Natural misconceptions

Mocha Chai. · 02-15-2009, 12:24 PM

Post some misconceptions, beliefs you had or others have told you as you went through your natural journey.

I just thought of this as I was just sealing my hair and flat twisting it, when my sister walked into my room. She asked me how did I get my hair like that. Thinking nothing of it, I told her I just washed it. She rolled her eyes and asked me what I really did to it, so I told her. After a moment of hesitation, she asked me if I could do her hair. I stopped my twisting and looked at her.

When I started my transition four years ago, she was the first to tell me that:
- you don't have "good" hair, so it won't grow w/o a relaxer
- b/c you don't have good hair, the only way you can wear your hair is either in locs, braids, bald, or in an afro, and god knows mom won't let you wear it all nappy.
- you're gonna end up relaxing again, because transitioning is too hard.

It just made me chuckle looking back on it, now that she and my mom like my natural hair alot. Only thing that was slightly true, was the last one, as my transition was difficult b/c I barely knew about healthy hair care, and my hair broke off at the line of demarcation lots, so my transition went on for 2 years.

Post yours!

HipsterSoul · 02-15-2009, 02:48 PM

when i first went natural, i had the misconception that all kinky/curly hair was the same. I also had the misconception that b/c it was natural, it would be very strong. Of course, it is stronger, but natural hair is very delicate also and you cant just go combing through it with a small comb like you can with straight hair. I also had the misconception that the hair i had when i first bc'd was the hair that I would have forever, but no it wasnt, it changed alot in texture.

Wild Curls Raquelle · 02-16-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samielle1

when i first went natural, i had the misconception that all kinky/curly hair was the same. I also had the misconception that b/c it was natural, it would be very strong.

I second this. My hair was more fragile with a relaxer in it. I also had this misconception that it would grow like over night because it didn't have the bad stuff in it.

Suburbanbushbabe · 02-16-2009, 11:28 AM

When the hairdresser who texlaxed me said I should let my hair go natural, I thought my hair didn't have the "right texture" to hang or have definition of any type other than frizz and bush. Turns out she was right.

You must shampoo your hair or else it won't be clean

I didn't think ingredients mattered all that much.

I would look unattractive, sick and old with gray hair.

mojitochica · 02-16-2009, 12:21 PM

I thought water wasn't good for your hair

afrodominican1 · 02-16-2009, 02:37 PM

Misconceptions about natural hair is what kept me from going natural before now.
I was told:
My hair was nappy, unruly, too much work, and that i needed a relaxer for it to grow.

I thought:
I could use the same products i used when i relaxed
I could wash my hair every week like when i was relaxed
I could "grease" my scalp for it to be "moisturized"
My texture that I had when i bc'ed would be the same as my hair grew.
I would never make it through my transition and will relax again

I am happy that I learned the truth about natural hair.

danrobin0313 · 02-16-2009, 03:16 PM

Ha.. so many misconceptions..

1.I thought all oils were equal.. no idea that there was a difference in mineral oil vs. olive oil vs Crisco LOL

2.The only natural styles were locs, braids or fro.. no idea that even hair that wasn't "silky" or a 3b or above could have a curl pattern

3. Thought I could continue to use the same products I used while my hair was relaxed.

4. Natural hair was instantly healthy once the relaxer was gone.. no idea I would have to take some much time and care and $$ in order to keep my hair healthy. Although now that I have a routine.. it doesn't cost much or take much time.

5. Frizz never even crossed my mind.. I had never experienced it and thought it was something unique to my lighter (white) sisters.

6.Wash N Go was literally "Wash N Go" Not Wash...Condition...Wash...Leave In.. Butter... Gel...Shake...Go

7. All Natural Women are Militants.... this is totally not true. I just want healthy, chemical free hair just like so many other women.. nothing more or less.

8.All curls are the same... Wow.. I was really ignorant in this regard. Waves, Coils, Curls, Naps... 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b .. it gets complicated.

Sunyata B. · 02-16-2009, 05:29 PM

-that my natural hair was the same texture as my newgrowth while perming(which is why I never seriously considered going natural for years)

-I could use all the same products that I did while permed

-that curly/coily hair only came in one size/texture

-that it would be less time consuming and less expensive. On wash/detangle/twist day it takes forever

, but the rest of the week I'm just sealing my ends. Overall it is less expensive, but I am spending more when looking at individual products.

PrtyNCurls08 · 02-16-2009, 08:27 PM

The misconceptions I had in regards to natural hair were:

1. Natural hair was considered to be locks, braids, or an afro.
2. Wash-N-Go literally meant wash your hair and head out the door!!!
3. Naturally curly hair were for folks of mixed races or black folks with the "good" hair.
4. Kinky hair meant "brillo" hair texture.
5. Too much water dries out the hair.
6. Natural hair on Black women are the same (Wow, I was not even on the same planet with this train of thought!!)!

Alice_42 · 02-16-2009, 09:06 PM

1) Drugstore brands are just fine for natural hair no matter what's in them!
Yeah, I don't really know where I got it.

2)It's easier
Not really, when I texlaxed it was literally: spray water on hair, put leave in conditioner + gel in, leave.

3) Natural hair=bad hair=rough, dry, unmanageable, not cute

4) Finding products isn't hard!
WHAT WAS I THINKING! Finding products that I can get in stores is such a PAIN. It doesn't help the nearest beauty supply store is far away

That's all I can think off right now, I'm 99.9% sure there are more though.

jessie57888 · 02-18-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojitochica

I thought water wasn't good for your hair

i thought i was the only one who ever believed this.

Kitathena · 02-18-2009, 05:10 PM

Goodness where do I begin?

I thought I could just wash my hair, and not have to put anything on it anymore...(well maybe some juices and berries like on Coming to America!)

I thought I could comb my hair dry

I thought my hair would be less work

I thought i would not look right with braids and twists

mariag002 · 02-18-2009, 09:12 PM

I thought I could just grab any product and it would work for me. It took me one year to find my "holy grails" and even they change as my hair grows.

I thought my hair would be easier to manage. Wrong! Its just more fun to deal with. I'm still learning but I'm hoping it will become easier with time.

I didn't know about shrinkage. I had no idea my hair would shrink so much. I REALLY thought that my BSL hair would be BSL curly hair. Not!

I thought I was going to really like my hair. Not even close, I LOVE my hair. I look in the mirror and think to myself, hair this sexy should be illegal!

afrodominican1 · 02-19-2009, 04:22 AM

Quote:

I look in the mirror and think to myself, hair this sexy should be illegal!

So funny but so true! your hair is gorgeous!

KinkyPJ · 02-19-2009, 08:52 AM

I thought going natural would be cheaper. I guess it can be but I love trying new products and layering products, which is pricey.

I also thought the only way to go natural was to buy a flat iron. LOL, seriously, I flat ironed my hair for three years straight until I found nc.com.

I thought I'd never be comfortable enough to rock a fro in public, now I's dying to fro it.

nikkidanniell · 02-19-2009, 09:36 AM

OK here were mine:

I thought Oil was a moisturizer.. now I understand its more of a sealant (always wondered why I would load my hair with oil and it still felt crispy)

I thought I wouldn't like my texture so my intention was to keep my hair straightened- this went out the window the first day I wore my hair out and it rained like hell after I paid $50 for a press...

thought it wouldn't be attractive to wear it out in a fro or twists, etc.

Thought the folks at work would be looking at me like

- I was wrong.. most co-workers love my hair and ask me for advice and some of them have been natural longer than I have!

Didn't think ingredients mattered

Thought the so-called miracle products (ie: Miss Jessies) would make my hair look exactly like the models .. Now I know it's more about techniques and moisture than it is expensive prods..

hippychic · 02-19-2009, 09:55 AM

1. thought natural hair meant locs, braids or picked out fro only; never coils/curls
2. thought only shampoo got your hair clean because you just had to have mucho lather for clean hair
3. thought you had to comb or brush your hair into submission
4. thought hair was hair, never knew about hair types, textures
5. never thought one head could have more than one hair type
6. never thought I would turn into a hair project junkie and that it would be so much fun

dsg-girlycurly · 02-19-2009, 10:22 AM

I thought:

water was my hair's enemy
my hair would have grown down to my elbows by now.......