There are many reason why we go natural. A new look, a fresh start, to embrace our roots. For whichever reason you go natural, the process of taking care of it is big and it's important to know all you can before you transition or do the "big chop".

Anyone can go natural.

When I first considered going natural, I was told that my hair was too thick and that it wouldn't look good on me. In fact, a lot black women that have thick hair are told that this and it sometimes discourages them from doing so. This is not true. How can you not rock the hair that's coming out of your own scalp? That's just not possible. Honestly, I was giving in to all the things they were telling me, UNTIL I saw all these beautiful black women with BEAUTIFUL thick natural hair on YouTube (JourneyTo WaistLength, Geri GeraldinethGreat, AsToldByAllie)and on tv (Kimberly Elise, Yaya Dacosta, Uzo Aduba)and I realized that my hair could look like that too, if i tried.

Protective styles are your best friend.

Protective styles protect your ends, which are the oldest and most fragile parts of your hair. These styles require little to no daily upkeep so that you won't mess with your hair as much and give it a chance to grow and keep it moisture for a longer period of time. They were a lifesaver why I was transitioning and it just mad my daily routine a lot easier. Some styles are better than others and you have to be careful with how long you keep them in because they may cause breakage and do more damage than good. Examples:

Cornrows

Instagram: Freshlengths

Box Braids

Instagram: crownmeroyal_yeg

Flat Twists

instagram: ebonybomani

Twists

Instagram:_queenmajesticyouth

There are many variations of these styles so they can be functional and stylish.

Shrinkage will happen.

Shrinkage is the difference between what your hair looks like when it's wet and gently stretched to its maximum length and what it looks like when it's dry. A lot of the times, shrinkage can be very frustrating and it will make it look like you've made no progress on your hair journey. The truth is though, that shrinkage equals healthy hair. If your hair has the ability to spring back after being stretch and pulled then that means that you have strong hair. Still, If you don't like shrinkage, there are ways to combat it: Blow outs, Bantu knots, Twist outs, Braid outs, and bandings.

Deep conditioning is essential.

Just as it says, deep conditioning is very important and can be done in many ways depending on what routine works best for you. It's putting a certain type of conditioner on your hair for 30 minutes to an hour to help repair you hair and add moisture. Deep conditioning keeps your hair soft and strong while protecting against damage, dryness, breakage, and split ends. You can do this once a week or every two weeks. depends on what your hair need. You can buy products used for deep conditioning or you could make your own.

Find the right products.

The first step to find the right products in to figure out your hair type. Some people will tell you that finding your hair type isn't important but it is when needing to know how to make sure your hair is at it's healthiest. Figuring out the porosity(How well your hair retains moisture), texture(fine, normal, course) and density(how thick your hair is) will save you from buying the wrong products and wasting your money. Also look at what state your hair is in at the moment. Is it dry, do you have split ends? Make sure the product matches what your hair needs.

Don't just pick any product, make sure that they are perfect for your hair. Do a little research and experimenting before you settle but also know that you hair needs may change over time.

Natural hair is a full-time job, and there is a lot of time and care that goes into maintaining it. You can never stop learning there is always more things to know. There are tons of YouTube channels and websites dedicated to natural hair and the rules and tips that go with it to help beginners and veterans whenever they need it. Embrace your roots, girl, but make sure you take care of them, too.