Would you like to go “au naturel”? If you’re African American or have coarse, curly or dry hair, you might be tempted to have your locks chemically tamed, treated or straightened so that it will be easier to style – but going with natural black hairstyles can give you versatility together with low-maintenance, time-savings, and low cost.
Choosing an “au naturel” look does not require much effort these days – there are many natural black hairstyles that you can wear. Another good thing about going back-to-basics as far as your naturally kinky black hair is concerned is that the more ‘natural’ its state as a hairstyle is, the healthier your hair gets.
Moreover, there are a good number of products that can help maintain the lush volume of your locks, so it does pay to wear natural black hairstyles rather than trying to tame your hair. New, advanced formula shampoos, conditioners and light styling aids allow you to “wash and go” with very little styling, drying or combing needed.
Why It Pays to Go for Natural Black Hairstyles
Over the years, more and more women are going the natural route. When you have coarse, thick or kinky locks, your tendency as a teen would be to spend hours in a stylist’s salon or in your own room using a straightening iron so that you can tame your locks a bit. Or, you might have also tried sporting one of the many braided or cornrow designs – the pressure of which will eventually take its toll on your hair.
So why does it pay to go for natural black hairstyles? There’s a certain amount of freedom allowing your long or short locks to just be on its naturalized state.
Need more convincing? Here are a few other benefits:
- You don’t have to suffer from the damaging effects of constant heat application
- If you don’t have time to go to the salon, your hair will become dry and brittle if its previous style was not properly maintained by a professional stylist – in other words, making a time-consuming effort in styling and products requires time-consuming and expensive maintenance
- Your scalp will be free of the pressure that usually tight braids or cornrows. Traction Alopecia (hair loss) is not uncommon in African American women who consistently wear tight braids.
- When you constantly style and use harsh chemicals, you might feel as if your hair is not growing long or fast – and in fact, this may be true. This is because of the drying elements that your hair strands are being subject to, as well as the chemicals applied to your hair. Once all of these factors are eliminated, you will find that your hair will grow longer, quicker.
Tips on Maintaining Natural Hair
Now that you already have an idea about the benefits of going “au naturel”, what are the things that you should do to maintain a natural black hairstyle? Basically, you need to have the right products and tools for maintenance. A wide-toothed comb, a good clarifying shampoo, a moisturizing cream conditioner and a leave-in conditioner are the things that you need for the daily regimen. We also recommend a weekly use of a deep moisturizing shampoo.
Also, a once-a-month application of hot oil or deep conditioning treatment is also necessary to keep your hair from getting brittle and dry.
True enough, nothing beats the feeling of going au naturel. So if you’ve always worn your kinky hair in a chemically straightened or braided hairstyle, isn’t it time you gave yourself an easy, low-maintenance option?