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Being natural has its ups and downs. The upside is that you no longer have chemicals in your hair and can wear your natural curls. On the flipside, you might have to relearn how to take care of your hair, which could also affect the length of your tresses. But don’t be fooled, your hair is healthier than ever. You just have to learn to work with what you have! As long as you are good to your hair, your hair will be good to you. Here are three reasons not to get caught up!

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|It’s Brand New|

If you recently became a naturalista, your hair is still getting used to not having any chemicals in it. Therefore, the texture your hair is now, may not be the texture it is forever. Give it some time and you’ll most likely see your hair change over time.

|Shrinkage|

Shrinkage is real!! You have length, but the buoyancy in your curls is forcing you to remain humble. Although shrinkage makes it look like your hair is shorter than it is, it is also a sign of health. The mere fact that your coils spring back is a sign of healthy hair.

|Health|

No matter what your hair looks like, health is always what’s most important. Bouncy curls are way better than stretched, lifeless ones. Once you’ve found a hair regimen that your hair loves, then you can work on other factors.

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Tia Banks, Content Editor

Spring is about to say ‘hello’ to the world (even though it’s not feeling like it). Well, it’s always better to be prepared in the meantime! Check out 6 fresh hairstyles that will keep your tresses on point + can take you from class to the quad.

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Fresh Faux Locs – Protective styles are easy + great for hair growth. Try faux locs to spice up your look this spring break.

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Braided To The Back– Don’t be afraid of length + showing off your beautiful face. So opting for braided back styles are a must.

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 Crochet Twists– Easy to install + dope style to rock from the dorm room into to the weekend.

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Blow Out Double Buns– Get versatile with your tresses. Blow out your curls + add some volume to your styles.

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Tribal Braids- Timeless braids that represent culture + style! You can never go wrong with tribal braids.

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Hair Cuffs/Jewelry– Need a super quick makeover? Hair cuffs + jewelry will transform your look in seconds!

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We always hear about how important it is to nourish your body with fresh foods but what about your tresses? Muhga Eltigani, Founder and CEO of NaturAll Club, proves that superfoods promote superstar strands! This dope beautypreneur started making hair products in her college dorm room. Frustrated with commercial hair products that left her hair dry and brittle, and supported by a small youtube following, she committed to a three-month journey of using only FRESH and NATURAL ingredients in her hair, and absolutely no chemicals. Those three months turned into three years, 32 inches of growth, and a youtube following of 40,000. In 2016, this dynamic entrepreneur launched NaturAll Club to share products and empower young ladies + girls everywhere.

Muhga continues to build and blaze a path in the beauty industry! She was featured as Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree 2017 and was the only black entrepreneur included on the retail list! She was also featured on CBS and Fireside Chat with Gary Vee just to name a few.

Let’s get to know Muhga a little better…

We’re in a day and age where more girls + women of color are embracing their natural curls! What made you launch your fresh hair care products, NaturAll Club?
I wanted a product that would celebrate women’s natural curls rather than damage them. I was frustrated with the current hair product options that left my hair feeling dry, brittle, and unhealthy, so I decided to create a better line.

We love that you allow beauties to personalize their products for their specific hair texture! What motivated you to create a variety of selections to cater to all natural hair types?
There is no one size fits all for curly hair types, contrary to what some commercial brands would like you to believe. In order to understand the many needs of different curl types, you have to understand density, porosity, curl pattern and more. We customize to different hair needs at NaturAll Club so we can give curly women the very best results!

Being an entrepreneur + running your own business can sometimes get to be a bit overwhelming, how do you regroup and motivate yourself when you’re feeling a little defeated?
When I feel defeated, I grab a pen and write out on a piece of paper why I am feeling that way. Putting my feelings into words helps me deal with them and think more logically about next steps. I am my own biggest cheerleader and motivator, so I start out my day with positive mental messaging in order to recover more quickly with each new hurdle.

Health is an important aspect of beauty! Why did you focus on using FRESH avocados in your hair masks?
We go the extra mile to hand-make products with fresh avocados to ensure that your hair gets the best nutrients. Fresh avocados contain vitamin B, which is essential for hair growth, and vitamin E which helps repair damage on the scalp that may slow or prevent hair growth. When mixed with the right oils, avocados act as an incredible moisturizer for curly hair. There’s a big movement right now to eat healthy and watch what we put in our bodies. But our hair is part of our body, right? Why don’t we take the same care with what we put ON our bodies as we do with what we put IN our bodies? This is the mission and reason I decided to start NaturAll Club.

If you had to give one piece of advice to teen girls who are struggling with being comfortable in their own skin, what would it be?
The longest relationship that you will ever have is the one with yourself.You wouldn’t speak harshly to your longest best friend, so why would you do that to yourself? Practice using kind words for yourself everyday. You’ll slowly start to see a shift in your mental energy. Remember, you are the most beautiful you!

We tend to pull characteristics from others in our lives or from people we admire, who inspires you and why?
I draw inspiration from my mom. She transitioned from being a stay at home mom to going back to school, and finally became a doctor. So many people assume they can’t advance in their careers or start something new once they start raising children, but my mom showed incredible persistence. Her determination inspired me to move forward and start my own business, and when I feel like I have a lot on my plate with NaturAll Club, I just think of her going back to school while raising four kids.

We’re all about empowerment at C.O.R.E Mag, what does EMPOWERMENT mean to you?
A person who is truly empowered helps others. Empowerment means the ability to share with others what you have learned in order to uplift them.

Fun Faves! Fave Food? Artist? Song? Celeb Crush?
Fave food: Baba Ganoush (eggplant dish)
Artis: Alicia Keys
Song: If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys
Celeb Crush: Trevor Noah

Check out more of Muhga + NaturAll Club here:

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I have a confession to make. When I decided to go natural it wasn’t about trying to stop exposing my body to so many chemicals. Nor was it about learning to embrace the way my hair grows out of my head. It wasn’t this great spiritual journey that I wanted to embark upon to be closer to God. It was about one thing – money. One day I was looking at my budget and I was trying to figure out some places that I could save money. The $150+ per month that I was spending on visits to the salon seemed like the perfect place to start. Now, if it weren’t for this trend of Black women going natural and embracing their natural hair, I may have never considered that an option, but I wasn’t getting into it for any of the profound reasons that a lot of people mentioned. I just needed to save some bread. Fueled by the idea of having some extra money in my pocket, I decided to begin my natural journey.

The transition period was a struggle because having hair with two completely different textures was a styling nightmare. Because I was having such a hard time, I didn’t really enjoy anything about it. Since I started with short hair and I’ve never really been afraid to cut my hair, I decided to just cut all of the permed hair off and dive right into being fully natural. That’s when everything changed. I was so surprised and impressed by the versatility of my hair that I was wondering why anyone ever got a perm in the first place. The more I got to know my hair, the more I loved it. I could swim, workout, and get caught in the rain without having to worry about it. Discovering something about myself and just loving it more and more as I got to know it has been an incredible experience. Because I am so happy with my hair, I want to nurture it and watch it become better and better.

I’ve had a similar experience with my writing. It’s something that I just recently started doing, but when I saw that I enjoyed it and that it’s a way for me to touch people, I began to love it even more. I want to do it more often and nurture the skill so that I can realize my full potential as a writer. As women, we often spend so much time fretting about the things that we don’t like about ourselves. We need to take a moment to find something that we do like and strive to make it better. The process can make you fall in love with yourself and who you have the potential to become. Every woman should know what it feels like to fall in love. Who better to start with than yourself?

-Tiffany Vicks