NATURAL COMMANDMENTS!!
Hello everyone, lately I have been getting emails and comments about going natural, most people want to enter 2013 with a bang lol including no hair. Anyway there were too many questions that could not be answered via the comment box. So I’ll try to respond to all ,in one post, its rather long but informative , so please enjoy!
1.WOULD IT SUIT ME ?
This is the most frequent question I get, well this question is more of a vain one, because you need to be sure of your reasons for going natural before attempting it, are you going for the Amber Rose phenomena or Nse-Etim’s style, if its for the sole purpose of just having natural locks, then its not really about it suiting your face ,because you intend on growing it out, so go ahead and cut it, embrace it, if it doesn’t suit you, simply buy a wig, its just hair it would grow, but even if it suits you, it could also get boring while waiting for it to grow, you could also braid/ buy a wig.
For the amber rose look, try scarfing your hair down and envisage how you might look without hair,If it works then fine, but I wish you all the best on that !
2. WHICH METHOD IS THE BEST: TRANSITIONING OR GOING BALD?
There is really no better method of the two, its all about confidence. Transitioning is stopping all forms of relaxers and heat on your already relaxed hair, for about 3months to as long as you want, then later cutting off all the relaxed ends. While going bald is simply starting afresh. So whichever one you feel would be more manageable/convenient for you, go for it.
3.NOW I HAVE CUT MY HAIR I FEEL BARE AND LESS FEMININE:
When I cut my hair, people said all sorts e.g oh you’ll have to wear hoop earrings every time or have lots of makeup on, or you have to dress up extra, but I tell you I bagged more attention and had more guys walk up to me than when I had my long hair, I personally don’t really like big earrings so I stuck to my studs, but makeup wise, your face now becomes a canvass /center of attention, so ensure your brows are neatly groomed, you skin as close to flawless as it can be,good makeup, walk tall and smile!!
4.WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I USE?
This could be a big hassle, but good research always pays off, For conditioners and shampoos, always read the back for the ingredients section, no sulphates!! Sulphates is purely soap and chemical, it strips the hair of it essential oils,its good for washing plates though lol, buy products that are water based or products that retain moisture and seals the hair, also buy oils or products that contain oils e.g coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil or shea butter, for daily moisturising.
5. WHAT IS THE BEST REGIMEN?
Personally I believe whatever works for your hair, but as for me I wash my hair with conditioner every other day I.e every 2days, I shampoo once a week, I deep condition once every 2 weeks, then oil it every night, avoid combing hair when dry, use widely toothed combs, no heat whatsoever, always air dry, use silk scarfs to wrap hair at night time/ sleep on satin pillow cases, avoid too much hand manipulation because natural hair could be very fragile. Also eat a balanced diets filled with proteins and lots of water , foods like eggs, sweet potatoes, vegetables also help with the process
6.I HAVE 4C TYPE HAIR BUT I WANT CURLS !!
I won’t go into the hair tales and types, but 4C hair is a category of hair that is thick hair (tightly COILED not CURLED) hence the basic Nigerian hair lol, but there’s always a way, buy a nice activator gel, e.g eco styler gel or Jack-Five activator gel, and a soft bristled brush. After washing your hair, still wet, or just dampen with water, apply gel round the hair, and simply brush in circular motions consistently in one direction, it would create curls.
7.HELP!! AM 3MONTHS POST AND ITS NOT GROWING!!
I get asked about this all the time, first its growing as long as you are alive, the way your nails or hairs in other body regions grow, its growing, maybe slow but it is, except you have a severe medical disorder. E.g Alopecia(hair loss in patches) or cancer, so just be patient, you could buy supplements to boost growth, E.G magnesium, cod liver, folic acids etc. Or those types that have “For hair, skin and nails” written on the pack.
8. CAN I DYE MY NATURAL HAIR?
The answer is yes! You definitely can dye your natural hair, the only problem is this; Dyes are not too good for any type of hair ,but if you must, its best you get a great brand, one which doesn’t contain ammonia,(if it smells funny/bad, its bad!) Or better still use HENNA.
9. MY IS NOW A YEAR PLUS(OR MORE)AND I WANT TO CHECK THE LENGTH BUT I DON’T WANT TO RELAX IT,WHAT CAN I DO?
This is every natural’s best part, length check, you could straighten your hair ( it would not burn, that’s a myth) just ensure you have a good heat protecting serum applied on first, and if the straighter is too drastic for you, you can always have a blow out I.e using a blow dryer with a comb attachment. Just visit a seasoned stylist for that .( Tip: do not start at the roots of the hair while blowing out, always start by detangling the tips first then work your way up).
10. I CHANGE MY MIND, I DON’T WANT TO BE NATURAL ANYMORE!!
This sounds absurd but its not uncommon, not everything works for everyone, but my advice is this; Before you go back to relaxers, heat or perms, just ensure your hair is at a length where it can be managed, so that when relaxed it doesn’t appear just short and spiky,so you can still style it.
Note: The most important thing is your confidence ,a great smile, and doing what makes you happy.
If you have any further question please comment below I’ll reply as soon as I can 😀
Have a fab weekend
Xoxo
Tosin.
AFRICANISM COSMOPOLITAN 
This was so helpful. Saved me the hassle of reading through a million blogs and watching a thousand videos. It covers all the basics anyone needs to know about beginning a natural hair phase!
Awww I’m glad I could help xx
thanks alot this so realistic and really helpful
Glad I could help, thanks for visiting ^_^
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Tosin,am rili sad with d way my hair has turned out within a yr…really jealous of urs.tried all U did(maybe nt all sha) buh my hair is still really short and my front hair is a disaster :.( I need help.email me asap plssss….
Hello love, your comment really made me sad 😦 , I’d send you an email now ok.
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Very helpful,I just made up my mind to transition,I need help with products that will ease my way into natural hair.I was told to get Jamaican castor oil.Pls help a newbie out