How To ‘Do You’ In Your Healthy Hair Journey

“Do you”. That seems to be the catchphrase over the past few years. It embodies the idea of self-acceptance and following your own path. In the world of healthy hair journeys, this is probably the best thing you can do for your sanity, your hair, and your pocket. So why is “doing you” so beneficial and how can you join the movement?

Do your own research.

There are boat loads of information out there on how to achieve and maintain healthy hair. Just type “healthy hair” in any search engine, and you will get more than a million hits.

There are blogs, websites, YouTube videos showing tutorials, how-tos, regimens etc, and enough infographics to make your head spin.

Having lots of information is normally a good thing, but the reality is that most of these “source of information” contradict each other.

One site will say “Oils* are a good source of moisture”, while another will say the exact opposite “Oils* are not moisturizers”. What do you go with? Don’t rely on one source, and choose what works for you.

Do what works for you.

What does this mean? How do you know what works for you? We are all individuals, and no 2 people will have exactly the same hair journey. There are just too many variables for that to happen. Our hair is a unique combination of different characteristics – texture, porosity, coarseness, shine, curls, kinks, coils, and the list goes on.

We have different lifestyles from activity levels, to how much time we have to dedicate to our hair. We have different motivations and goals for our healthy hair journeys – length, health, thickness, strength etc. We have different budgets.

We have different access to products and services that can help on our journeys. At the end of the day, you as an individual will have to make a decision that makes your healthy hair journey to work for you. If you are working on your healthy hair journey, there is a very good chance that you will become discouraged.

Know your hair.

I cannot say this enough but I understand that new naturals get very confused about that statement. When we say know your hair we mean get to know what works for your hair, know what it likes and does not like. This is not only referring to products, but also to techniques and styles.

I also recommend that part of the process of getting to know your hair should include a porosity test. When you know your hair’s porosity you can determine how your hair reacts to moisture and how your hair reacts to protein.

The thing to note is that you should not be afraid to try new things when you see that something is not working. Figure out what makes your hair sing, even if that means having to go against the grain. Once you know what works, you can keep experimenting for fun.

Don’t be afraid to break the ‘rules’.

When you go through the information out there, you will inevitably come across posts stating what you should and should not do or use. Keep searching and you will see others who flout those rules and their hair is thriving. That is why doing your research becomes very important.

And this is not just informational research. It is also practical research – knowing your hair. If your hair becomes a brillo pad when you use a ‘magical, miracle product’ that people swear was manufactured in the essence of the gods, don’t go there. If your hair thrives when you are not washing your hair as often as every person in the forums, keep doing what you’re doing. We are all different, and accepting our individuality is half of the work done already.

Don’t feel pressure to conform.

It almost seems like there is a new trend in the healthy hair community every few months. Whether it is a new product, or style, or even technique, our fingers tend to get twitchy with the urge to try it out.

If you go ahead, do it because you want to, not because you are scared of feeling left out. After some time, the pressure to keep up with all the trends can end up feeling like a burden. Try out new things because you want to, not because you feel like you have to.

Freedom.

‘Doing you’ brings an amazing sense of freedom within your healthy hair journey. Doing things on your own terms takes away the pressure that often accompanies a healthy hair journey.

Pressure to meet expectations. Pressure to meet goals. Pressure to not be left behind. Pressure to fit the mold. Pressure to break the mold. Lots of pressure, coming from the outside. Driving you. ‘Doing you’ helps you break free from these pressures. To allow you to finally enjoy your healthy hair journey, wherever it may take you.