When Going Natural Part 2: Expectations For Your Hair

I've mentioned before that although I've been natural my entire life, I never really saw my curls or played in my hair while it was loose. I knew my hair would shrink up when wet but often wondered what would happen if I just wore my hair like that. At first I wasn't sure about my hair. As a Black Woman of Color with a mixed heritage, I wanted my hair to be "either or" - either big bouncy curls or wavy/straight. As we all know, just because you are "mixed" does not mean you will get a certain "look." This in-between I discovered was strange and at the time I couldn't find anyone who could help me manage this "in-between." But now, it's been my quest for the last few years to play with this idea, and while I've hardly been a wash and go type of lady, I like the way my curls look. I know that I have a mixture of spiral curls: some are loose and some are tight and some parts of my hair are more wavy. It's intriguing to learn how to manage the different patterns And if you're discovering your curls for the first time, it may not be what you expected at all.

Some naturals may describe their hair using the Hair Typing System because it shows the kind of curl pattern your hair have; some of us have a mixture of curl patterns. Keep in mind there's no hierarchy as to what kind of hair is "better." I do agree that society seems to like a certain type of curl but that doesn't mean your hair "type" isn't beautiful. Maybe you're not use to your texture just yet, but becoming natural is a journey, one which will help you learn about what it means to have the hair you have.