You Might Begin to Take Inventory of Your Health Overall

Once you start to develop healthy hair habits, you will be inspired to work towards a healthier body and mind, too. There's something freeing about embracing your hair in its natural state, which can be a big confidence booster for some women. Armed with this newfound confidence, you'll be inspired to tackle new challenges and push yourself to new heights. It's also much easier to workout with natural hair, which many women see as motivation to get back in the gym.




You Will Wish You Had Transitioned Sooner

There's a saying in the natural hair community that goes, "The only thing I regret about going natural is that I didn't do it sooner." Once you embrace your hair in it's natural state without relaxers and weaves, you'll discover a beauty about yourself that you may not have known existed before. Some say that going natural brought about a new level of self-love while others attest that it helped them find a man. (Yes, honey, that kinky 'fro of yours is a man-magnet. You'll see!) Whatever benefits come your way, embrace your new look and lease on life as a new natural!

You may have a friend who is natural. Maybe even have a co-worker who comes into the office rocking some flashy styles that make you want to return back to your natural hair texture. However, in the event you are thinking of going natural, lets talk about some things you don’t know about natural before you find out and wonder why someone didn’t tell you beforehand.


Styling Time Will Increase:
Good-bye drive by styling. You know the styling where you just do nothing and expect results. Well those days are over. Maintaining natural hair is like a job. You get out what you put in. The only way to get a promotion is to work. Naturals you see out and about may look very well put together with perfectly styled tresses. However, what you don’t see are long styling nights and treatment filled weekends. If you believe you would like to adorn your natural roots, please don’t think being natural is going to be all wash-n-go’s. Depending on your styling skills you could be in the bathroom for hours.

You Could Be Easily Offended:
Yeah I know sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you. Now let’s say the same thing when one of your family members says something offensive about your hair. The first line of defense to being easily offended is a quick come back of confidence. One thing people can’t argue with is a confident individual. Even if you are confident before going natural, you will be tested. You may find out how easy it is to be offended by conversations with friends, family and even strangers. Even the most confident of naturals have to check themselves at times. People speak positive words around natural hair but the day they don’t you just need to prepare yourself for some harsh criticisms and remain the same beauty you know you are.


Length Checks Can Fool You:
Naturals all over YouTube and blogs are hype about length checking. Especially if you did the Big Chop, these small milestones in life will give you much joy. You will be able to do more styling and have more options to experiment with. What no one tells you is that length checking can lead to expectations about you hair’s growth. Some might look at another natural’s length check progress and wonder why their hair isn’t growing at lightening speed. To length checking I say SIT DOWN. Stretching you hair out to see where it is cool, but the reality is it’s not a real depiction of how long your hair is. If you really want to know how long your hair is, try to do a style you couldn’t achieve before. If you can then BAM, congratulations your hair is growing.  If you can’t, stretching your hair out every month won’t give you this sense of accomplishment.


Products Need to Work Not Be Popular:
Many naturals jump on the PJ (Product Junkie) train, with money to burn and nothing to learn. All a product needs to do is work effectively. It doesn’t need to be on the lips of all bloggers and YouTube product reviewers. Decide what type of natural you will be beforehand. Will you seek information for yourself about products? Or lean on the community and others to decide what products will touch your hair? SWB gets many submissions about products, which ones to use and why the ones being used are not working. The answer is never easy because it really depends. Now with that being said you also as a natural need to decide if you care about ingredients? If not then buy away, there are many popular products being sold to naturals that have harsh chemicals in them. To some they couldn’t care less, but to others a product being all-natural is a must. No matter your decision what you don’t know about ingredients can and will effect your hair quality. In the end the cost, popularity and use among the community will mean nothing if your hair isn’t looking how you wish it to look.

None of these things listed should scare you off. They are not meant to sway you to natural or from natural. All they mean is that there is some learning and planning you need to do before returning back to your natural. The things you know up front will always help you on the back end. Precious time can be saved if you know you need to look into styling, build up confidence for hard times, not fall into length traps and product lines boasting little to nothing in return. Who wouldn’t want to avoid these things? And for you people with the urge to ask