In the past 2 years there has been a shift in the beauty industry. Focus has shifted to healthy hair, more so natural hair. Ladies aren’t just satisfied with looking good, they want to ensure their hair is getting the best possible care- from products to tools and procedures. If you’re new to this, here are some essential tips to kickstart your journey.
Cleansing
Contrary to what most of us have known since childhood, African hair needs to be handled gently. Since it’s tightly coiled it’s more prone to breakage. When washing your hair be as gentle as possible. Work in sections to reduce tangling. Use your fingertips (not nails) to rub the scalp as you apply shampoo. Fingernails cause bruising to the scalp.
Use a gentle cleanser free of sulphates. If in need of a deep cleanse to remove product buildup, use a clarifying shampoo. How often you need to wash depends on your lifestyle. If you work out, a mid week cleaning is necessary. In this case use a conditioner in place of shampoo to refresh the strands and remove odours.
Deep conditioning is vital for infusing nutrients into the strands. Do this after every shampoo session. A leave-in conditioner provides you with moisture to keep your hair supple between washes.
After washing use a cotton t shirt or microfibre towel to dry the hair by squeezing gently.
Styling
The misconception of African hair being similar to steel wool has led to us being rough while styling. Our kinks and coils need to be handled gently. Never style your hair when it’s completely dry. Dry hair is prone to breakage. Instead, wet the hair a bit, gently detangle and style using a butter/ cream of your choice.
If doing twistouts/ braidouts coat your hands with oil first before unravelling to reduce frizz and breakage.
Daily Routine
To keep hair supple in between washes, spray with a little water then moisturise with a leave-in conditioner, cream and/ or butter of choice.
Use a satin scarf/ bonnet to protect your strands at night. A satin pillow offers extra protection.
Achieving healthy hair is not as hard as it looks. Just follow these tips and you’ll see a positive difference in a couple of weeks.
