This is an overview created for new naturals and fairly new ones that are still trying to navigate this new and beautiful world. A lot more people are going natural and more and more information is being poured out about natural hair and this makes it very easy to get lost with all the blogs, tutorials, new hair care/growth trends and so on. So this overview is for newbies and others that need a reminder of basic hair principles.
First of all, you need to understand that hair is a non living material, and since its dead it can't repair itself and the only solution for damaged hair is to cut it. A strand of hair has a; cuticle, cortex and a medulla. The cuticle is the part of the hair that helps it to retain moisture and protects the inner layers so if the cuticles are always moisturized, the hair will be healthy and frizz-free.
When creating a hair routine it is important to find out your hair's texture and porosity. Hair texture could either be fine, normal or coarse and porosity could either be low, normal or high. It is important to note that no two hair textures are alike so don't compare your hair to any other person's. A basic hair regimen should include washing, conditioning, de-tangling, moisturizing and trimming (in any order that suits you). You could decide to do this as often or not as you want depending on what your hair responds well to and what you are comfortable with.
You can't treat natural hair the same way you treat relaxed hair but once you figure out the basic rules, you'll be able to come up with a routine that that works for you. Since everyone has unique hair textures, what works for one person will not necessary work in the exact same way for the next person.
Our hair craves a lot of moisture and the best way to get moisture is from water itself, water based leave in conditioner and humectants such as aloe and glycerin, so try to wet the hair at least once a week. Also make sure to lock in the moisture with oils. The most popular way of moisturizing is using the LOC method (liquid or leave-in--oils--cream). Oil is not a moisturizer. Its a sealant, i.e. It is used to lock in moisture.
Never comb dry hair. The best way to comb hair is when its wet, damp or soaked with conditioner.
Kinky hair thrives more in protective styles than when its worn out. Protective styles could be twists, buns, braids or any style that keeps the ends sealed. Always sleep in a satin bonnet or scarf as cotton draws out moisture from the hair.
We will attempt to tackle the points made here individually so stay tuned.
First of all, you need to understand that hair is a non living material, and since its dead it can't repair itself and the only solution for damaged hair is to cut it. A strand of hair has a; cuticle, cortex and a medulla. The cuticle is the part of the hair that helps it to retain moisture and protects the inner layers so if the cuticles are always moisturized, the hair will be healthy and frizz-free.
When creating a hair routine it is important to find out your hair's texture and porosity. Hair texture could either be fine, normal or coarse and porosity could either be low, normal or high. It is important to note that no two hair textures are alike so don't compare your hair to any other person's. A basic hair regimen should include washing, conditioning, de-tangling, moisturizing and trimming (in any order that suits you). You could decide to do this as often or not as you want depending on what your hair responds well to and what you are comfortable with.
You can't treat natural hair the same way you treat relaxed hair but once you figure out the basic rules, you'll be able to come up with a routine that that works for you. Since everyone has unique hair textures, what works for one person will not necessary work in the exact same way for the next person.
Our hair craves a lot of moisture and the best way to get moisture is from water itself, water based leave in conditioner and humectants such as aloe and glycerin, so try to wet the hair at least once a week. Also make sure to lock in the moisture with oils. The most popular way of moisturizing is using the LOC method (liquid or leave-in--oils--cream). Oil is not a moisturizer. Its a sealant, i.e. It is used to lock in moisture.
Never comb dry hair. The best way to comb hair is when its wet, damp or soaked with conditioner.
Kinky hair thrives more in protective styles than when its worn out. Protective styles could be twists, buns, braids or any style that keeps the ends sealed. Always sleep in a satin bonnet or scarf as cotton draws out moisture from the hair.
We will attempt to tackle the points made here individually so stay tuned.
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