Everything you’ve learned about natural hair is probably a lie. It sure was for me. Let me explain. Ok, so boom, there I was on the ‘gram one Sunday night and @earnestlynatural, a natural hair care stylist, specializing in natural curls, was on IG Live, giving away the game for free. During her IG Live, she kept shouting out @iamblackgirlcurls. So, me being the inquisitive person that I am, skidaddled over to their page and proceeded down the rabbit hole, spending the next three hours being rebuked about every natural hair decision I’d ever made. In that moment I realized that everything I’d ever learned about natural hair was a lie. It was an immediate revelation that I’d been doing my hair all wrong and the natural hair ‘gurus” had been lying to me strong.
Ironically, I’d just been bemoaning the fact that my hair didn’t seem to be growing. Well, God from on high heard ya girl’s cry and let me connect with these ladies the day before they kicked off their 30-day hair detox challenge. @iamblackgirlcurls was created by professional hair stylists Aeleise Jana and Aishia Strickland. The entire experience forever changed my life and my outlook on caring for my natural hair. Here are a few things I learned from the whole process:
Step Away from YouTube University Sis
All my life, I’d never done my own hair (don’t judge me). I’d always had my Mom or a hairdresser taking care of my hair. So when I became an accidental natural in 2012 (another story for another day), I had no idea what I was doing. So I did what most Black women did – turned to YouTube University. Since there was such a lack of available knowledge about caring for natural, curly hair, natural hair vloggers became the go-to for natural hair “knowledge.” I mean, most of them have such pretty hair, so they have to know what they’re talking about, right? Girl, wrong. Looking back it makes perfect sense now, but one thing Aeleise and Aishia pointed out is that none of these natural hair vloggers are licensed professionals. We don’t take medical advice from non-medical professionals, so why should hair care be any different? Outside of hairstyle inspiration, it’ll do you well to step away from YouTube University, Sis. Everything you’re learning on there about natural hair is probably a lie.
Why they lying in these YouTube University streets?!
Look at Your Labels
So, as naturals, most of us know to avoid mineral oils and petroleum in our hair care products. What most of us probably didn’t know was that shea butter, coconut oil and castor oil should be avoided too (at least in the top five ingredients in our products). When @iamblackgirlcurls whipped this out during the 30-day hair detox, my mind was blown. You can barely find a “popular” natural hair care line that’s not formulated with these ingredients. Purging my hair care regimen of products with these ingredients has been a game changer. What the experts taught me was that what I thought was moisturizing my hair was actually just lubricating it, giving me the illusion of moisture. I say illusion because my wash and go would be up and gone within three days – it would start looking and feeling dry. Since eliminating these ingredients, my wash and go lasts seven to ten days, without doing anything to it before my next wash day. Those raggedy butters and oils were disrespecting my curls and doing them a huge disservice. Mind blown, game changed.
Listen to the Experts
When it comes to caring for your hair, listen to the experts. Not only have they gone to school and obtained the education and license, but they also have the experience of caring for hundreds of heads of hair and hundreds of hours of real world application. They know that putting avocado on your hair is a waste of time, money and a good avocado. They know that putting clay on your hair will blow your hair cuticle out. They know that these scalp scrubs are probably effin’ up your scalp. They know rice water isn’t the key to hair growth. They know what healthy hair looks like. Listen to them. Not your favorite natural hair vlogger.
Wash Day Doesn’t Have to Take All Day
By a show of hands, who has spent three hours or more washing her hair on wash day (Me)? Honestly, I didn’t look forward to wash day because it felt like a second job – it took so long and it wasn’t enjoyable. When Aeleise of @iamblackgirlcurls said wash day could become wash hour I was in utter disbelief, until I tried it. Now, I look forward to wash day because it usually takes me an hour and a half to do my hair and that includes diffusing. If you’ve been led to believe that wash day has to take all day, you’ve been lied to. You don’t need to shampoo your hair in sections. No LOC (liquid, oil, cream) method necessary. Reclaim your time, Sis. You deserve it.
You Don’t Need All the Products to Achieve Results
Thinking back on how much money I’ve spent on natural hair care products almost makes me want to weep. Now I’m down to just four. Four products. Shampoo, conditioner, and two gels. Das it. No deep conditioner and plastic cap. No leave in conditioner. No butters. As Aeleise and Aishia pointed out, when you invest money in properly formulated products, you don’t need as many and you won’t be out here searching for “what works for you.” I purchased the products they recommended during the 30-day detox and there’s no going back for me. If you’ve been led to believe you need a bunch of products to care for your natural hair, you’ve been lied to, Sis.
Me, after thinking about all the money I spent on natural hair care products.
Natural Hair Isn’t Complicated
Caring for your natural hair isn’t complicated. If you’ve ever been led to believe it is, you’ve been lied to. @iamblackgirlcurls’ philosophy is simple – cleanse, condition, style. That’s it. Really. It’s that simple. You don’t need a leave in conditioner, you don’t need to steam your hair, you don’t need oils to “moisturize” your hair. Since adopting this simple philosophy, caring for my hair has not only become simpler, my hair looks 1000% better.
If you want to tap into the experts, follow @iamblackgirlcurls, check out their book Wash Your Damn Hair, and check out their visual hair resource See Some Curls. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. What natural hair care lies have you been led to believe? Drop a comment below.