Brown Skin Women is a resource and community for those who want to improve their quality of life, starting with their natural hair. I love being able to teach my clients, students, the general Curlfriend community, and other professional stylists what I know about tightly textured hair. Today, I want to address 8 of the most common natural hair challenges and myths while providing a little insight.
Let’s Explore 8 Common Natural Hair Challenges and Myths.
#1 Everyone’s hair is different.
I get this comment a lot, usually right after suggesting something that goes against someone’s limited understanding of the topic. I also receive this comment when I say something that opposes what someone has been doing for years.
What controversial things am I posting?
It’s the content where I teach that you should cleanse weekly and remove raw oil and butter ingredients from your regimen. Based on hair and scalp science, we all need the same things: hydration, cleansing with shampoo, conditioning, and detangling at least once per week. The real difference is how we choose to care for and style our hair. Just because someone decides to cleanse every 2-3 weeks (or longer) and keep extension styles in for months at a time doesn’t mean it’s healthy for the hair, and it just means that’s what they prefer.
#2 Black people’s hair shouldn’t be washed so often.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. “Black hair” needs hydration and moisture, which only happens through the cleansing process. The only way to keep the hair hydrated and moisturized is to continue cleansing weekly. Keep in mind that the scalp is skin. You have to wash your body to maintain hygiene, the same goes for the hair and scalp. As mentioned, based on the science of the hair and scalp, we all need the same things: hydration, cleansing with shampoo, conditioning, and detangling at least once per week.
#3 Dirt makes the hair grow faster.
Dirty hair is just that, dirty. Think about what dirt is: sweat, dead skin cells, natural oils. Filth does not support our hair’s ability to grow. What it does do, however, is impacts the hair’s ability to grow in a healthy scalp environment.
#4 Braids make the hair grow faster.
Putting your hair away makes it appear to grow faster. You compare before and after growth that happened simply because you put your hair “away.” It didn’t grow any quicker than it would have if you were worn in its loose natural state.
Remember that braids can 100% pull your hair out.
#5 My 4c hair could never.
I don’t hair type because physical appearance has nothing to do with behavior. ALL hair types can be hydrated, moisturized, and beautifully styled. It doesn’t matter how it looks or behaves.
#6 But our ancestors used oils and didn’t wash often.
Our ancestors were also at a disadvantage with everything; water could be scarce, the vast resources we have weren’t available, and survival mode was the norm.
#7 But does this work on type 4 hair.
The same as, “My 4c hair could never.”
Yes, “this” works on type 4 hair. Our salon and academy cater exclusively to tight curly hair. We have done everything on loose to tight textures with the same methods and products.
#8 How do we seal in moisture without oil?
The internet has the whole seal in moisture thing wrong. You seal water in during the cleansing process and keep it moisturized by doing so weekly. Water naturally evaporates within a week so you have to replenish it. Use conditioner during the cleansing process. Then, use styling products that work well with your hairstyle. This will help you hold onto the water a little longer.
At around the one-week mark, you should cleanse, hydrate, and moisturize the hair again. Keep in mind that certain practices will cause hair to dry out sooner than the one-week mark. Blow-drying the hair, or any style where you aren’t setting it from wet to dry like a wash n go or twist done on wet hair.
If you don’t dry your hair after styling it (like a wash-n-go or twists) and let it air dry, your hair will lose moisture quicker than if you set it with a dryer. On the other end of the spectrum, if you continue blowdrying your hair after it’s completely dry, it will become dehydrated.
We can end the struggle forever, for you AND generations to come.
We aren’t born with cosmetic hair knowledge but we can learn it. You don’t have to continue facing natural hair challenges alone.
Clean and Simple Hair (the name of our @homehaircareacademy signature course) helps you improve your hair and your relationship with it, but only AFTER the mindset shift. You will still struggle because you’ll expect your hair to behave like someone or something else.
I look forward to seeing you on the other side (of clean and simple hair.)