12 May

Style by Butta

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While everyone should take good care of their hair, African hair requires extra care and attention. African hair tends to grow slowly, and since it has low water content, it also breaks easily. Whether you have natural or chemically-treated hair, properly care for and style your hair so that it is healthy and always looks its best.

Preparing Your Hair for Styling

1. Get the right hair products. Use products formulated for your hair’s texture. African hair can be straight, wavy, curly, or kinky. So if you have dry, curly hair, for example, consider using a moisturizing shampoo. The products you use should contain natural moisturizers, such as olive oil or shea butter.
 
Image titled Style African Hair Step 1
  • Avoid shampoos and conditioners that contain parabens, phthalates, or petrochemicals. Beware common ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate as these are basically detergents that will strip moisture from your hair.
  • When washing a child’s hair, use age-appropriate products. Use gentle shampoos and conditioners that are moisturizing and tear-free.

Image titled Style African Hair Step 2

2
Wash your hair. Since African hair tends to be dry, it doesn’t need to be shampooed every day. It is important, however, to wash your hair every 7 to 14 days. First, wet your hair under the facet or with a spray bottle. Squirt or pour a dime to a quarter-sized drop of moisturizing shampoo into your hand. Lather and apply directly to your scalp. Rinse your hair with warm water. Always follow shampoo with a rinse-out-conditioner. Massage a generous amount of conditioner into the shafts of your hair–avoiding the roots and scalp. With the conditioner in, use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to detangle your hair. Allow the product to soak before rinsing with cold water. Squeeze out excess water.
  • If your hair is excessively dry, just condition it instead. This is known as “co-washing” or “no-pooing.” It is ideal for curly and straight hair types. When co-washing, select a cleansing conditioner specifically formulated for no-pooing.
3.
Prevent frizz. After you wash and condition your hair, gently pat the hair with a towel to stop the dripping. Microfiber towels work best, but an old t-shirt will do if you don’t have a microfiber towel nearby. Never rub a towel against your hair, this will result in frizz and damage.
 
4.
Apply a leave-in-conditioner. Squeeze the leave-in-conditioner into your hand and coat your hair in a nourishing and moisturizing product. This will help to seal the moisture into your hair and leave it feeling soft. Leave-in-conditioners help to detangle your hair, while allowing you to manage frizz or flyaways.

 

  • Look for products with natural moisturizers, like avocado oil and shea butter.
  • Skip this step if your hair is very fine or excessively oily.

5

Deep condition your hair. Applying a deep conditioner will improve the look and feel of dry or damaged hair. Before stepping out of the shower, rinse your hair with hot water. Squeeze out excess water. Apply the product to your damp hair. Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up the shaft. Avoid applying the product to your scalp. When your hair is saturated, cover your head with a plastic cap. Activate the product with a heated plastic cap, a blow-dryer set on low, or a hood dryer set on low. Apply heat for 10 to 30 minutes. Remove the cap and rinse your hair in cold water to close the cuticles.[6]

  • You may deep condition your hair anywhere from twice a week to two times a month.
  • There are two types of deep conditioning treatments, a moisturizing treatment and a protein-based treatment.
  • Always search for a product with a high pH, which will help open your cuticles.

6.

Detangle your hair. Starting at the nape of the neck and working your way toward the forehead, part your hair using the end of a “rat-tail” comb or your fingers. Separate your hair into 2 inches (5.1 cm) by 2 inches (5.1 cm) square sections. Gently comb each section to detangle it, starting at the ends and gradually working your way up to the roots. Apply a very small amount of your favorite hair oil to each section as you comb it.

  • Be careful–when hair is damp, it is very fragile. If needed, use a spray bottle filled with water to re-wet hair, as dry hair is more difficult to manage and detangle

7.

Dry your hair. When drying your hair, choose from one of three methods. If you have natural hair, hair that is not relaxed, and do not intend to straighten your hair, air-drying is the ideal method. If you have relaxed hair, dry your hair with a soft bonnet or hood dryer–air-drying will leave your hair shapeless and without a healthy sheen.[8] Blow drying your natural hair will leave your locks looking smooth and shiny. Before subjecting your hair to the heat of your blow dryer, always apply a heat protectant.

8.

Straighten your hair. After bonnet drying or blow drying your hair, straighten your hair with a flat iron. All types of hair maybe straightened–from wavy to kinky. You can even use a flat iron to add sheen to relaxed hair! Apply a heat protectant spray that moisturizes your hair. Starting from the back of hair and working forward, gently part the hair into 1 or 2 inch (2.5 or 5.1 cm) thick parts. Use the straightener on each section. Move the wand in smooth, quick motions. Spritz shine spray on your straightened hair to finish the process.

  • Use a high-quality ceramic flat iron. Make sure you use a tool that lists its temperature–this will allow you to monitor and control the heat.
  • When using a straightener on relaxed or color treated hair, heat the wand to a temperature between 280°F to 320°F.
  • When straightening wavy, curly, and kinky hair, set the flat iron to a temperature between 300°F to 350°F.

 

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