Top 10 Natural Hair Tips: How to Grow Long Natural Hair

Having been natural for over 5 years you would think I have ALL the answers. Which products to use, which products not to use, what works best for my hair, blah blah blah. Would you be surprised to know that I actually still struggle with maintaining a consistent wash routine? Yup, natural hair vet over here and I can barely manage my own crown of curls.

That doesn't mean I can't help you with your journey! The thing that helped me the most when I went back natural in 2013 was other women. That's right, our best source of knowledge is each other. So here are my top 10 natural hair tips:

1. Have Patience!

When I first went natural I literally would stare at my hair waiting for it to grow. I was so impatient that I started measuring my hair with a ruler to see how much new growth I attained each month. In hindsight this was such a waste of time. You have to be patient while you are on your journey. Hair typically grows 6 inches a year (depending on factors like genetics or how well you take care of your hair) so just LET IT GROW.

2. Everything aint for everybody.

Its soooooo frustrating when you follow a tutorial step by step with the SAME products and still end up looking like who shot John (I'm looking at you MoKnows Hair). What I learned is that I cant follow tutorials of people who's hair type isn't similar to mine. My advice is to find your hair twin! Someone with a close match to your hair type, curl pattern and length. It'll make the failed tutorials hurt less, promise. My hair twins are the Glam Twinz and Naptural85.

3. Get to know your hair.

There is no quick way around this. You have to get to know your hair. Know the porosity, texture, curl pattern, how it reacts in different weather conditions, etc. All these things will help you take better care of your hair and in turn keep those curls poppinnnnnn!

4. Read labels carefully.

A lot of times we are fooled by the words we see on the front of products like 'all natural', 'organic' or '100%'. Don't fall victim to clever marketing and pretty packaging. It's easy to just pick up a new product and think it's good just because the label says so. But as a natural you have to read the label on the back. I'd be lying if I said every product in my cabinet was made of natural and organic ingredients, but I always try to buy products that are made with the ACTUAL ingredients I'm looking for and no harmful ones like sulfates, parabens or mineral oil.

Sidenote: The higher something is on the ingredient list, the more there is in the product!

5. WATER! WATER! WATER!

Water is the most important moisturizer you own. Long gone are the relaxed days when a drop of rain or high humidity kept us in constant fear. Water is your hair's best tool for good hair health. There is no better product out there that will do your hair justice as good as water will. In the middle of wash days I like to drench my hair in water to get every strand wet and moisturized. I also try and drink 64 ounces of water a day, to promote scalp and hair health. If you want something with more content and decide to pick a product up from the store always be sure water is the FIRST listed on the list.

6. You must moisturize.

You can use plain ole tap water, or do a mixture such as water, aloe, oil and conditioner. There are many different combos, you use what keeps your curls juicy. Grab your spray bottle and keep her handy, because if your hair is as dry as mine, moisturizing your hair is a daily or every other day task. Be careful though, you can over moisturize your hair.

7. The holygrail L.O.C. method.

If you haven't heard of the LOC method you must live on Mars. LOC stands for Liquid (Leave in), Oil, & Cream . It is one of the natural hair commandments and a must if you want your curls to stay moisturized. The basis is that once you apply the liquid, you then coat the hair with oil to seal and a cream for either styling or added moisture. There are different combinations like LCO and LOCO, which depend on your hair type and porosity. My personal favorite is LOCO, with a water based leave in, light oil (such as grapeseed), cream based styler and ending with a heavier oil or butter. I know it sounds like a lot, but my hair stays moisturized for a while when I follow this regimen.

8. Your ends are your best friend.

Want to know the secret to long hair? Its length retention. Periodt. If you feel like your hair isn't growing, you're probably just not seeing growth because your hair is breaking off at the same rate it's growing. In order to maintain good length, you have to take care of those ends! Think about it, they are the oldest part of your hair. At one point they were at your root, now their all the way at the bottom, and being at the bottom means the oils our scalps produce have a hard time reaching them. So show your ends some TLC by trimming as needed, keeping them tucked away and protected.

9. Be Y O U.

My favorite part about my hair is the versatility. I can wear it curly or straight, up or down, in bantu knots, twist outs, flexi rods, and the list goes on! My hair is a definition of my beauty and my history, it is uniquely and unapologetically me. Own those curls sis! Whether it's out and that fro is poppin or you have a protective style going on. Your hair is yours to wear and show off to the world, be proud of your curls.. they are beautiful!

10. Enjoy the journey.

When I first went natural I would stare at my hair in awe of the curls I never knew I had. There are definitely times when my hair frustrates me beyond explanation, but they are few and far in between. I love my hair and all it's glory and my journey back to natural is an amazing one.