair shrinks into itself after washing.

I hope this was helpful. Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Take care, till next time💙💚💛💜