Shrinkage for kinky hair is real. While, this is no news to anyone with afro-textured or kinky hair, caring for your natural hair is a different ball game.
Afro hair usually isn’t easy to handle but finding the right tools and methods for caring for your natural kink, will set you on the path to embracing your natural curls and kinky hair. We have outlined 20 ways to make caring for your afro hair a breeze, so you can have that healthy bounce and flaunt your natural mane proudly.
1. Water Should Be Your Hair’s Best Friend
When it comes to your afro hair, water is an absolute necessity. One of the keys to maintaining healthy natural hair is water. It is recommended that you drink eight glasses of water daily and also consistently apply water to your hair.
One of the ways you can use water for your hair is during the detangling process. Because of its curly nature, naturally kinky hair is more susceptible to knots and tangles. Attempting to comb through dry and tangled hair will probably leave you with a weird headache and hair breakage. You should always detangle your hair when damp or standing under a showerhead for an easier process. Also, having a spray bottle of water helps. Water is used during the moisturizing process too. For softer, shinier hair, use water on your hair often.
2. Adopting A Wash Day Routine
The biggest advantage of rocking an afro hair is that you don’t have to wash it so often like other hair types. However, you need to wash your hair weekly or every two weeks, to avoid dryness and frizziness. You can do this by adopting a wash day routine.
For your wash day routine, use a moisture-boosting shampoo and conditioner in order to refresh your afro curls. Keep in mind not to use hot water when washing your hair as it dries out your hair and removes moisture from it. Instead, use warm water to cleanse your hair properly.
How to do a natural hair wash day routine
Are you wondering which wash day routine to adopt for your afro hair or how to go about it, @chiziduru will show you how to achieve a simple natural hair wash day routine:
3. Hydrate Your Afro Hair Always
Another of your afro’s fave is moisture. Kinky hair tends to dry out quickly and lose its moisture, so to prevent that you have to consistently hydrate your hair. Before styling your hair, ensure that you always apply hydrating milk, cream, or oil to it. For times when you have on protective styles like braids or twists, use a highly conditioning product in order to keep your hair well moisturized for the whole duration.
Another trick to caring for your fro and refreshing your curls is to treat your hair to a hydrating hair mask often. For excessively dry hair, a maximum hydration method is a second option for hydrating your hair. The maximum hydration method is a popular and effective process for hydration, it brings and locks in moisture into your hair.
How to achieve the maximum hydration method
Interested in trying out the maximum hydration method, @jussinc will show you a detailed step by step process on how to achieve it:
4. Only Use Protective Styles
Just like its name implies, protective styles help prevent your hair from breakage, shedding, or damage. Protective afro hairstyles you can use include wearing wigs, weaves, buns, bantu knots, braids, or twists. In cases where you make braids or twists, ensure that your hairstylist eases up on your edges too in order to reduce tension on your scalp.
With protective styles, you reduce the chances of over-combing, over-styling, or damaging your hair with heat. It is also an excellent way of detangling your afro hair a lot easier. Remember to avoid the build-up of dirt when wearing your protective styles and also oil your hair and scalp daily to keep your follicles healthy.
5. Use A Sulfate-Free Shampoo
You may find that many shampoos contain chemicals such as ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl sulfate. And they tend to cause dryness and breakage for your natural hair. It’s recommended that you use a sulfate-free shampoo (and conditioner) weekly to add more moisture to your hair, while also being more gentler to your scalp. You can use the Jamaican Black Castor Oil shampoo with shea butter and apple cider vinegar, which strengthens and restores your kinky curls.
However, if having to buy a sulfate-free shampoo regularly is a little above your budget, a more reasonable option would be to wash your hair with black soap, preferably the local ones sold in the markets. Or even better you can make your own natural hair sulfate-free shampoo.
How to make a homemade natural hair shampoo
@naptural85 will show you how to make your own DIY natural hair shampoo:
6. Oiling Your Hair Frequently
Naturally, kinky hair needs an oil, lots of it. Oils should be part of your everyday natural routine. Oils play a key role in maintaining and ensuring that your natural hair stays healthy. Oils can be used to moisturize your hair or seal in already existing moisture, this is solely dependent on the type of oil.
For oils that absorb into the hair shaft and hydrate the hair as well, you should invest in the use of coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil. These oils are best applied after the use of a leave-in conditioner and for tighter textures, so as to add necessary moisture to your hair.
Oils like Jamaican black castor oil, Grapeseed oil or Jojoba oil are great for sealing in moisture into the hair and keeping it hydrated for an extended period of time.
7. Eat Healthy Meals For Your Hair Needs
As nutritious meals are essential for your body, they also contribute to stronger, healthier hair. A balanced healthy meal rich in low-fat proteins, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will aid your hair growth. For a healthy scalp, eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, walnuts, and avocados.
To get stronger hair, increase your intake of protein in your diet by eating foods such as poultry and eggs. To keep your hair hydrated you should eat foods rich in vitamins A and C, such as green leafy vegetables like spinach and asparagus.
What meals you need to eat for healthier hair
Instead of taking hair vitamins and supplements, this video tutorial outlines healthy foods you need to take to promote healthier, stronger hair:
8. Sleep With A Satin Scarf Or Bonnet
Never go to bed without a satin scarf or bonnet on. It keeps your hair from tangling and breaking while you sleep. Also, invest in a smooth satin or silk pillowcase. Sleeping with loose hair on a cotton pillowcase will result in dry hair, hair breakage, and hair damage, because of the friction with cotton. A silk or satin pillowcase is much gentler on the hair and helps to maintain your hair’s moisture.
