The 3 Must Haves for Every Naturalista

During these past few years, I have identified the staple items that someone who wears there hair in its natural state must have readily available. These are must-haves for all naturalistas and are the foundation of a plethora of hairstyles. Seriously. These tools can be the difference between a bad hair day and an amazingly improvised and respectable hair style.

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1. Bobby and hair pins – there is absolutely no way you can have a bad hair day when you have a stash of these items. Why? You can literally force your hair to go where you want. The trick with pins is knowing how to use them correctly and having the correct size.

If you have long, thick hair it is to your advantage to get the jumbo size bobby pins. It prevents you from having to use a whole pack to tame a full mane. I even happened across jumbo CURVED bobby pins and literally fell in love. They pin along the curve of your head, making it much easier to actually stay secure after you put them in place. If you use the regular sized bobby pins, I find that they are more secure when you place the wave side toward the scalp. Hair pins are great for tucking in areas to fine tune a look.

2. Elastic headbands – There are so many varying hairstyles that can be accomplished with a good headband (for example, completely pulled back and up for a nice bun, pulled halfway back to get your hair out of your face, or half up with some hair out in front and pinned to the side). I like to get a size that can loop around twice and not be too tight on my scalp when I pull my hair up for a bun.

Make sure the headbands do not have a metal clasp since this can catch on your hair and break it off. Also, I like to stay away from the kind that have the “No Slip” strip on one side. I’m concerned that it will put too much stress on my hair and thin my edges. Yet, it could also be harmless. It’s up to your discretion.

3. Satin scarf – a 100% satin scarf is very easy to come by (real satin is not see through when held up to a light). Just stop by your local thrift store and get one for a couple of bucks.

What does this item do? If you are in a hurry and you are wearing an updo, quickly put your favorite leave-in conditioner or moisturizer on your hair that is pulled back, wrap the scarf around and tie off (place the shiny side directly on your hair). Keep on your hair for about 20 minutes and when you take it off, your hair is smooth and might even have a wavy pattern. It mimics wearing a wave cap. Tip: the longer you leave the scarf on the smooth your hair will appear.

There are many other hair styling tools that are popular among naturalistas, but the items listed above are literally the basics.

— Dr. G