“My hair looks very natural!”, is it really as straightforward as that sounds? For hair to be truly natural, it has to meet a set of conditions, and not simply show a somewhat casual style.
The hairdresser and stylist Kathia Riquelme Seif Eddine explains the three fundamental pillars you need to say your hair is genuinely natural.
1. A natural haircut without blow-drying or heat styling
Kathia (@kathiariquelmeseif on Instagram) begins by warning that “a hairstyle that needs to be styled with a hair dryer, straighteners, curling wand or any tool that shapes with heat, is not natural”, regardless of the result.
This is the case with the majority of cuts we perform in Europe since the 1960s, which are finished with a heat tool. These hairstyles have the drawback that they don’t hold once you get home and wash your hair, unless you use the dryer or straighteners again.
“A natural haircut creates spaces from within, depending on the type of wave, curl or expression your hair has,” adds Kathia. It is a hairstyle that looks defined with a cream or, even, without cream, simply after washing and air-drying.
If your hair is curly, as Kathia says, “the definition of your waves or curls depends on 80% on the cut, 15% on the elasticity of your hair and 5% on your hair-care routine.”
2. Your hair is healthy
“The second condition for your hair to be natural is that it is healthy. Healthy hair is what provides elasticity and flexibility for the curls to bounce,” she explains.
Kathia offers three basic tips to keep hair healthy. The first is to obtain a good professional diagnosis, such as from a scalp therapist, a trichologist or a well-trained hair-care professional who can diagnose what type of scalp the client has and what type of hair, what its needs are and what routine of suitable products to recommend.
She does not recommend using heat tools—”the silent enemies of hair”—but if you do, she advises “to use, without fail, a protective product”.
“Trim your hair every three to four months to keep it healthy” and “if you colour it, do so with a professional, leaving a five-month gap between appointments” are Kathia’s final recommendations for maintaining healthy hair.
3. Routine care with quality products
The third pillar to consider if you want to call your hair natural is choosing the right products for your care routine and including five essential items: a shampoo, a rinse-out conditioner, a hair mask and a styling product.
For this routine, Kathia recommends professional products that are sold in beauty salons, even if they cost three or four times more than those found in chemists and supermarkets. The price is offset by needing to use much smaller quantities to achieve better results, because these are high-quality, highly concentrated ingredients. As a result, they last longer—three months for a shampoo, and up to a year for styling products. In the end, you come out ahead, especially because your hair will be healthier.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING THE HAIR’S NATURAL CYCLE
Beyond the recommendations Kathia Riquelme Seif Eddine offers on cutting, colouring and product quality, truly natural hair also requires time and consistency. Respecting its cycle means avoiding constant colour changes, chained harsh treatments or routines that change every few weeks.
The hair needs continuity in natural care to show its true texture and balance itself. Lifestyle also matters: a varied diet, good hydration and reduced stress help growth become stronger and more regular. Patience is especially important if you have been
