How challenging was the actual practical side of growing out your hair?
“The difficulty practically is that there is no easy or short path to growing out your natural hair, especially if you prefer a longer length and value healthy hair. The process is long and requires a lot of patience, especially if you choose to embrace it cold turkey. Most often it will take women two or more years to complete the transition. A few months into my transition I was somewhat forced to let go of the bleach damaged lengths and embrace a pixie grow-out as well.
In hindsight this was more of a challenge for me… because I was not mentally prepared to embrace grey and short hair at the same time. Having so many changes in your appearance all at once can be a little overwhelming and takes some adjustment. The challenges I faced over those first few grow-out months have certainly made me more resilient and I have learned a lot about myself through the process. Most importantly, that I should always value my opinion of myself above anyone else’s.”
What advice would you give someone considering ditching the dye and going natural?
“Just go for it. It won’t be easy or without challenges but the journey is a liberating and empowering one. The perfect time to embrace your natural hair is when it is right for you, and no one else. In practical terms, I would advise someone to talk to their stylist and do lots of online research to find which transition method suits them best, whether it is grey blending, a buzz cut, cold turkey, pixie, bleaching (not recommended for the damage it causes). There are lot of options to choose from, but most will take time and patience.”
