How To Take Care Of Hair Naturally – smartesthairstyles.com – Natural hair, also known as “Afro-textured” hair, has unique characteristics that can present some challenges when it comes to care and styling. “Natural” hair can also refer to Afro-textured hair that has not been altered by heat styling or chemical processes such as relaxation. When you understand your hair’s natural properties and work with them instead of fighting against them, taking care of your hair becomes a breeze.
- Understand your natural hair
Understand the characteristics of natural hair. Natural hair has unique qualities that you should know about to take good care of your hair.
People with natural hair produce tight curls that can prevent sebum (a natural moisturizer) from saturating down the entire hair shaft. This can lead to dry hair.
Natural hair tends to tangle when combed. Knotting also contributes to tearing, so some avoid combing altogether.
Natural hair often has a slower growth rate than other hair types. In addition, the highly curved hair shaft causes the hair to shrink as it dries; Those with very frizzy or curly hair can shrink up to 75%!
Know your hair type. Natural hair comes in many varieties. While many grooming basics remain the same regardless of hair type, understanding your hair type can help you determine exactly which grooming and styling routines will produce the results you want.
There are 4 basic types of natural hair: straight (1), wavy (2), curly (3) and kinky (4). There are several subcategories depending on the characteristics of your hair.
For example, Type 4 hair is generally divided into three subcategories: 4A (spiral curls), 4B (kinky curls), and 4C (rolled up curls).
Many products refer to hair types like “3A” or “4B”. The number refers to the hair type while the letter refers to the texture. Natural hair is more likely to be type 3 or 4.
Identify your hair’s needs. Understanding your hair type can help you understand your hair’s care and styling needs.
Hair type 3 has bouncy, defined curls with lots of volume and fullness. It can be fragile or delicate and needs moisturizing conditioners and treatments.
Type 4 hair has very tight curls with lots of volume. The hair is usually wiry and may have multiple curl patterns instead of a single dominant one.
Hair type 4 is the most sensitive hair type as it has less cuticle than other hair types. High-performance moisturizers and conditioners help keep type 4 hair healthy.
- Cleaning your natural hair
Detangle before washing your hair. Natural hair is prone to tangling and knotting, and washing your hair while it is tangled can damage it. Using moisturizers and a detangling comb will help remove knots, tangles and shedding.
Combine one part oil (coconut or olive) with three parts water in a spray bottle. Mist your hair until thoroughly wetted.
Distribute the moisturizing conditioner evenly through wet hair. Many conditioners contain oils and waxes that lubricate your hair and make it easier to comb through without breaking.
Work your fingers through your hair, feeling for knots and tangles. This will prevent them from getting caught with the comb later. Gently work the knots apart with your fingers.
Separate your hair into manageable sections. You can loosely twist the sections you’re not working on or get them out of the way.
Use a detangling comb to work through each section from the ends up.
Avoid harsh shampoos. Many shampoos contain chemicals like ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl sulfate. These create that luxurious lather when you wash your hair, but they can also cause dryness and breakage. Look for “sulfate-free” shampoos, which are gentler on your hair.
There are also non-shampoo cleansing products like “cleansing conditioners” that you can use.
Cleansing products don’t lather like regular shampoo, but they tend to be gentler on your hair. You can find them at most drug and beauty stores.
Avoid washing your hair too often. Natural hair is naturally dry and over-washing can pull moisture out of your hair. Washing once a week is usually sufficient.
If your hair is getting greasy than you would like, try a dry shampoo. These are powder-based sprayable cleansers that absorb excess oil without stripping away the hair follicles.
Do not exaggerate. Dry shampoos are usually removed by brushing, and brushing can also damage the natural hair.
Give your hair a thorough condition on a weekly basis. You can make deep conditioning masks at home. Products you have at home like olive oil, avocado, honey, banana, and even mayonnaise can help strengthen and replenish your hair.
Squeeze your hair dry. Use a soft old t-shirt or microfiber towel to squeeze excess moisture out of your hair. Never towel dry your hair! This roughens the hair cuticle, causing frizz and breakage.
- Preparing your natural hair for styling
Use leave-in moisturizers. Natural hair requires much more moisture than other hair types to keep it healthy. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on leave-in conditioners, though: olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter are all excellent moisturizers that you can leave in your hair after washing and conditioning.
Avoid heat styling whenever possible. Allow your hair to air dry and avoid using a blow dryer, as blow drying wet natural hair involves the dangerous combination of high heat and lots of pulling with a styling brush. Curling irons, hot rollers and hair straighteners are also very harsh on your hair. There are some things you can do to make your hair straighter such as:
Prevent frizz with moisture. This may seem counterintuitive as frizz is caused by hair absorbing moisture from the environment, but hair that is already well moisturized is less likely to frizz. Natural oils like olive oil and coconut oil are excellent frizz fighters, although there are many products available that help fight frizz.
Products that contain silicone are particularly good at straightening hair and fighting frizz. They can also cause hair “crunchy,” so experiment and see if you like the results.
Sleep on satin to keep tangles at bay. Sleeping on a smooth satin pillowcase or wrapping your hair in a silk scarf before bed is not only a luxurious little treat, it also helps keep your hair from getting tangled as you sleep.
- Style your natural hair
Apply styling products in layers. Products like gels and serums can be great for getting your hair to do what you want, but too much of it can leave your hair looking greasy or “crispy.” It’s always easier to add more than remove products!
Use curlers to straighten and fix your hair. Hair curlers can help straighten and straighten your hair with less heat than a curling iron or flat iron. Use a strong conditioner and detangle completely before using rollers.
Magnetic rollers and satin-covered foam rollers are gentler on natural hair than other types.
Avoid velcro or mesh rollers at all costs as they tend to get tangled and could break your hair.
Consider protective styles. Protective styles like braids, twists and buns hold hair in place, reducing styling time and helping to take the pressure off brittle ends. There are many online tutorials that break down these styles into easy DIY steps. Good sources for styling tips are “Curly Nikki” and “Naturally Curly”.
Some protection styles, such as Styling, such as braids, can take hours and is best done by a professional barber. Others, such as B. Buns and braids, can be easily prepared at home.
Wet your hairstyle daily. You can keep all styles looking fresh by misting them daily with a mixture of water, leave-in conditioner, and moisturizing oils like olive oil or coconut oil.
Take out a style after 3 months. Also, protective styles such as braids and braids should not be left on for more than 12 weeks. Always deeply condition and seal your hair after taking out a hairstyle.
