It was my natural hair anniversary a few months ago and this had me reflecting on all the lessons I have learned. It has been a long and worthy journey but not without its peaks and downturns. Truth be told, I thought my hair would be down my back by now. Let's just say it's not. That brings us nicely to the 7 things I have learnt.
Hair Lessons in 7 Years
Expectation Vs Reality
We have all seen the natural hair memes. Where you expect a certain length or result and you simply don't get it. Well, that has been me the last 7 years.
But it has been more prevalent with my hair length.
I would spend-hours fantasising about how my hair would be back length by the said time. Realistically, my hair is barely bra strap length. However, it is healthy and flourishing.
Patience
I have had so many bathroom breakdowns where I just couldn't effectively detangle my hair. Or times when every style I tried just wasn't working. In these moments, I wanted to cut my hair and start again somehow hoping that this would make things easier.
In some instances, I would quickly scroll the internet for affordable wigs. Luckily I preserved due to the support of family and friends. Don't be fooled, I still get these moments but they're far and between.
Trim
I never understood why youtubers kept raving about trimming your ends until I started to get the worst two-strand notes and numerous failed twist outs. Now I, live by those same words. Trim your hair regularly and your hairstyles will thank you. I now dust my ends accordingly. AKA if my ends are dry and not curling up I give them a light trim.
Wash and Go's
I spent the first few years of my natural hair journey attempting wash and go's. Between the two-strand knots, dryness and flaking. I quickly started causing damage to my hair through frequent manipulation. This of course affected the health of my hair and hindered any growth.
Comparison
I spent many hours watching natural and curly hair tutorials when they weren't even related to my hair texture. This ended up causing low self-esteem regarding my hair texture. I would ask myself: why isn't my hair curly? How can't I simply run my hands through it? Why does it get so matted?
I have since learnt that this is my hair and it isn't changing.
I now spend more time playing around with new products and trying different techniques. I spend less time watching such content and my hair styles have been improving.
