Four years ago, I took the plunge and decided to go natural. I was tired of relaxing my hair, only for it to break off severely just a few short months later. While I have several years of natural hair expertise under my belt, when it comes to my hair sometimes I make so many careless mistakes that I often find myself asking, "Why did I just do that?"
Caring for natural hair requires a bit of maintenance and lots of TLC to flourish - washing, detangling, conditioning, moisturizing, and styling. There's mistakes along the way, but that's part of any journey.
I have to admit, 2015 was NOT a good year for my hair, from the heat damage I experienced earlier last year, to having to do a tapered cut to get rid of the damage, and then just not taking the best care of my hair overall. This year, I'm over making careless mistakes and not-so-smart decisions when it comes to caring for my natural hair so I can truly see it flourish. Here are some of the natural hair mistakes I've made in 2015:
Neglecting My Hair // 2015 was such a tiring year for me. I finished my final semester of undergrad and graduated with Honors in the Spring. I've also been pregnant for the majority of 2015. From my first pregnancy in April, and then getting pregnant a second time in August (and still being very much pregnant), 2015 has been a little rough. Because I'm tired ALL THE TIME, my hair has been neglected quite a bit. I haven't been keeping up with wash days like I should, or moisturizing properly. While my hair has grown out of its tapered cut quite a bit and has gotten thicker (thanks to pregnancy), I do blame my lack of proper maintenance and TLC to why I haven't retained as much length as I could have. This year, my focus is creating a regimen, and sticking to it! It's important to make time for your hair, no matter how busy your schedule is.
Lack of Patience // Because I've been so tired, the amount of patience I've had to even deal with my hair has been zero to none. When I actually found the energy to do my hair, I never followed through with the right steps, and I was rough with my hair, which led to lots of unnecessary breakage. I should be ashamed of myself, considering I'm a natural hair blogger!
Not Experimenting with Styles or Products // My hair has been in the same protective hair style for the majority of 2015. I've done little experimentation with products or styles last year, and I truly regret it. Though I'll be busy with a little one in a few months, I still want to make a conscious effort to test out new products and experiment with different hair styles so I can really see all that my hair can do.
Not Visiting a Professional Stylist // I'm making it my mission to find a really good natural hair stylist in NYC that I can visit one-two times a year for a good professional trim. After last year's bout with heat damage from a "professional blowout," I'm a little leery about visiting hair salons for the simple fact that not all stylists are educated enough on how to deal with kinky textured hair. The popularity of natural hair is on the rise, and there just aren't enough trained professionals that meet this demand, especially since Texture/ Natural Hair education isn't taught in cosmetology school. Nevertheless, I am learning the importance of having a professional stylist care for your hair at least once a year, and then just maintaining your hair as best you can in between salon visits. It's good having a fresh set of eyes examining your hair and scalp because to be honest, we can't see everything, and we can't do everything.
So, there you have it! What are some of the mistakes you've made with your natural hair?
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