Common Mistakes New Naturals Make + Tangle Teezer GIVEAWAY

Common Mistakes

Being newly natural is all too familiar. We’ve been through the awkward stages, the never-ending product prowls, and the countless hours of YouTube videos.  If there is one thing we could wish for, it would be to have had someone holding our hand through the do’s and don’ts of natural hair care. In honor of Healthy Hair Month here on LBS, we’ve decided to throw together a mini cheat-sheet of common mistakes new naturals make. If you’re new to the game (or even if you’ve been doing it for some time), take notes.

Read on this way ladies!

Not Knowing Your Hair: One of the biggest faux pas you can commit as a natural is not knowing your hair texture. We tend to forget the plethora of varying curl patterns curly heads possess. Every head is different from the next, therefore must be cared for pertaining to its type. Learning to accept the hair on your head will open doors to care routines and products made just for you.

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Related: The Best Fall Hairstyles for Curly Girls

Got Frizz? After a thorough wash, what’s the first thing you reach for? A towel. Did you know that using a towel to dry your hair causes frizz? Instead grab an old t-shirt and wrap that head up! You will definitely notice the difference. The t-shirt will prevent as much unruly frizzies as possible.

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Not Trimming Your Ends: Has you hair been knotty or nice? A lot of naturals dread trimming their hair, but if you want to maintain length, you must take particular care to your ends. The ends of your hair are usually less nourished and drier than the hair closer to your scalp. In order to maintain length and healthy ends, one must:

  • Trim to rid of knots and split ends
  • Venture into protective styling

You do not need to trim your hair religiously. Sometimes you may not even need to. In most cases, you’ll only need to trim 2-3 times a year (maybe less). Just be aware of your hair’s attitude and personality, it will serve you well.

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Wrong Wrap: Admit it! Some of you are so guilty of this. We know you’ve been wrapping your hair at night with those cotton bandanna head ties. This is a big no-no! Cotton will suck all the moisture out of your hair and can cause breakage. Invest in a silk or satin bonnet or pillow case from your local Sally’s. All your hair needs is a little TLC.

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Product Junkie Spree: As soon as we go natural, we tend to hit the nearest store for a basket full of products we think we may need. Black women make up 80% of the purchasing population in this billion dollar industry. We’re here to tell you, slow it down. Although it makes sense to find the best products that are right for your hair, you need nothing more than a good:

  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Water-based Moisturizer and/or Leave In Conditioner
  • Sealing oil

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Related: 5 Products to Protect Natural Hair in the Fall Winter

Improper Detangling: Detangling is an important process in natural hair care, but doing it the right way can be the difference between healthy hair and damaged hair. The most effective tools to use are a Denman Brush, a paddle brush, a Tangle Teezer, or a “WIDE” toothed comb. Doing so in sections will cause less stress to the hair getting rid of more natural shedding than forced shedding/breakage. Make sure to detangle while your hair is still wet or damp. Wet hair has a lot more elasticity then dry hair, so it’s easier to comb through without having to listen to your strands snap and crackle.

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Here at LBS we SWEAR by the Tangle Teezer. It’s one of the most effective tools you can use to detangle naturally curly strands. Your detangling time will be dramatically reduced, it doesn’t hurt at all, and it’s totally safe for your strands. Because we love it SO much, we’re giving away FREE Tangle Teezers to 3 lucky readers! ENTER below by doing the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post 
2. Follow Tangle Teezer on Facebook
3. Fill out the Rafflecopter Widget below with your info!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Being natural seems to have so many rules that just thinking about it may make your head spin. Once you get the hang of these basics, you’ll be another pro at growing beautiful, healthy, and luscious curls!

Do you have any tips for new naturals reading this post? Personal experiences? Soundoff below.

16 Comments
  1. I’ve recently stopped getting relaxers and am trying to stay away from straightening it and this was very helpful…I’d love to try the Tangle Teezer.

  2. I could definitely use a Tangle Teezer. I’ve been perm-free for about a year now, but I have yet to get into my “natural” groove. It seems so hard to perform the upkeep, and that is mostly due to the fact that it’s soooooooooo hard to comb through this mane. Help!

  3. My hair could definitely use the tangle teezer. I can’t comb it once it dries. I literally get a headache.

  4. something that can kill the weekly detangling struggle? where have you been all my HHJ?

  5. Thanks for the article, just know learning how to properly detangle my hair. It takes a minute but its worth it in the end.

  6. I am newly natural (BC-Feb. 2013) and have wondered about the Tangle Teezer or Hair Bean or Denman brush…

  7. To the ladies who are coily/kinky/springy hair’d like moi can I suggest using your fingers as your detangling tool or in your routine. I’ve noticed less shed hair and my coils are less likely to be snapping off all over my bathroom floor. Happy Hair Journeys ladies!

  8. Never heard of the Tangle Teezer after reading the article on product junkies which I’m guilty of. Still I want to try this one.

  9. I currently use a Tangle Teezer to help detangle and smooth my hair, so far, so good! I could definitely put another Tangle Teezer to use. 🙂 Thanks for the Giveaway!!

  10. Helpful article. I’ve been natural for awhile and still don’t do some of these things.

  11. My hairdresser used a Tangle Teezer last week, and it was so effective! I’m a convert!

  12. I’ve never heard of the Tangle Teezer and hope I win one. If not, it’s on my “to-buy” list.