Let's be honest for a second. Maintaining natural hair can be challenging sometimes. Even tedious. I honestly believe that natural hair has a mind of its own (at least mine does) and caring for your hair properly can become both time-consuming and expensive if you aren't careful. Especially when you're new to natural hair and you're just learning how to care for your new texture.
With the implementation of a few basic natural hair care hacks, you can save yourself three things when it comes to learning how to care for your natural hair texture:
- Time
- Money
- Frustration
In case you've forgotten, here are 21 easy natural hair hacks that we all should know:
1.Before stepping in the shower to wash your hair, part your hair in sections and only apply the shampoo directly onto your scalp. Gently massage your scalp with the pads of your fingers while allowing the water from the shower to run down your strands. The water will remove dirt, oil and product build-up along the way. This will eliminate unnecessary tension on the hair and prevent the hair from becoming tangled.
2. If you're too tired to twist or re-twist your hair at night, try the pineapple method to stretch your braid or twist-out styles further to cut down on time. Pull your hair up into a loose bun at the top of your head and secure with a loose fitting ouchless band or scarf. In the morning, take down your hair, shake and refresh your style to give it a fuller look.
3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, every day. I know if may seem too simple, but its something that a lot of us forget. Water is essential to the overall health of your hair, scalp, and body. Water keeps your hair hydrated, it helps it to retain moisture, and it strengthens your hair and scalp from the inside out.
4.If you just so happen to run out of conditioner, try mixing together a few ingredients that you have around the house to create your own. Extra virgin olive oil, a mashed avocado, bananas, coconut oil, mayonnaise, honey and Greek yogurt are all ideal options to use for DIY conditioning the hair. There are many beauty benefits to using all-natural, plant-based ingredients on the hair without the worry of harmful chemicals or toxins.
5.A good way to know when your hair is due for a trim is when your hairstyles start to look awkward, stringy at the ends, or ragged. Split and damaged ends aren't something your can repair. The best way to get rid of them is to trim them. Split and damaged ends can eventually travel up the hair shaft and cause even more damage. Also, if you start to notice a significant increase in tangles and single-strand knots, it may be time to consider getting a trim or a light dusting.
6. For my ladies with fine and/or thin natural hair, there are some methods that can make your hair appear fuller. Try doing a henna treatment to help fill in the cuticle of your hair and give it a thicker appearance. An overnight treatment using castor oil and the baggy method may have the same effect by allowing the hair to temporarily swell to appear fuller.
Read Also: What You Need to Know About Split Ends & How to Avoid Getting Them
7.If you're anything like me and hate sleeping with a scarf or bonnet on your hair, try using a satin pillowcase to minimize breakage from friction that comes from movement while sleeping. A satin pillowcase does the same job as a satin hair bonnet while giving your hair the freedom to breathe and without your head feeling constrained.
8. If you're headed to the pool this summer, protect your hair by applying conditioner or coconut oil to coat your hair strands before diving in to safeguard your hair from the damaging effects of chlorinated water. Be sure to wash your hair with a chelating shampoo or one that will remove chlorine from the hair such as this swimmer's shampoo.
9. Rinse your hair with cool or lukewarm water after washing and conditioning your hair. Warm water allows the cuticle to swell open , but cool water allows the cuticle layer of the hair to tighten and retract. The smoother the cuticle, the softer and shinier it will appear.
10. To improve the potency of your hair conditioner, add oils such as coconut, rosemary, tea tree, olive oil, apricot oil to heighten the benefits. dding additional natural and essential oils will boost the power of your conditioner by giving your hair extra moisture and resilience.
11. The LOC method is a great way to help dry natural hair retain moisture and stay hydrated for days. It involves a three step process of using your products in layers to seal moisture into the hair. Here's a simple explanation of how to use the LOC method.
Photo Credit: BlackHairInformation.com
12. Always use a sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates can be very drying to naturally kinky and curly hair, which could lead to breakage and even split ends. Sulfates are most commonly found in hair and beauty products under the names Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ASL). Look for products that say "sulfate-free" plainly on the label. My two favorites are Luster's and
13. If wash-and-gos don't seem to be working for you, try adding a little gel to your hair while it's still wet and rake it through your hair with your fingers. Bend your hair down and shake, shake, shake to allow the hair to separate naturally. Let your hair air dry or use a blow-dryer set to cool to dry your hair, or you can use a diffuser. Some naturals choose to use the shingling method when styling a wash-and-go set with hair gel.
14. You can still reap the benefits of steaming your hair without an actual steamer. Try placing a towel or an old tee shirt in hot water. Wring out the towel and wrap around your head. Put on a plastic conditioning cap until the towel becomes cool. Another budget-friendly option to a steamer is a heated conditioning cap. I found this heated cap to be effective and it cost me less than $25.
15. If you're looking for an all-natural thermal protector to use when heat styling, try using grapeseed oil. It can withstand high temperatures and protect your hair from heat damage and breakage.
16. Did you know that the fibers from your hair towel can snag at your hair, making it frizzy or even causing breakage. Dry your hair using and old t-shirt, a microfiber hair towel or a specialty hair drying towel to protect your hair from unnecessary damage.
17. For a heat-free alternative to stretching your hair out, then you may want to try banding your hair in sections overnight to stretch the hair naturally without rising any damage to your strands.
18. Warm up your conditioner before applying it to your hair. The heat will allow the conditioner to penetrate the hair and help it to work better. Your hair will get the maximum benefits of the conditioner, leaving you with softer, healthier, moisturized hair.
19. Keep your hair tools clean. This includes combs, brushes, hair ties, ouchless hair bands, hair scarves, etc Anything that you use on your hair that can collect product buildup, hair, and dirt needs to be cleaned regularly. Use hot water, vinegar, and tea tree oil to refresh your hair combs and brushes. Scarves and hair ties can be thrown in the washing machine using the same ingredients. Wipe down blow dryers, heated caps, hair steamers, and flat irons if you use them with rubbing alcohol to remove product buildup.
20. To keep your ends from becoming tangled when taking down a braid or twist-out style, leave the last 1/2 inch of the hair out when styling. Twirl the ends of the twist or braid around your finger to encourage a curl instead. Or, you can use a perm rod at the end of your hair for a tighter curl. 21. To cut down on frizz and unruly natural hair, use unflavored carbonated water as the final rinse after cleansing and conditioning your hair. Carbonated water has a low pH level and is great for clarifying the hair to help it remain soft and vibrant. Its the same as using an apple cider rinse with the exception of the lingering smell of vinegar.
So there you have it. Twenty-one basic tips and tricks to help cut down on time, costs, and frustrations when learning to maintain your natural hair. What are some of your favorite hair care hacks that have made your life much easier when caring for your hair?
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