The Importance Of Owning Your Hair Journey!!

Heya lovey!! 

What a week it's been! If you've been hanging out with me on Snapchat, you totally understand why! And nope, I'm not spilling the deets on here just yet! Haha! You'll just have to add me (CravingYellow) and come along. ;-) 

In today's post, I'm highlighting the importance of owning your hair journey as a naturalista. I've had many new naturals write to me, frantically asking "what should I do with my hair, I've tried everything!" Well, I'll tell you this, the thing you've probably NOT tried is owning your hair journey. Let me explain what I mean. 

When I first went natural - see pics here - I had no idea what to do with my hair either. The entire concept of caring for my natural hair was very foreign to me as I'd had my hair placed in the hands of stylists for years. I'd rely on them for everything: hair advise on what I was doing wrong, product recommendations, styling name it! But one of the most critical aspects of embracing your natural hair journey is owning it! 

Stylists don't always have all the answers. If you want long, natural hair you've got to trust yourself to take care of your own hair. You may advise stylists on how you'd like your hair done, but you must be completely 100% in the driver's seat when it comes to nurturing your hair. 

Think of it this way: your hair is a part of your body. Would you trust just anyone with your feminine care? Not at all! Only you know how your body works. Only you know which foods your body rejects, what creams you react to and what styles best suit your figure. So why should it not be the same when it comes to your haircare? :-) 

Your hair is a part of your body so don't be afraid to nurture it. You probably know what's best for it! 

If you're lacking in confidence when it comes to owning your hair journey, here's three tips to help you conquer: 

1. Do you research. 

If you want to be your own hair guru, you must have a working knowledge of haircare. You can watch my Back To Basics Series here. The more you know about haircare, the more confident you'll be to decide what's best for your hair. 

2. Try. 

Don't quit before the game has started. Some naturalistas have written to me saying they have given  up on their hair, two months into their journey. Well, let me encourage you. It takes two, sometimes even three years to see considerable improvement in the health of your hair. That's why it's called a journey. :-) Keep your regimen consistent and with time you'll see an improvement. But first, you have to try. 

3. Do your hair yourself. 

Stop for a second and think about your hair's needs. There is no textbook or manual to natural hair care. I share my tips and tricks on here (feel free to explore the blog for hundreds of articles), but these are all things that have worked for my hair over the years. Most of my tips and tricks are transferrable as they could work for you too but you also need to assess how your hair responds to different aspects of your hair care. Don't just blindly slap on a product because a hair guru said so. Take time to review how your hair responds - did it feel moisturised? Did it feel dry? Did it feel sticky? Did it make your scalp itch?

Paying attention to your hair's unique needs is the most important step to owning your hair journey.  Are you owning your hair journey? If you are, what tips would you give a new natural who's not too confident with handling their own hair yet? 

If you're still new and a little shaky, don't you worry! I've been in your shoes and over the years I've learnt to own my hair journey. Stay encouraged!

As always, I'm sending you LOTS and LOTS of love and sunshine,