The 4C Natural Hair Struggle

Hey girl…you over there frustrated with your natural hair. Ohhh lawd that rhymes! Are you over it? Tired of the dry, unmanageable, impossible to detangle, won’t/can’t/never stay moisturized? No amount of grease will add shine to your coils? Do your twist-out’s always succumb to shrinkage and just become a ball of fuzzy puffiness?

Well, hey girl, hey! I am here just for you! I’ve curated this list of my vlogs that will help you on the journey to embracing and enjoying your natural hair! We have to break down the barriers of a natural hair community that has perpetuated the myth of shiny curls and baby hairs as the standard for natural hair. Your coils and kinks are just as beautiful, if not more versatile. So let’s start with some quick tips:

• Your hair is fine, there’s nothing wrong with how it grows.
• Moisturizing starts with the wash routine. Also steaming the hair can do miracles for those who have had a hard time getting hair to stay moisturized.
• The weather definitely affects your hair’s moisture. Summertime humidity can make it tricky with the glycerin and winter time frigid air just drys up everything.
• Stop styling your hair wet….girl, just no. Damp or close to dry is key. Allow your hair to air dry post wash in chunky twists with a dab of moisturizing product in your hair. Complete your moisture regimen once your hair has dried up a bit. This cuts back on shrinkage and overall dry time. Ain’t nothing like spending a few hours setting your hair at night to take it out in the morning and it still be wet. UTTER. DISAPPOINTMENT. -_-
• If you want to grow your hair long and would like to see more growth, protective styling is where it’s at.

Now on to the details, details:

First thing, a lot of times frustration with our hair comes from unrealistic expectations on what our hair can do. And this is ever more true for women with kinky texture hair or those who identify as 4C natural, because we are so often left out of the healthy natural hair discussion, as we are picked over for women with naturally curly hair. Just because your doesn’t curl or grow curly doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy. Click the thumbnail for my discussion on the Realistic Expectations for 4C Natural Hair.

Next we move into routine. Let’s be clear and honest here you do NOT need to do every new trend of routine, whether it’s putting your whole kitchen sink or greenhouse, cherry lane whatever method. Find what works for you and stick to it. Often times, the root of our hair care problems start with how we wash and condition our hair. I’ve curated a list of videos that go over technique and routines that you can employ to ensure healthy hair. Click the thumbnail for the video playlist specifically tailored to those struggling with 4C natural hair.

Okay, so we all know that product junkism and real and folks often believe that miracles can be found in the bottom of a hair care product. That’s not what I’m ever willing to promote. Honestly speaking, you can make all your own products and be fine. You do NOT need to buy every hot or new product out there in order to get your hair to act right. Really, your hair regimen should consist of 4-7 products from shampoo to styling.  For my favorite products, I have a full comprehensive video and a detailed one by one series that I am still updating with favorites from each product category. You can also check my product reviews that showcases different product lines and tools that I have found useful on my natural hair journey.

I personally love to wear my hair in curly styles. Mostly because it keeps my hair stretched and decreases single strand knots, and tangled hair. Also, because I love the texture of my hair in curls, especially big curls where you can still see the kinky of my hair as it’s spiraled into curls. Everyone has a different aesthetic, and I fully believe that your hair care routine should fit you, in not only your lifestyle but how you like to see yourself. Just because you went from relaxed to natural does NOT mean you have to regress to wearing hairstyles that are better suited for a 12 year old. It also doesn’t mean that your only styling option is the high puff.  You can enjoy a wide range of curly, protective, braided and ‘fro do’s. Click the thumbnail for my Guide to Curls for 4C Natural Hair.

For all my natural hair professional ladies, with those good corporate jobs. I have a few tutorials that are perfect for the work environment. Also for the mothers or just busy women, I also have a few styles that can last you throughout the week.

Shine on and shine bright dolls! Any other questions about your hair? Tweet me @jouelzy your questions and find my on Facebook where you can post pictures of the fly styles you have achieved on your hair. I promise, it only gets better from here.