Going Natural: Keeping Hair Natural

With so many harsh detergents in hair products today, I decided a few weeks ago to go natural. So far it has been an interesting experience to say the least. Since I am so used to perming, frying, relaxing, flat-ironing: basically just destroying my hair, I have decided to really just cut it out. But, my hair is beginning to adjust to being in its natural state, so it is starting to look good.

I have curly hair, and I should embrace it, not tease it into something its not. God gave it to me for a reason, so I will do what I can to make it look right. That was my reasoning behind going natural. Plus, I like the way I look with curly hair more than straight hair.

Now, I discovered something called the Curly Girl Method (not to worry guys, it is really a unisex kind of method). In this method, from what I understand, you begin to retrain your hair -- if your like me, you used the above methods to straighten your hair.

Before I go on, if you decide to do this, you have to be committed to doing it. It cannot be like a one-time thing, it has to be important enough to you that you want to stick to it.

Continuing on, you need to do the following things:
*Stop brushing hair
*Stop combing hair when it is dry
*Stop using shampoos with sulfates in them
*Stop using conditioners with silicones(Dimethicone) in them
*Stop drying hair with towels (unless it is microfiber)
*Air dry most of the time
But before these steps are taken, you must clarify your hair by using your sulfate-full shampoo one last time (to remove silicones) but never again -- at least not for a long time.

Another thing to do is to whenever possible, use as many natural products as you can. Apple Cider Vinegar is good for cleansing the hair, and many swear by Aloe Vera Gel (I love the stuff!). Many also use honey, raw shea butter, Expeller-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil; really, you are not as limited product wise as you think. Henna is a wonderful natural product. It is a great conditioner and coloring agent, and is far superior in coloring capabilities than commercial products.

There is a ton of information on this here. Also, if any of the people on that site are reading, I would just like to say publicly that they have helped me a great deal. I would still be lost hair-wise without their help!

So, embrace your God-given gifts, and embrace your hair. It is for your health and peace of mind. You might get ridicule because you are trying something new, but in the end, it will be well wort it!