Have you ever heard the saying ‘everything looks easier from the outside looking in?’ If you are new or transitioning to natural, I’m sure you can fully appreciate the realness of this statement.

I’m sure that like me, many of you started your natural hair journey spending a considerable amount of time researching, following and admiring several persons who were also on the same journey that you were about to embark on. After all, youtube is the naturalistas best friend!

I am almost certain (because I can identify) you spend countless hours daydreaming of how your hair would look when you finally got to that stage. Am I right or am I wrong? Then when you finally got to that stage it was a catastrophe. Your hair felt nothing like those girls’ hair looked and your styles didn’t have the same pizazz. Your wash and go was literally a wash and no go. You know what…that’s quite ok…you know why? It all gets better with time and effort.

Nothing good ever comes easy, it gets better with time and effort. Don’t give up.

Girl, I’m sure most of those girls you see crushing it on youtube and in the pictures had their fair share of failures. The key however is to keep going.

Let’s explore some of the major setbacks faced by us natural girls and some tried and proven solutions for better results.

While some natural queens love and enjoy rocking shorter styles (which they wear so well), others crave long and lustrous tresses.

Whether your goal is shoulder length, mid back it hip length…to experience length, you must play the waiting game. There is no other logical way, well other than the use of hair extensions of some form. Girl, if that is your heart’s desire and need it now, we are not here to judge…wear your long hair and do so proudly. For those who prefer to wait…you will not be waiting in vain.

It’s quite understandable that you will want to experience great length sooner than later in your journey, I mean it’s ingrained into our psyche. We all wanted to be princesses at some point in our loves (lol) It is what we were raised on. Rapunzel, Cinderella, Ariel, Pocahontas, we all had our favorite? Who was yours?

The embodiment of beauty!!!

Keep in mind however, that unless you have been growing your natural hair for years, you will have to endure the TWA stage and there is nothing wrong with that.

Many of your favorite naturalist influencers didn’t wake up yesterday with the hair length that they are proudly showcasing today.

Solution –

Protective Styling for growth

Your hair is growing. However, because of the texture and curl of your hair we may not see the growth as it happens. I can tell you when you remove a protective style from your hair you see it.

Protective styling refers to the process of setting your hair in a particular style, mainly braids, cornrows, weaves or even twists, which remains for a few weeks before it is removed. This type of style allows the hair to rest and be free from manipulation.

After removing a protective style hair growth is much more visible. It’s almost like magic. Where did this length come from… but we are not complaining!

You are basically giving your hair a much needed rest to rejuvenate as well as to prevent hair loss brought about manipulation and styling regularly. Detangling, separating and combing hair may make hair weak and fall off at the ends or may lead to split dry ends which eventually result in breakage.

Remember to always moisturize your hair whilst wearing in a protective style.

Healthy hair over long hair

Instead of dwelling on length, place the emphasis on achieving healthy hair. Healthy hair at any length is beautiful hair.

Embrace your hair at every stage

Each stage is beautiful and has its own flare and benefits. Guess what…you will miss each one as you begin to progress to your desired length. So, enjoy the moments while you are in them.

Be consistent with your routine

Get a routine and stick to it! Consistency is key. To achieve great results in any area of your life you must maintain and uphold a certain standard. It’s no different with your hair.

The ABC’s and 123’s of hair.

Texture envy is real! You see someone rocking a particular hairstyle…it looks lovely, so you decide to try it yourself and it turns out to be an absolute flop. An absolute disaster. As we say in T&T, ‘Gopaul luck isn’t Seepaul luck’ meaning not because it worked for someone else means it will work for you.

Here are some reasons why this may occur –

Hair type

No two people have the same type of hair so obviously no one style will ever have the same effect.

The reality is that different styles present varying effects and appearances according to the type and texture of the hair. What may work for type 4a* hair may not work for type 4c* and vice versa.

* Want to know more about hair types? Let me know and I will include some information on some interesting classifications.

Execution

Sometimes the issue may simply be your execution and know how. It takes time to learn about your natural hair, especially if you have been processing continually over an extended period.

Lack of moisture/ dryness

The overall appearance and health of your hair contributes more than you know to the success of your styles!  Lack of moisture, dry brittle hair, split or stringy ends are a no no and mess with the outcome of your styles much more than you can imagine.

Solution –

Watch tutorials and do research.

It’s all a part of the process. The key to achieving better execution is by practice. It’s really not that hard. There are so many avenues for us to research and learn from others who have been through the struggle as well and are now killing this natural hair thing. Youtube is your best friend. Speak to others who may have been there and seek advice and discussion with other naturalistas who are willing to share their successes through trial and error.

Treat your hair (deep condition, loc method etc.)

I cannot stress this enough. Gone are the days of us not treating our natural hair because we feel natural hair does not need the same type of care and attention that is given to chemically treated hair.

As much as you may not have applied chemicals to your tresses, keep in mind that it is still being exposed to various elements in the atmosphere and even from some of the products you may apply.

For hair at any stage of growth or any hair type to experience an optimal level your hair must first be treated properly. Deep conditioning of your hair is an absolute must for healthy, beautiful and bouncy hair. Dry hair doesn’t bounce, it just doesn’t.

Utilizing the LOC (liquid, oil, cream) or LCO (liquid, cream, oil) methods, whichever you choose keeps hair moisturized and manageable. Be mindful of the ingredients in hair (and skin) products. We want to stay away from formulas that include harsh sulphates, parabens and chemicals such as formaldehyde.

Keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you, the key is to experiment with different options to determine what works and what doesn’t.

Track your progress and monitor results

Lastly, be sure to keep track of your progress. Take all the notes you like of not only products that don’t work for you but also take note and keep track of ingredients which may have favorable or less than favourable outcomes.

If you need a practical guide to help you keep track of your progress and also contains useful tips to guide you along your journey, be sure to check out the My Great Hair Chronicles journal. See link here.

Maybe the greatest setback of the entire natural journey is not the physical setbacks but the mental and emotional ones.

Not having the support and acceptance of those around you can make your journey much more difficult than it should be.

Have you had to face the negative connotations brought about by societal biases? Have you ever had someone tell you your hair looks rumfled or uncombed? Your hair looks unprofessional or that your natural hair makes you look poor? Well…you are not alone. The stories are endless amongst the natural hair community and quite disturbing at that.

It’s easy to feel defeated and deflated when such negativity is presented to you. You begin to lose your sense of self-worth and begin to question if the decision you made is the right one.

Solution – Self love, self acceptance, block out negativity

Their perception is not your problem. Block out all negativity. You are awesome! You are versatile! You are beautiful!

It’s time to break the negative perceptions associated with natural hair and it starts with full and complete acceptance and love. There is nothing wrong with the hair growing out of your scalp. No it doesn’t need to be disciplined, no it doesn’t need to be tamed.

Getting the support from likeminded individuals who may be on your journey or from those who have been in your shoes and have weathered the storm is necessary. It’s a great feeling knowing you have allies by your side to hold your hand and keep you going. Trust me, this sisterhood of chicks are not to be messed with. You are safe here.

Don’t give up now!

You have come too far to turn back now. Push through and experience the beauty of attaining your goal. You won’t regret it.

Setbacks are a normal part of any journey. Attaining your goal depends on your ability to push forward regardless of the circumstances, to experience your full reward.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. There are so many options available…the options are as diverse as our hair. Track and monitor your progress, celebrate your wins…even the small ones which may seem unnoteworthy, and most importantly…. Enjoy the process. Keep going, you are doing great.

Be sure to join our community of thriving naturalistas just like you and check out our exceptional My Great Hair Chronicles journal, specifically designed for you.

When did you realize you were a hairaholic?

For me, my realization came at a very early age. I remember as a little girl, someone, usually an older relative would always have the cause to say to me ‘take your hands out of your hair!’.

I was always fascinated with hair… my own hair as well as others hair…I loved looking at (sometimes touching) other people’s hair.

I vividly remember one day back in high school, standing in a cafeteria line I felt the urge to touch another girl’s ponytail… omg, it looked so thick and luscious! Her ponytail was golden and tailbone length…I just couldn’t help myself. She was one form under me. I remember without thinking, reaching out and touching her ponytail.  I learned a very important lesson that day…some people don’t like their hair touched by strangers. Lol. She turned around and with the most piercing eyes ever, stared angrily at me for about 10 seconds. I was so mortified I apologized profusely.

So what’s the affair with hair? What’s this fascination that has made the black hair industry worth over 2.5B$ worldwide and according to some sources black women outspend other races up to 6 times more in Hair Care?

Personally, I made the decision to stop chemically relaxing my hair about 5 years ago and from that time to now, we have been seeing more and more women embracing and or returning to their natural hair. This has allowed me to do quite a lot of self and social reflection regarding our hair and the relationship we innately have with our natural tresses.

As most little girls, I’ve always wanted long hair.

I mean, which little girl does not want long hair? I’m sure you will identify when I say I would often drift off in my mind…imagining and daydreaming as young girls do, that my hair was long, straight and flowing. If not long and straight, long, and curly but with big ringlets. It seemed a natural desire, I mean after all, that’s the images of beauty we were exposed to!

Growing up in multicultural T&T there were lots of hair types to admire.

It was no secret however that some textures were more appreciated than others. The ones with the ‘good hair’. Unfortunately, the ones that were given the bad rap and negative connotations were the hair types with tighter curl patterns; the kinky curl, the hair type that shrunk, that would be subject to derogatory terms such as  “picky” or ‘late for school hair’. Do you remember those terms? The type that had to be brushed and gelled profusely or heat pressed, blow dried or chemically straightened into submission. The hair type that I and many other little girls identified with.

The thing is that this was not reserved to T&T, this bias seemed to be the generalized perception! I loved looking at movies and fashion magazines. I loved beautiful pictures and pretty early on it was clear to me that my hair type was not being sensationalized on television, in commercials, programs or in print media, particular hair types were not aligned with beauty.

Even our most treasured characters, the princesses we wanted to be like and the popular dolls we desired to play with were not representative of my kinky curls.

Closer to home, women, men, boys, and girls had views on what a beautiful head of hair looked like and that hair strand better be “mixed”. The softer or straight or mixed with other races Ie not pure “African” or “Afro” type hair, the prettier the hair, the prettier the person was deemed to be. I know you can relate.

Do you remember hair also being associated with certain rites of passage? Many young girls of African descent learnt that from plaits, cornrows or canerows as we called them in Trinidad and Tobago, you transitioned to heat pressing or blow drying. Then at an appropriate age we would be given the ‘gift’ of a relaxed head of hair. On a lesser scale, some of us would have had a jerry or S curl but a relaxer was the real deal.

Your first relaxer! The coming-of-age present!

For some it came earlier or a few years later, but it was almost like a teenage rite of passage in order to be a beautiful girl. This event would normally come around the age of 13….right after Common Entrance (now called SEA) for a grand entrance into secondary school, or just in time for graduation from Secondary school.. Boy was there excitement around receiving your first relaxer! Not much compared.

We would envision the length and flow, the styles we would attempt, the reaction of our friends and how beautiful we would finally be.

Why?

This was the general perception of beauty growing up in the 80’s and 90’s. Our natural hair was neither liked nor appreciated. We have come a long way! Agreed? We are now in an era of #blackgirlmagic. An era where we have come to love our African/ black identity and everything associated with it…including our natural, non-chemically treated, beautiful and healthy hair.

I’m sure you can agree with me when I say that it was not until later in life did I fully grow to love and appreciate the hair that grows naturally out of my scalp. I then learned about the proper treatment and care for my natural hair and when I learned to properly care for my hair, I fell in love all over again.

With this new revolution information, techniques, treatment options and our hair is stronger and healthier and for the little girl in me…longer than ever before.

What’s the affair with hair? What has brought about this new and improved mindset and unconditional love and appreciation for what is ours?

What are some of the negative connotations you have heard growing up that led you to develop certain perspectives about your hair and yourself?

Oh how I love to touch you oh how I love to caress you,

My kinks, my curls, my loves.

Short hair, long hair, good hair, great hair. Twists and turns, waves and twirls.

My Hair my love.

You have always been with me,

Though I have not been as loyal as I should

I’ve tried to change you, but it’s never been good

No matter how much I’ve manipulated,

You have always returned,

Our connection is skin deep,

From you so much I have learned.

You are mine forever

Till the end I will hold you close

I will help you weather each perilous phase

Through each victory i offer my embrace

I will nurture and protect you at every novel stage

This is my promise and my ode

My kink, my coils, my curly loves.

Guys! say it all the way from the back Natural Hair is Professional!

I’ve learnt to love going to the office with my natural hair. It’s so versatile and can be styled and worn in many different ways. I love changing it up. Wash and Go’s, twists, blown out, neat low bun, chic high bun. Hair that’s curly, wavy, coily, springy and growing out of one’s head is Professional.

When you think of a professional person, what comes to mind? A particular type of attire and dress code, neatly cut and fitted apparel, heels or closed toe flats, a particular type of language and speech, you can even visualize what a professional environment might look like. These things are all associated with the term professional.

What about hair? When you consider professional images, what type of hair do you envision? Chances are your mind automatically reverts to images of primly pressed, slicked back buns or free flowing evenly trimmed tresses. Right?

Of course, these are the images of professional and dare I say success that have been ingrained in our psyches and which we have become accustomed to and furthermore, what we expect.

How do natural hairstyles fit into this professional mold which we have come to expect?

What is the main cause of contention with natural hair and more so some natural hairstyles, in relation to the professional type of environment?

Why are some hair types and hairstyles deemed as professional while others are deemed inappropriate, urban or ghetto and are severely frowned upon?

Advent of the naturalista movement and natural hairstyles.

The advent of the natural hair movement in the late 2000’s saw the emergence of an enigma never seen before…the professional naturalista or naturalist as the case may be. The embodiment of a professional but with a distinctive twist…the acceptance of and fully rocking their own naturally grown, not chemically treated hair and the hair styles which come along with it.

Women perfectly attired in high heels and afros, twists and twist outs, bantu knots and cornrows…men in shirts and ties adorned with plats, corn rows and locs. What a sight to behold! All hail the advent of the natural hair movement.

What brought about this paradigm shift now wreaking havoc in the corporate and professional arenas?

Simply a level of self acceptance and self love never before experienced, for that which is our own. Complete freedom and acceptance of the hair which grows from our scalp…unmanipulated and unmutilated, for the first time in centuries.

As we began exploring and experimenting, we discovered new styles, new products and our versatility became our best friend and so we loved and embraced. From this love and acceptance, the corporate world was not exempt.

The Professional of yesteryear compared to the professional today

What do you remember of the professionals of yesteryear? When I think of professionalism in the 80’s and early 90’s nothing represented the epitome of corporate and professional as the women and men in the Financial Services Sector!

As a child growing up in Trinidad and Tobago in the 80’s and 90’s, to get a job in the bank was an honor and a sure sign that you had made it….you had reached a certain standard in the eyes of your family and friends. To a child the bank ladies were an image of awe and wonder. They always looked so beautiful and well put together. The combination of their high heels clanking loudly with each stride, their bright smiles, perfectly blushed cheeks and of course their lovely flowing or slicked back hair to top off the image. It was as if being beautiful was a prerequisite for bank employment or at least that’s as far as a child’s mind would lead them to believe.

This is the professional image we grew up knowing to be acceptable and the ones we embraced.

Sectors such as financial services, banking, and the airline industry were the epitome of professionalism and as such from these industries, we derived the standard. They set the bar for what should and what should not be deemed appropriate.

Natural hair was not representative of what was expected of a professional woman. On the rare occasion a woman wore her natural hair, it was normally well tamed, pressed, blown out or cut very low into what we call a boy cut or TWA.

Everything about this shifted our thinking into believing that our hair was not professional enough to be worn in its natural, untainted form.

From relaxers, to perms and jerry curls, we knew the formula and knew what was expected of us in such environments. From comments such as ‘that hairstyle is too ghetto for work’, that hairstyle makes you look poor’, and even the familiar comment which again reared  its head quite recently as related to a local politician who chose to wear a loose natural style at a news conference…doesn’t she own a comb and brush?’

Society and most work spaces are becoming more accepting of diverse/ natural hair.

The good news is that these barriers are slowly but surely being broken and it’s about time! Naturalistas are now making a permanent mark not only in the workplace but also in political arenas, international beauty pageants and as far reaching as Hollywood, in advertising and on the big screen. With notable figures and influencers such as Tiffany Haddish, Lupita Nyongo and Taraji P. Henson openly and honestly sharing their views, documenting and sharing their journeys with the world.

Even right here in Trinidad and Tobago we have public figures and Politicians such as Dr Nyan Gabsy Dolly and entertainer Fay Ann Lyons – Avarez (the Viqueen herself) championing our cause and ending those archaic contradictions that our natural tresses are not appropriate for certain environments.

The cause for the acceptability of natural hair has in recent times also been the basis of several legal and legislative arguments and ongoing cases currently being fought for the right to grow and wear our hair as we please. Notably the CROWN ACT which has been gaining traction in the US. This act seeks to make it illegal to discriminate against someone over the way they wear their hair.

Cheers to us!

We have come a long way, but the battle is not over just yet. We still have a long journey ahead of us for full acceptance and even greater representation but the strides we have made should not be downplayed and taken for granted.

As we continue to embrace what is ours, we will continue to push full acceptance not only for ourselves but also for the generations to follow.

It is imperative that we continue to break those biased barriers and proclaim…

My hair is professional.