I never really officially announced it but I’ve been running the blog for a whole year now. It has been a great experience having a blog but being a hair blogger is way different then just randomly making YouTube videos whenever I don’t feel like doing my homework which is basically what I had been doing previously. I want to discuss some of the challenges that I’ve come across being a hair blogger – not on the side of the technical challenges or time challenges (that can be a separate post). In case you’ve seen your favorite blogger chop all her hair off, maybe it’s because she wanted something new, but it could also be because her hair health was really suffering due to her blog, so I’m going to talk about a few ways that natural hair bloggers sacrifice their hair health for you, our lovely readers!
When Bloggers Do Too Many Product Reviews
My current stash of reviewed or soon to be reviewed products… at least the ones that’ve made it out of gift bags
When companies send us products – whether they are from a big brand or a really small brand – we want to be able to try out those products and let our readers/viewers/listeners know exactly how they work for our hair. Depending on how large of a following bloggers have, we can receive anywhere from 1 to 50 to maybe even 100 requests in a year asking us to review a gel/shampoo/hair oil/deep conditioner/you name it. For me, it’s important to try the products that I’m recommending to you guys or giving away during my monthly giveaways. So in the past year, I have been trying out new products on my hair nearly every month; what that means is every shampoo cycle I’m using a completely new set of products on my hair – maybe the shampoo is the same but the leave-in conditioner, moisturizer, and/or oil nearly always changes from month to month (but no more moving forward, and you can read more about it here). Now my hair doesn’t always like whatever product is being sent to me, but for the sake of having an accurate review I do try my best to use everything at least twice before I’ll put up a review about it; that way I can give you the best information about how it works for me so you can know how it might work for your hair. But, in the sad but sometimes true event that my hair is NOT feeling a product, I still have to use it again the following week just to really be sure I didn’t do something wrong (like I did here). Using products that might not work for us for the sake of information creation + the stress of switching products all the time is definitely one way that natural hair bloggers sacrifice their hair health for the sake of their blog.
When Bloggers Do Too Many Styles
An assortment of hairstyles by yours truly
Another way that hair bloggers sometimes put their hair health on the back burners for the sake of their blog is by trying a lot of different styles. I know when havana twists first came out I was really excited to do them (and I got a whole lot of YT views from those vids), and when kinky weaves were becoming popular, I did one of those for you guys too. But honestly when I got that weave, my hair suffered a little bit but for the sake of showing you guys, I kind of sucked it up and went through the whole 6 weeks. Protective styles can be dangerous y’all! People also have really short attention spans and so I feel like bloggers are expected to have a twist out one week day, then bantu knots the next, then mini twists, and then an updo – so we’re constantly playing with our hair, trying to do something new and fresh and exciting to please the people. And errybody knows the best way to grow and maintain the health of kinky hair is really to leave it alone – so obviously all this styling, or over manipulation, is counterproductive to a healthy head of hair.
Final Thoughts
I feel like there are a couple of bloggers and I’m not saying names, but by writing this article I’ve kind of included myself that have succumbed to this problem where they’re using a lot of products and doing a lot of styles in the best interest of their readers but not in their own hair’s best interest. I’m curious to see if readers are aware of the “demands” of blogging and how it can affect our own hair, and whether you feel like you can encourage/support your favorite hair bloggers to prioritize their hair health over your desire to see them do a bantu knot out using the new Shea Moisture line.
Wow! I never thought about it. Thank you for sharing your story and what many hair bloggers face. I always felt bad because I don’t do much to my hair and then I see all the cute styles that bloggers/vloggers do on a weekly basis. Now, I want to tell all my favorite hair bloggers to think about their hair health. Honestly, I’m okay with not seeing as many product reviews or hairstyle tutorials. I’ve only been natural for 6 months so for me, talking about how to build a regimen/good products to try for the TWA stage, etc..that’s my main focus. But maybe only trying one new product every 6 months might be better. I also like the idea of focusing on other aspects: beauty, fitness, health, etc. This would give bloggers a break and a chance to have new content without trying new products every month.
Thanks for sharing this!
wow, new products every month? that’s alot! I’ve been doing less to my hair too. And i’m branching out on my hair blog as a result of it. btw, I don’t see your posts on BN anymore
http://www.coilsandglory.com
I unofficially stopped writing for them once I started working, and it’s been so long that it’s kind of just in the past.
I haven’t been blogging as long as you have, but hair health is exactly why I also write about other topics on my blog. Even during a hairstyle series, the posts come in biweekly or monthly increments to give my hair a break.
Ooh girl but series require planning, and organization, and planning — things I don’t do so well! But great idea
I’m a natural hair blogger myself and I’ve been blogging for almost a year as well. I compare my hair when I was transitioning (where I basically left it up in a bun and had a specific hair regimen) to now that I’m natural and I do more styles every day with different products and my hair is not as healthy as it was.
I think as bloggers even though we may want to please our amazing readers, we could start doing longer breaks between product switches and find a styling regimen that’s not as strenuous. My problem is that I’m just a product junkie LOL
And I also want to say that your hair looks BEAUTIFUL in all of those styles btw!
Victoria Sallie
http://www.talktresses.com
@talktresses
Thanks for the compliment and the insight!
Of course love, thanks for the great post!
Of course love!
Victoria Sallie
http://www.talktresses.com
I always thought it would be nice to get for free, the products I actually like and use. However, I can’t imagine testing out many products and writing a review, especially if I dont like it. I am way to lazy with my own hair for that type of consistency. I do think {as you said} that is why a lot of natural hair bloggers cut all their hair off. I think that some of them are just over it {frustrated} and like someone mentioned, they start to resent their hair. I think it’s great you will be covering other topics on the blog so that you can allow your hair a well deserved break. Plus I think you have you a lot more to offer the readers than just hair 🙂
Free products are nice but they take up space (in addition to all the other woes)! I’m excited to be branching out too
I think it’s different for me. As a hair blogger + product junkie (don’t judge me) I tend to try out different products but mostly at my own discretion. I doubt I would sacrifice the health of my hair just to satisfy my readers. After all they are reading my blog because my hair is healthy!
That’s a good point. I don’t think bloggers are always conscious of the sacrifice, so they can accidentally slip into a state where they’re more focused on their readers than their own hair
Most definitely! I know there are a lot of sacrifices that come with covering so many products and so many styles that I couldn’t imagine the damage they have to suffer. 🙁 Hopefully it’s not too much damage, but I’d rather them not damage their hair for my, or any other naturalista’s, sake.
I think a blog that covers haircare, skincare, makeup and fashion is a great way to continue blogging on hair, but with built in breaks. Also I like when you feature guest naturalistas; this can provide another way to give your own hair a break while still providing a chance to learn about a new style/products. My two cents.
That’s why I love the Friday features!
I have thought abt this before. It seems exhausting to be a hair blogger. I mean I love my hair but I have other things to do. Every day is not a good hair day and sometimes I don’t feel like being bothered w/my hair, good day or bad. I have a ton of things to do and documenting it all for everybody else to follow and critique would probably leave me with resentment issues, toward my hair and the people I’m supposed to be trying to help.
God Bless u and all u do.
It is exhausting lol. But I do it because I love informing and connecting with people, so the hassle is worth it
I never thought of this side of hair blogging. Many sacrificing . I Def did not know about the strain you had with that kinky hair weave. And the quote “you can’t judge a book by its cover” pops in my head.
Yeah girl… pretty hurts. I’ll leave it at that