Natural hair is part of who you are — and don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t. Much like accepting and subsequently owning your own, individual personality, natural hair is a key component of what makes you, you.
Don’t get that wrong, though. Just because your natural texture is a part of the story that makes you unique doesn’t mean that it is so easy to accept, or even to love. Learning to shine through your own personality, rather than mimicking those you see on TV or in pop culture, can take years — and some never truly master it.
The same is true for your natural hair. After years of Disney princesses with long, straight hair or Herbal Essences commercials showing you the best, albeit most pleasurable, way to shampoo, it comes as no surprise to anyone in the natural hair community that sometimes, your texture can get you down.
But that need not be the case. Luckily, there are a few habits to slowly incorporate into your life that can ensure even on those bad hair days (of which even our straight hair sisters have”> you feel no less confident about your curls.
Confidence Boosters
Find a Community
One of the biggest, best parts about natural hair is that there is a seriously supportive community out there. And, one that you shouldn’t take for granted. A little over a decade ago, there weren’t sites like NaturallyCurly, or hundreds of YouTube channels, reviews and bloggers. There were near zero products specifically for natural hair (unless it was to straighten it”> and the only advice anyone got for how to deal with their curls was to flatten them out.
Today, that is no longer the case — and that’s a reality both on and off line. If you are seriously starting to retrace your steps back to a straighter hair routine, first check out a couple meet ups. No, not because these women should convince you to stay natural, but because you need a community of friends who understands how hard it is to transition, who have been there and who will support your decision either way, even if it isn’t to stay curly — for now.
Big Chop (Seriously”>
Transitioning without big chopping is fine. It works for some people, usually people with a lot of extra money and wigs and a really great hairdresser. But, it can work. For the rest of us, big chopping is the better option. And yes, we all know how scary it is. But there’s one thing you don’t know about yourself until you big chop that you never will if you don’t do it: how much you are not your hair.
That might seem counterintuitive to the natural hair community and its values, but it isn’t. Big chopping forces you to face the world without that protective shield we call hair — and there are very few women who have emerged from that process not better, happier and more confident for it.
Educate Others
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you are a novice at this natural hair stuff. After all, there are editors and expert bloggers and even a few random reviewers that you know by first name and hair type — and they aren’t 100 percent sure who you are, yet at least. It might seem like going back is easy, then, because there’s no one you are accountable to (but yourself, of course”>. But, try out teaching others and helping them to see their full potential.
Overhear someone complaining about dandruff because of the cold? Recommend a lo-poo with no sulfates (seriously, it works better than Head and Shoulders”>. Know someone who never stops talking about her frizzy ends? Offer her some rose or jojoba oil. Being a part of the natural hair community isn’t just about you, it is about embracing every single hair type and woman out there and bringing them in to a world where hair gets treated the way it always should have been. And you are a vessel for promoting that.
Use Tech
Use technology to your advantage and get yourself some curly hair apps. Curls on the Go and CurlyNikki’s forum app are good options to look to when you’re surrounded by not-so-curl-friendly people. There, you’ll find the community chatting away and can even jump in with your own questions and comments. Let the community help you de-stress — or vent. Whatever.
Make It Work For You
Want some real curl confidence? Then make your curls make you some money. Start your own YouTube channel, become one of those well-known reviewers, get yourself a blog and post curly hair selfies that encourage others to accept their hair and teach them how to make it beautiful. In doing so, you’ll pull in a side hustle and make both your life and those of others much easier, happier and confident. Or at the very least post your curls on our Facebook page and watch the curl love come in!
Photo courtesy of StephanieKola & NaturallyCurly Instagrams
