Going natural really is about a lot more than deciding to stop chemically straightening your hair. It is about self-love, self-acceptance and finding a community of other women who are on that same journey. A major part of our natural process is discovering healthy, empowered strands to look up to when we are first starting out. After that, we have a growing list of natural-hair gurus who teach us about the importance of finding a routine that works best for our hair—and sticking with it.
This list is for those of us who have stanned out over some of the original Instagram gurus like naptural85, heyfranhey, mahoganycurls and moknowshair since our first days of braid-outs and pre-poos. Those ladies got us through the transition, and we are looking for the new school of gurus to keep us mesmerized and motivated with their manes. Check out 10 natural-hair gurus on Instagram who are keeping us scrolling while keeping us up-to-date on all the new tricks for blessed tresses.
Shayna Watson is a freelance style and beauty writer who can be heard saying “Natural hair is a lifestyle” at least once a day. A Pittsburgh native, she currently lives in a shoe-box apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y.—which is fitting, since she really loves shoes. You can check out her personal style musings on A Nu Creature and follow her on Instagram.
stasialovescurls
One of the downsides of following natural-hair gurus is that feeling that you will never get your hair as perfect as theirs. We love that Annastasia is very honest about her styling shortcomings, and gives us tips on how to turn that botched twist-out into a chic updo. Plus, she does giveaways, and frequent multipicture tutorials on her page that are super easy to follow.
_eunicorn
Euniqúe, the gorgeous guru behind this instagram feed, has been a natural-hair vlogger for a few years now. She tackles very common hair concerns like product buildup and how to style old twist-outs on her YouTube channel. We enjoy following her blowout length checks and seeing which products she is obsessed with at the moment.
samanthapollack
Samantha reminds us just how international this natural-hair movement has gone. She is originally from Suriname and lives in the Netherlands. Her style alone is a reason to follow, but those curls definitely keep us coming back.
razorempress
First of all, the length checks on this West Indian beauty's YouTube channel are so inspiring. Going by razorempress, this vlogger also has a fitness channel that will make you want to get off of your couch immediately. Her bio tells us that she has always been natural—if sticking with it will give us length like that, we’re in!
ronkeraji
Ronke is a Nigerian makeup artist who is all about empowering women to accept and love their natural hair. She recently shocked fans when she did a big chop a month ago. We really enjoy her honesty about unhealthy hair, overprocessing and her desire to find the best routine for herself and her hair. Long or short, these strands are glorious.
baronesscountess
This hair-and-beauty guru maintains a very interactive feed where she holds open discussion on hair concerns and triumphs. Her halo of kinky coils is perfection, and we love that she isn't afraid to change up her style with a cut or picked-out curls. We come for the curls, but her effortless topknots and updos are crushworthy all on their own.
alannanicolex
Curls, glasses and the perfect shade of burgundy set this guru apart from our other Insta-crushes. Alanna’s page includes product reviews, tips on refreshing your hair routines and hair-journey updates. This young beauty has a very cool, effortless style and a crown of curls to match her boho look. We like that she reminds her follows that fearless authenticity is an important part of her style.
loccrush
We learned so many new tips and tricks about loc maintenance and styling from this guru’s page. She shows us how she keeps her tresses healthy and beautiful and gives us a little peek into the lives (and curls) of her children. This is the perfect name for this beauty—we are definitely crushing hard.
simplybiancaalexa
Bianca covers the spectrum of skills on her page—beauty, fashion, product reviews and tutorials—all giving us the inside scoop on how she maintains her healthy hair. We loved hearing about her journey to accepting her natural hair and the tips she has picked up along the way.
curldaze
Listen, the baby-hair game on this guru is not a joke! Her strands are so gorgeous and healthy, and her page reminds us of the versatility of natural hair. She does both heat and heatless styling and has fun with her styling. The awesome ombré really makes her curls pop.