After two months of becoming acquainted with my natural hair, I realize that several notions about natural hair and its care just aren’t true. I’m woman enough to admit when I’m wrong and thank God I was wrong this time.
Before I went completely natural, I had a few ideas of how my hair and beauty routine would be different, even easier certain ways. But my now beautiful natural hair proved many of those ideas to be totally wrong.
After getting off relaxers, I thought I would:
1. Wake up feeling free and liberated…
Although having natural hair is liberating in it’s own way and has its perks, initially I missed my longer, straight hair that falls to my shoulders. After all, it’s been with me for so long. It literally was who I am. They eve ued to call me “the woman with the long hair.” So now, I had to find a new kind of confidence. Ultimately, what I found is that I, myself, need to feel liberated on the inside before I can feel it outwardly.
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2. Just wash and go…
Whoever came up with this saying forgot to name a few steps in between. I must wash, condition, apply leave-in conditioner, oil, and styling product, then go. And because my hair is so thick, I have to wait 2-4 hours for my hair to air dry completely. There’s nothing wrong with it, just with MY personal hair and the style that I want sometimes. So it sometimes takes me longer to do, but I schedule accordingly.
3. Look like a boy…
I’m so relieved that I was completely wrong about this one. As soon as I went natural, this thought proved false for me! At first I was worried that my pronounced bone structures would be more masculine and only thought women with more soft feminine could balance a short, somewhat bold cut. But I learned that rocking my natural hair is sexy, feminine AND I feel the same, if not more like a woman!