This and much more is possible if you have the right regime.
Hair is a massive issue in our community. We have the hardest to care for hair than any other race. The curly texture and dry nature leave it prone to breakage. So do relaxers. So do weaves. Alot of products marketed for usage on afro textured hair don't help either (check back in a couple of weeks where I will do a top ten list of ingredients to avoid and give you a list of healthy ingredients to make your own products). Without further adieu here is my top seven.
You cannot moisturise your hair using mineral oil or petroleum. Throw away the Dax and throw away the Blue Magic. I think they call it Blue Magic because it makes your hair feel greasy when it's actually dry. They use petroleum in crude oil and to lubricate engines it doesnt penetrate the hair shaft but rather, like its use for engines it just coats the hair shaft meaning no moisture can get in.causing it to be lifeless and brittle. Instead use pure aloe vera gel or pure coconut oil as these actually penetrate the hair shaft to moisture our hair and once moisturised-seal it. Moisture can evaporate from our hair very quickly. To seal in moisture use castor/almond/peppermint oil. Do your ends-the oldest and dryest parts of your hair daily and your hair every other day.
2: DON'T USE A TOWEL
Towels are monstrous for curlies. The rough fibre contributes to tangles and breaks our delicate ends. Use a clean old T-Shirt instead.
3: WASH AT LEAST-AT THE VERY LEAST, ONCE PER WEEK.
Our hair loves water because it so easily gets dry. Getting washed and conditioned on a regular basis clears our scalp of build up providing optimum conditions for growth. Try using shampoo's that are sulphate free. I'll explain in a week why sulphates are so bad for your hair. If your impatient just google it. You do not have to use shampoo to clean your hair either, there is a method known as "co-washing" which means you wash with conditioner only. Gellit?
4: LITTLE OR NO HEAT STYLING BAD BAD BAD
Heat breaks down the protein bonds in our hair leaving it vulnerable to breakage and general wear and tear. Try wrapping/wet setting. If you wash your hair at least twice a week this should be a manageble way to style your hair.
5: WEEKLY/FORTNIGHTLY PROTEIN TREATMENTS
Put simply, hair is made of protein. Protein treatments strengthen it. Aphogee do a great line of products for this. If you do protein treatments too often they may cause shedding. Taking a garlic pill a day or using a garlic conditioner is a good remedy for this. In fact if your prone to heavy shedding you should take garlic pills any way. It really helps. And remember; moisturise and seal.
6: ALWAYS SLEEP WITH A SILK/SATIN HEADSCARF
It's a no brainer. Our hair loses moisture very easily and needs to be protected. If you have satin bedding this is fine also, but you may not want to Soul Glo up your expensive sheets with oil.
7: PROTECTIVE STYLING!
Having long hair IS NOT about growing it faster it's about retaining length. You retain length by moisturising and sealing the ends daily and then keeping them out of sight. A protective style is a style where the ends of the hair are not on show. A bun hairstyle,/twists/updo's are all examples of protective styles. If you wear sew in weaves that's great for protective styling as well provided you are still looking after the hair under the weave. Protect your ends and long hair will only be a matter of time. For it to work you must wear your hair in protective styles at least 80% of the time.
Sirena Reynolds
Next week: 10 non obvious products and ingredients that damage black hair. Stay tuned!
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