There are a lot of dos and don’ts in the natural hair community. True, both are important. However, many get overwhelmed by the different techniques and hair care methods they are advised to do, that they sometimes ignore tips about what they should avoid. Once you have your heart set on a goal for your natural hair, whether more length or better health, the don’ts are just as crucial as the dos. We’ll consider, in this article, things to avoid if you want to reach your natural hair goals.
Avoiding these things will help you reach your natural hair goals
- Setting unrealistic goals
- Comparison
- Inconsistency
- Going overboard
1. Setting unrealistic goals
The truth is – regardless of the effort you put into reaching a goal, you’re never going to reach it if the goal is unattainable in the first place. So, setting realistic goals is very important. Avoid the tendency of wanting to reach a target, especially when it concerns length, within a short period of time and without the appropriate resources.
Before you set a hair goal, ensure it is something you can reach within the time range you assign for the goal, considering the effort you can reasonably put in, your genes, the product(s) you’d be using, and other relevant considerations. Otherwise, you would be setting yourself up for disappointment.
2. Comparison
Falling into the habit of comparing your hair with that of others is easier than it seems. It is also more harmful than it appears. While seeing the progress of others can be highly motivational, you might find yourself displeased with your hair and, worse, frustrated with your results (even if there are substantial results) when you place your hair on a comparison scale against others.
If you want to reach your natural hair goals, bear in mind that it’s a personal journey and hair characteristics widely vary, even among family members. Avoiding comparison will let you create a regimen or goal plan that works for you. And it will make it much easier to set realistic goals and appreciate whatever the results are, at the end of the goal’s duration.
3. Inconsistency
Once you’ve found and mapped out a regimen that works, sticking to it is important if you want to reach your hair goals. If your plan to attain more inches includes scalp massaging three times a week, for example, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you constantly skip doing the massage on designated days. You need discipline to avoid inconsistency, as persistence is essential to yielding results when working to reach any goal.
4. Going overboard
It doesn’t matter what goal you’re aspiring to meet; whether longer or fuller hair, thicker strands, or fuller edges. One thing is sure – overdoing it is not the solution.
Some people tend to use excess products for quicker results. The danger in this is the risk of getting either moisture or protein overload, which would result in a setback and affect the chances of you reaching your goal. The same applies to practices such as doing the inversion method (a scalp massaging technique that involves bending one’s head downwards) or taking supplements. Doing either of these in excess because you desire massive results could be detrimental to your health, thus being counterproductive.
Hair care practices you should avoid
- Moisturising late
- Doing the wrong “protective styles”
- Being extremely scissors happy
- Not using the right products
- Neglecting night care
1. Moisturising late
Waiting for one’s hair to dry out completely before reapplying moisture is one of the reasons some people have to contend with substantial breakage. If it takes your hair 3 days to retain moisture, you best remoisturize on day 2 before it completely dries out.
2. Doing the wrong “protective styles”
Not all natural hairstyles are protective styles and having the right knowledge of what qualifies as one would help you reach your goals, especially if using protective styles is a part of your planned regimen.
Proper protective styles are not tight and do not apply tension to your strands or scalp. Optimally, they protect your ends by keeping them tucked away. While you can safely use low-manipulation styles to reach your goals, the general rule of thumb is to steer clear of hairstyles that cause undue tension because this translates to breakage and shedding – neither of which means healthy hair.
3. Being extremely scissors happy
If you set a goal to grow longer hair, then being extremely scissors happy (cutting your hair at will, without need for a trim) is obviously counterproductive. Only trim your ends as they require, to eliminate split ends and single strand knots. Snipping off knots whenever you encounter them is great but definitely avoid cutting your hair indiscriminately if you want to reach that length goal.
4. Not using the right products
Every product, whether DIY or store-bought, has its purpose and you can only make the most of it if you use it the right way, for the right purpose. It is also important to ensure that the products you use are compatible with your hair.
If a product leaves flakes, dries out your hair, makes your scalp itch or burn, or makes your hair limp, for example, then you should seriously consider replacing it with more suitable products.
5. Neglecting night care
Pillowcases made with cotton cause friction between your hair and the fiber, thus absorbing moisture from your hair and leaving it dry. The results are tangles and breakage. To prevent this, sleep with a good satin or silk bonnet, scarf, or durag. Alternatively, sleeping with a pillowcase made with satin or silk would serve the same protective purpose.
Ensure that your scarf or durag is not placed on your hairline or worn too tightly. And while selecting a bonnet, choose one that is comfortable, made with smooth satin, and offers maximum protection to your hair, from edges to nape, just like our Anike Extra-Care bonnet you can get here.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to follow every rule in the natural hair community; you just have to do what’s right for your own head of hair. However, there are general practices everyone should avoid if they are to attain any hair goal they’ve set. Some of these, as seen in this article, are failing to remoisturize early, using the wrong products and styles, as well as trimming indiscriminately. For your hair to thrive as you enjoy your journey, also do well to avoid setting unrealistic goals, comparing your hair with others, and going overboard with your products and methods. Above all, remember that patience and consistency are key.
What other hair care practices do you think people need to avoid to reach their natural hair goals? Let us know!