Ways On How To Sustain A Healthy Natural Hair

The natural hair movement has taken by storm, however, doing the big chop and maintaining your natural hair can seem challenging at first. There is so much information out there that one no longer knows where to look. Here are a few pointers on how to begin your natural hair journey.

The most important thing for curly hair and kinky hair is to moisturizs, and the best way to moisturise your coiled locks is with our old friend: H20. Because, curly hair and kinky hair types are naturally dry, it is important that natural hair products for curly hair or kinky hair contain water. However, after wetting your hair, you should always seal the moisture in with an oil or a butter.

Curly and kinky hair can easily tangle and thus lead to breakage. Before passing a comb through your hair, ensure that your hair is wet and conditioned. You will be able to detangle your hair with more ease and avoid unnecessary breakage.

Clarifying your scalp is extremely important in balancing the Ph of your hair and scalp (yes, they have their own Ph) and, if the former is compromised, it could lead to a lack of shine, dullness in the hair and overall poor hair health. Clarifying should be done every three weeks with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). Our favourite is Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, which can be found in most natural-food stores and Dischem stores. Dilute one part of ACV to every three parts of water. It does have a bit of a harsh smell, but it subsides as your hair dries. Clarifying your hair with ACV gets rid of the gunk on your scalp (that has accumulated from using various hair products), closes the hair cuticles, adds shine and balances the pH of the scalp. After clarifying your scalp, rinse off the ACV and proceed with a conditioner.

 In order to avoid split ends (and having to trim your hair often), make sure that your ends are always moisturised and protected. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair and therefore the most fragile, to ensure that you do not need to trim your hair often, and to therefore retain more length, you should seal your ends regularly. Our favourite oil to protect and seal my ends is the Suki Suki Naturals Jamaican Black Castor Oil. Jamaican Black Castor Oil is thick and works as a perfect moisture sealant for your dry ends.

Regularly styling your hair, using direct heat, leads to split ends, dryness and breakage, which probably means you need to cut your hair more often than one who steers clear of heat. If your hair has undergone a chemical process, it is even more prone to breakage than natural hair. A great way to style relaxed hair, without exposing it to direct heat, is by setting your hair in curlers and sitting under the dryer. Although there is some heat exposure, it is not direct like a flat iron or blow-drying, which is the lesser of the two evils. The best approach is to not expose your hair to any heat, and let your hair air-dry.

Whether we accept it or not, our hair speaks to us one way or another. If you’re experiencing abnormal shedding or breakage, you know something is either wrong with your diet, your hair regimen or your health. Either way, your hair (like your skin) will react, and this serves as a sign that should not be not ignored. You should, therefore, learn to listen and develop a sense of familiarity with your hair; it may be trying to tell you something you are overlooking. Continuous use of detrimental products or a regimen that is not suited to you can lead to breakage. What works for one may not work for you, our textures are so diverse. Learn more about your hair and it will reward you for it.

Doing an oil treatment once a week really goes a long way, whether you wear your hair in locks, braids, twists, a weave or an Afro.

Once you’ve covered every strand of your hair, put on a plastic cap and keep it on for at least one hour. For extra penetration, wrap your head in a hot, wet towel. This will open the cuticles of your hair and it will allow the hair treatment to better penetrate your hair. Once you’re done, rinse your hair with warm water.