As a Nigerian woman, starting a natural hair journey is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Most of us grew up getting relaxers as early as the age of 5 and have continued to have a love-hate relationship up until adulthood. But thankfully, the natural hair movement has come to stay, we might as well take advantage of it.

As a busy Lagos mum, the last thing you would want to do is to start and maintain a natural hair journey given how demanding it can be especially in the beginning when you're still trying to figure things out. Except you have had natural hair during your single days, it's very unlikely you would want to 'go natural' if you're fully aware of its demands and requirements. But today, I come bearing good news and I'm here to tell you that you can actually start and grow your natural hair as a busy mum if you take the following steps:

- Understand the basics of natural hair care.
There's really no point starting something if you don't have a basic understanding of that concept. You would easily lose focus and give up. If and when you have decided to start your natural hair journey, do a bit of research and understand what you're getting into. Nothing too complex, just the basics. This will give you an understanding of what is required of you along the journey.

- Set your goals.
When starting any journey, it is imperative to set goals to give you a sense of direction and accomplishment. The same applies to natural hair. Most people start their journeys for two reasons: to achieve long and/or healthy hair. So decide which it is for you. Do you actually want long hair or do you care less about length but just want it healthy for a change? Do you want to change your look and just do something new? Every goal is valid. Set them and work towards them.

- Get a good salon nearest to you.
Did you think I was going to tell you to learn the ten steps involved in a natural hair wash day? Nahh. Let's face it. You will most likely not have the time. The earlier you accept that, the better you will understand the need to get a good salon. Find a natural or healthy hair salon that will implement most or all of the requirements you have learnt about natural hair for you. Once you have found a good salon, stick to it. This will encourage consistency which will then help you achieve your goals of long and healthy hair.

- Embrace long term protective styles.
Now that we have settled the maintenance aspect, let's focus on the protective aspect for a bit. Depending on what your styling routine was during your relaxed days, you would have to analyze them and decide the best options for your natural hair. As a busy mum who probably has a day job, there might not be enough time to fix an updo or style a twist out in the mornings. You need to find a style that will protect your natural hair as well as sustain it for a longer time. Say 3 to 4 weeks. Embrace protective styles that will also save you the stress of daily styling and going to the salon every week. Whatever you decide on, think monthly.

- Set reminders to moisturize regularly.
Now that you would be choosing long-term protective styles, this is really not the time to forget about your natural hair. You need to moisturize your natural hair regularly else it would break and you would be back to square one. If for some reasons you don't remember, set a reminder on your phone.

I hope with this few points you can think about growing your natural hair as a busy mum.


Ebun Oluwole is Content & Social Media Strategist for Lifestyle brands by day and a Lifestyle & Travel Blogger by night. She regularly blogs about simple ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. Check out her blog here.