My Natural hair is taking up too much of my time! SMH

[Smiley79]

That was all, just a quick vent before bedtime. For the most part I'm enjoying my natural hair journey, but my goodness, my natural hair is taking up too much time. And yes, I am protective styling; to get my natural hair to blend with my protective styles of choice is a task within itself. (sigh, hence the need for my beanie in my siggy pic )
I need to sleep this one out because I notice myself getting frustrated with how time consuming my hair has been lately.

Quick question: Does natural hair get easier once you pass that awkward in between length? It seems like girls with shoulder length natural hair for example can throw a few big twists in there and have an awesome twist out ready to go in the morning.

 

[fashion87]

For me it didn't get easier, it took me more effort and spending more time like you said. But on the other hand it is more fun, and more things you can do with it as far as style etc.

 

[kimpaur]

It didn't get easier for me, either. I liked my hair more when it got longer, but it required for effort.

 

[Dilettante]

I think it got easier in the sense that I understand my hair better and have more practice with how to make it look good. I had never cared for natural, afro textured hair until I went natural in college, so there was a serious learning curve.

 

[Dee Raven]

For me it did get easier, but that was only once I really started liking natural styles on my hair. It's easy to like other people's hair; the key is liking your own. I had already grown my hair to HL before I really started to appreciate the styles on my hair. And as your hair gets longer, laziness sets in and you'll find faster styles to do and figure out how little you can do to your hair and still have it look good. Hang in there.

Another thing I think about is that when my hair was relaxed, I spent 3 - 4 hours at the salon every 3 months, and at least an hour and a half just to wash, blow dry and flat iron my hair. Then combing and styling every day. So really the way I spend my time on hair is different, but regardless, hair is time consuming.

 

[Victoria44]

Styling is easier but the time it takes to wash and set my hair increases with length.

 

[Angelbean]

For me as my hair gets longer its getting quicker to wash and DC and style....I think once you get familiar with the process the easier (if I can use that word when referring to natural hair lol) but really the process can be as quick and simple as you choose for it to be...a long wash process with several different steps isn't necessary.

 

[intellectualuva]

For me as my hair gets longer its getting quicker to wash and DC and style....I think once you get familiar with the process the easier (if I can use that word when referring to natural hair lol) but really the process can be as quick and simple as you choose for it to be...a long wash process with several different steps isn't necessary.

^^^ This.

The only time my hair takes forever is the days I henna/indigo, but when I'm not weaving it up, I really can simply spend an hour between cowash/treatment, twist my hair and let it dry overnight. My hair isn't particularly long, just a little over the shoulder in the back. I think its gotten easier not just with length, but realizing I didn't 50-11 products that each needed 10-30 minutes under the dryer.

 

[Ogoma]

It is getting easier to style and manage. Partly because I know it better and partly due to its length. I can put it in a braid, bun, or ponytail easily and can get a braid out I like with 4 braids. I am also less concerned with making sure my frizz is gelled back and all my edges are slick. With time, I have just come to appreciate my hair and what it does naturally.

 

[virtuenow]

Ultimately, longer hair is a time save. I don't have to do as many sections. I would do about a thousand sections w/short hair out styles. I can do a braid out with 4 big sections (and eventually I will be able to do 1 braid or bantu knot). My styles last longer. I don't have to retwist my hair at all until wash day for twistouts. So in other words, I only have to do my hair on wash day and I'm done for the rest of the week. Can't beat that.

 

[Mahogony7]

I just braid mine up and put on a wig. At the moment I have some Havana Twists in. This routine, for me, is not time consuming at all.

 

[uofmpanther]

During the week, mine is flat twisted and under a wig, which takes 30 minutes to 1 hour on Sunday.

On the weekend, I've been getting to know my hair, and it has gotten easier to do it as it gets longer. I can use 4-6 sections to style, instead of 16-20. I can't wait until I get down to 2-4.

 

[Froreal3]

For me it did get easier, but that was only once I really started liking natural styles on my hair. It's easy to like other people's hair; the key is liking your own.

I agree. You have to be comfortable with how your hair looks, even with frizzy edges at the end of a long day of work. Keep in mind that no one's hair stays perfect.

Have you tried wigs that better blend into your natural hair or just protective styling w/your own hair?

 

[pearcey]

My hair takes a while too, but when I try to skimp, I pay for it.

At this point, like my husband says, "that why we work/that is what we work for" [to get what we desire], so no matter the price, the time, in the end it is worth it.

It does get to me to do it everyday, but the coils are amazing looking like dreadlocks without the work, and the tightly formed s-pattern that looks like a twist-out without a twist out are awesome.

it does get challenging due to the diff't textures, but my hand in fro disease counteracts any desire to cut.

so yeah, i spend too much time and money on it, but i would spend more trying to get it "done" every week.

hobby town. ETA: today it is in a "scarf bun". That is the go-to style these days when the shake and go gets too much...

 

[Smiley79]

I'm gonna keep trying to hang in there...I get that way with my natural hair sometimes.

 

[havilland]

Yes it gets easier!


I suggest getting on naptural85 and mahoganycurls you tube and go back to their very first videos. Watching how they progress through the awkward stages really helped me when I was transitioning and frustrated. There may be others out there who can chime in with suggestions.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Styling is easier but the time it takes to wash and set my hair increases with length.

+1 with this. I feel I can style more easily and have more versatility as my hair gets longer but I takes longer to detangle and twist during wash days.

 

[AmiJay]

For me the trick was wearing weaves or wigs that blended with my hair only. I bought some natural looking weave from Halleys Curls that was easy to blend with my 4b (not 4a) hair and my go to was a half wig from Sensationnel. With the half wig I'd slick my hair with grease but no gel. I had to accept that my hair wouldn't lay the same as when I relaxed.