Black Hair: The Beginner's Guide to Going Natural

Transitioning
This is the first step to going natural. Many women don't want to hurry and chop off their relaxed hair. They keep their relaxed tips but allow their natural hair to grow in. The roots of the hair is new growth and the tips are relaxed. This is not very attractive so many will flat iron the hair. this is not the healthy route. Heat is bad for curly hair. A better route would be to wear protective styles like french braids, half-wigs, buns, or twist outs. This is the stage that many women quit at. They are frustrated with caring for two hair types and decide to relax their new growth. Some women transition for months or years. Other women skip transitioning and head right for their big chop.

Big Chop
The big chop is when the relaxed hair is cut off and a woman is fully natural. Make sure to seal your tips after your hair is cut. You may do this by rubbing shea butter on your hair tips. Most women have a TWA (teeny weeny afro) at this stage.

Co-washing
Co-washing daily with a cheap conditioner like V05 or Suave will make your hair softer and more manageable. A co-wash is simply using a rinse out conditioner but do not use a shampoo first.Natural girls should skip shampoo because of the harsh ingredients. Don't use a towel to dry your hair. It will remove the moisture and your hair may get snagged on it. Use an old shirt or paper towels. Use leave-in conditioners that aren't made with mineral oil, petrolatum or silicones. Silicones end with the suffix -cone such as "dimethicone." Silicones aren't water soluble, so they won't be removed with a co-wash. These silicones will dry your hair out. Co-washing then adding a leave-in conditioner is called a "wash & go." these encourage single strand knots, so don't wear this style often. Co-washing does not count as a deep treatment, and you should do a deep treatment 1-2 times a month.

Twist Outs
This is the most common hairstyle among natural girls. You twist two strands of hair together. Remember don't over-comb your hair. Only comb curly hair when wet, then apply your leave-in conditioner to the wet strands. You may blow dry the twists if you're pressed for time. The healthier route is to let the twists stay up for a couple hours or days. When the style is taken down you will have defined spiral locks. You may want to wear this in a ponytail if your hair is shoulder length because wearing your hair down encourages breakage. The strands rub against your clothes. Once your hair is a few inches past your shoulder it is safe to wear your hair down because the strands rest on your clothes.

Single-strand Knots
These knots are tiny knots that occur in dry, curly hair. You can prevent them by keeping your tips moisturized and flat. Hair styles like the "twist & curl" are great for preventing the single strand knot. Other styles that prevent these knots are protective styles like buns and braids. If you find one you should cut it off with barber scissors and not regular,dull scissors that you'd find around the house. Dull scissors encourage ends to split.

Get a Goal
Without a goal you're not heading anywhere. Make a hair length goal and you will be more careful as to how you treat your hair. Hair can grow up to three feet before reaching it's terminal length. as a relaxed girl I always thought my terminal length was shoulder length. That was not true. I was just experiencing extreme break gage from the relaxers. There are different goal lengths: chin, shoulders, armpits, below shoulder bone, bra strap length, mid-back, and hip length. The goal you pick should be realistic and affordable. Longer hair means spending more money on more hair products.

Hair Care Products
It is near impossible to find a hair product that is silicone-free, mineral oil-free, and petrolatum-free at your local grocery store. If you live in the city you might find an organic hair shop that caters to natural hair. For those who don't live in a city you may find online retailers that accept debit/credit/Paypal. These products are usually more expensive than what you find at a grocery store, but they work so much better. Many of these stores sell organic shampoo, so you can find a great shampoo if you can't stand the idea of co-washing. Some shops say they're organic, but they're not. So make sure you read the ingredients to all your hair products.Remember to take your vitamins. Biotin, MSM, and a B-complex vitamin is recommended. Vitamins aren't very expensive. You usually get a few months worth in a single bottle. Of course you can find all these in foods, so if you're a well-balanced eater don't worry much. At bedtime make sure to sleep on a satin pillow or wear a satin scarf since the friction of the hair against the pillow will cause hair breakage.

Join a Forum
There are several black hair care forums that may help you. Other natural girls at all stages of their natural hair journey are members and they have tips, tricks and suggestions for natural hair. You will find much needed inspiration from their results and stories. You will need the inspiration because you will have your moments when you give that hair relaxer a flirty glance. Don't give in! Support is crucial since natural hair usually gets a negative reaction from many, so expect ignorant people to discourage you.