I wanted to start something called the Super Natural post series about natural hair care. People over the past 10 months or so have been asking me what do I use for my hair, and to do hair post. I am finally giving you guys what you wanted.
Honestly I have been natural for 7 years now, but didn't start taking good care of my hair until last year February when my little sister 'the natural hair guru' as I call her, started making all sorts of concoctions and doing various regimes and her hair grew to extraordinary lengths FAST!! I thought why not try some of her products and I saw a major difference in my hairs: softness (my hair is naturally soft though), the thickness, growth, and amount of damage that I experienced.
Now for all new comers (aka newbies) to being natural and even people that have been natural for years like myself, I always say one key thing about being natural is tender, loving, care a little bit of TLC never hurt anybody. Also be aware that what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa; everyone is different.
I'll start the SuperNatural Post series with Basic tips that may seem like common sense to some, nevertheless others may not really know.
Breaks:
Your natural hair needs a break every now and then. The longest I have left my hair out at one time has been 4 - 5 months (since I've been taking care of it). If you live in colder climates like the UK and Northern States in America, cold weather can cause your hair to dry out leading to damage. Breaks can translate into protective hair styles, wigs, weaves, and/or braids. Trust me it is needed every now and then. NB: Just because your hair is in braids, weaves, or a wig, that does not mean you don't continue to moisturize and wash your hair!
Brushes:
Never use hard brushes on your hair, I personally use this conair brush after I section my hair and comb it to stretch my hair out a bit more. It does wonders for me. And use a soft brush for my ends.
Combs:
Always, Always, Always Comb out your hair with WIDE picked combs such as these. If you feel you need to de-tangle your hair a bit more, then and only then do you move onto to smaller picked combs. If you start out with small picked combs your hair shedding will be detrimental and the snapping of your ends will lead to horrific damage.
Eat Well and take Vitamins.
Moisturize:
Never ever let your hair be dry! Always moisturize your hair some people may need to do it daily others weekly and other every two days. I aim to moisturize my hair every two days. When your hair is well moisturized it promotes healthy hair growth as well as guarding against damage.
Quality:
Do not be cheap when purchasing products. However, don’t buy something just because it’s expensive. I have learnt that quality ≠ expensive. You’ll find there are some basic products that you will have to cough up those extra dollars with i.e. moisturizing shampoos, moisturizers, and conditioners, and you won’t regret it.
Scissors:
If you are one of those brave souls that trim your hair yourself (like me at times) always have a SEPARATE pair of scissors that you use for your hair ONLY nothing else. It prevents rigid edges from forming on the scissors and maintains its sharpness.
Trim:
Trim your ends, especially if you notice split ends. If you don’t trim your hair on a regular basis it will catch up to you. Your split ends will cut your hair for you. So beat the unwanted cuts to the punch and aim to trim every 2-3 months, it varies for everyone.
Washes:
Aim to wash your hair weekly; however, this may vary depending on hair styles and the level of build one accumulates in their hair. (However, there are times that I let my hair bask in its natural oils, but that’s for another post) Also wash and clean your combs and brushes. Ideally with every hair wash. Its senseless to use dirty hair grooming tools if they aren’t clean and you just washed your hair: defeats the purpose.
Wraps:
So many of us are used to wrapping our heads with scarves and that is fine, but make sure its satin. And if it isn't satin, use a satin bonnet under your scarf at night. If that doesn't work and you’re a rough sleep or you’re trying to look cute while you sleep lol, get satin pillows. This helps to maintain moisture guard against unwanted breakage.
I know that was a bit much for the first SuperNatural post, but these are all points that I wish someone would have told me when I went natural several years ago. I had to learn these through trial and error. You have gained this knowledge by a simple click!
All in all when in doubt about something regarding your hair think: Damage and Control. Will this retain and control my length or will it damage my hair?
I hope you enjoyed this first post. Any questions, concerns, or inquiries concerning SuperNatural contact me via email at
zeldaandfestus@yahoo.com I’m all ears.
