When most people talk about natural hair journeys, they focus on long hair. Even a quick online search on natural hair gives results of long, flowing manes. This may leave ladies with short hair feeling neglected. Like natural hair is only beautiful once it gets to a certain length. On the contrary, short hair is amazing too!
In fact, a good number of naturals confess to missing their TWA (teeny weeny afro) days. The longer your hair gets, the more time and care it needs. So enjoy this stage while it lasts! Here’s how to go about it.
Cleansing
Choose a gentle sulphate- free shampoo to wash your hair once every week or fortnightly. If you’ve just taken down a long-term protective style, a sulphate shampoo is effective for removing all buildup. Shampoos can either be in liquid or bar form. Alternate shampoo with a conditioner to keep your hair supple, especially if it’s tightly coiled. This is known as co-washing.
Conditioning
Do this after rinsing out the shampoo. At this stage you can detangle your hair if the conditioner has enough slip. Use your fingers first to loosen & remove knots then follow with a wide-toothed comb.
Deep Conditioning
This is a crucial part of the wash day process, more so for ladies with type 4 hair. It infuses more moisture and nutrients into the strands. Use either a DIY mix or a store- bought deep conditioner and leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour. You can skip using conditioner and go straight to deep conditioning.
Sealing
After you’ve finished washing your hair, you want to seal in the hydration you’ve worked hard to achieve. Let your hair air dry until it’s damp. Apply a leave-in conditioner of coice. Then take some oil and apply to the hair, focusing on the ends which tend to dry faster. Follow up with a cream or butter and you’re good to go. While here, use an applicator bottle to apply oil onto your scalp. Massage gently.
At Night…
Protect your hair from drying out by tying a satin bonnet/ scarf. For extra protection use a satin pillowcase.
