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From the idea that natural hair is purely worn for political reasons to it being hard to deal with, there have been so many misconceptions.
Here are 5 of the most common natural hair myths:
1. Natural hair is strong
This is one of the most common misconceptions. Since natural hair looks strong, people assume its texture is thick and luscious. This is very much untrue.
Natural hair is actually quite fragile and needs to be handled with care for it to flourish since the strands are weaker due to the way they curl and bend.
2. Natural hair is not versatile
There are various different, unique hairstyles that can be executed with natural hair such as Bantu knots, braids, cornrows, perm, etc. And the longer your hair, the more style options you have.
Not too long ago we did an article on 7 awesome new ways to style your natural hair.
3. Natural hair is unmanageable
This is only true if you don’t have the proper knowledge, then you’ll find it difficult to manage and maintain your mane.
However, when you know how to take care of your curls and coils it will be just as easy as it is with the other hair types. It just needs more time and some extra TLC.
Check Curl Centric for a guide on how to look after natural hair.
"I often style my hair with curlers to get the look I want because even though my hair looks great on day one, by day two it’s lost a lot of its bounce. So I tried the Dark & Lovely Au Naturale Plaiting Pudding Cream and it made a really big difference. I applied this product, twisted my hair, and the next day my hair felt amazing. It left my hair feeling nourished and hydrated, but not heavy like many products have done for me in the past. It helped keep my hair in good shape and it also had a fantastic scent!
"I used about a tablespoon on my hair the first day (my hair is very thick) and then only applied some from the tips of my fingers to the ends of my hair a day or two afterwards. If you’ve got natural locks that tend to get dry quickly, use this, it will change your hair and possibly your life." - Carmen Williams
4. Natural hair doesn't grow fast
Natural hair tends to shrink, which prevents you from seeing its actual length. But it does grow quickly as people who relax their hair know - every 6-8 weeks they have to do touch-ups, because of all the new hair sprouting from one's scalp.
5. Natural hair isn't washed regularly
Bustle encourages natural hair beauties to embrace shrinkage and to wash hair very often. Contrary to mainstream beliefs that black hair doesn't like water, washing hair regularly actually stimulates hair growth and removes oil build-up on the scalp.
"When I heard that Dark & Lovely was launching a natural range I was very excited. It was one of my go-to products when I was on the creamy crack. I used the new Au Naturale shampoo and conditioner for two weeks. I really liked the feel of the shampoo compared to the one I usually use, which is quite harsh. I did notice though that it contains sulphates, which is normally a big no-no in the natural movement.
"The conditioner was a dream, I have low porosity hair (my hair doesn’t absorb and hold moisture), but my hair felt super soft and ultra-moisturised compared to my usual product." - Leandra Engelbrecht
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