You Won't Necessarily Save Time

Whether you've thoroughly researched natural styles and care, and are ready to take the plunge, or you're not quite sure if returning to textured tresses is for you, there may be some misconceptions you have about natural hair. It can look either rosy or nerve-wracking from the other side, and you don't truly know how living with natural locks is until you do it yourself. In case you're wearing rose-colored glasses and just can't wait to finish your transition or cut it all off, here are five things you need to know about being natural.

First: Natural hair isn't a time-saver.

We're not talking the TWA stage, where your styling routine can take mere minutes. Yes, that low-maintenance 'do is a dream when it comes to shaving time off your morning grooming sessions. However, once you gain some inches, you'll soon discover that cleansing, detangling and styling often take at least as long as it did when you relaxed your hair. If you do it the correct and gentle way, that is. Remember thinking about all the time you'd save once you gave up Saturday morning appointments at the salon? In many cases, salon waits become detangling routines. Unless you plan to live with a TWA forever, longer natural hair won't necessarily save you time when caring for it.

It May Not Be Cheaper

Relaxer touch-ups, regular trims, wash and sets -- it all adds up. Maybe you're contemplating going natural because your wallet is hurting from all of the salon visits.

Being natural may not be cheaper.

It can be if you're a very frugal sort, but the term "product junkie" didn't appear out of thin air. Instead of salon costs, now you might incur product costs. There's usually a lot of trial-and-error in finding products and routines that work for your unique texture.

Some women are disappointed and puzzled to discover that although their hair looks similar to someone else's, that person's choice of products and regimen doesn't offer the same results. Even if you have a comfortable routine down pat, with so many new and exciting products hitting the shelves, you may have a hard time resisting the urge to try one or two (or more!) of them on a regular basis. Also, the longer your hair grows, the more product you'll use each time you shampoo, condition and moisturize.

Mixing your own concoctions is often a great way to save money and be conscious of what you're putting on your tresses, but if you only want organic or free trade ingredients, expect to pay more.

Every Style Isn't Workplace-Acceptable

Look at this photo, and what do you see? If you've embraced natural hair, perhaps you see a healthy head full of locs. On the other hand, if you work in a very conservative work environment, maybe you see hair that's "extreme" and not appropriate for the office.

Every natural hairstyle isn't workplace-acceptable.

Yes, even in this day and age, Afro-textured hair isn't welcomed with open arms everywhere you go, particularly in work environments that veer toward conservative policies.

While some women face discrimination from their locs, others face harassment from Afros, which are nothing more than hair allowed to grow from the head as-is! Most jobs have dress codes that frown upon wild styles like mohawks and unnatural colors, but others include braids and locs as extreme hairdos. It's not unheard of for black women to get dismissed from jobs (or never get hired in the first place) for wearing cornrows or braided extensions. It sounds unfair, but it's something to keep in mind when choosing a hairstyle or place to work.

That lovely short cut that gave you no problems for six months straight is suddenly behaving like an unruly child, and you have no idea why. You found your Holy Grail product and have a routine that fits your lifestyle and texture. What gives?

Your hair's needs can change over time.

As your hair gets longer, it may require more moisture, deep conditioning and care for single-strand knots. While issues like shrinkage can become less of an annoyance (due to the weight of your hair naturally pulling it down and showcasing length), other issues may crop up.

The longer your tresses, the older your ends -- these delicate ends require much more care than someone sporting a three-inch 'fro. You may also find favorite products don't seem as effective, either due to increased thickness or a change in color (i.e. gray hair might yellow unless you begin using shampoos designed to keep it bright). If you find your hair not responding to your usual treatment, take stock of your current product list and regimen, and see if a tweak or two doesn't get you back on track.

You've looked forward to the day you didn't fear rain, a swimming pool or the sauna at your gym. Water is no longer your hair's enemy, but now its best friend. So maybe you're surprised on a day your style doesn't come out right the first time. Or the fifth.

Even naturals can have bad hair days.

There will be times, despite your best efforts and preparation, when you won't get the flawless 'do you envisioned.

It may be too humid outside, causing lovely ringlets to swell into frizz. Or your gel didn't have enough hold, so your hairdo fell flat. In short, you'll end up frustrated. Natural hair is a lot of things, but it's not always perfect. Those YouTube vloggers who seem to whip a great style together in five minutes have probably practiced many times to achieve what looks effortless. When it comes to styling your hair, we can paraphrase the old adage: if at first you don't succeed...throw on a hat and keep it moving.

As long as you know natural tresses will sometimes offer you some level of drama and annoyance, you'll be better prepared for those frizzy days and styling "fails." All you need is a spray bottle full of water, some patience and the willingness to try again.