1. Avoid heat. I only use light heat from a heat cap when I'm deep conditioning. I haven't straighten my hair in over 2 1/2 years and I let my hair air dry instead of using a blow dryer.
2. Deep condition with every wash. My general rule is if I use shampoo, I deep condition. I don't co-wash often, but when I do, I don't feel I need to deep condition.
3. Only comb hair when it is soaking wet and full of a good conditioner that will allow the comb to easily glide. Start at the ends and work your way up. I also put my hair in large twists after detangling, so that it doesn't tangle again when I'm rinsing. I also let my hair air dry while in large twists. NEVER let your hair air-dry loose. That's a tangling nightmare waiting to happen!
4. Moisturize daily. With most styles, I use vegetable glycerin and rosewater. When I wearing twists, I like to use Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Leave In. It keeps my hair soft and I love the smell.
5. Rarely wear styles that tangle easily. I rarely wear afro puffs and afros although I love the style because my hair tangles easily in those styles and I NEVER wear wash & gos.
More tangles = more damaged hair
6. Sleep in Satin. Satin scarf, satin bonnet or satin pillow case to reduce breakage.
7. Sleep in protective styles. I generally sleep with my hair in twists. Always trying to minimize tangles!
8. Trim when needed and how needed. I don't follow a regular trim schedule. I trim when I see that my hair needs it. And how I trim depends on what I see. If I see a lot of split ends, then I will snips my ends when I put my hair in small twists. If I see a few random splits, I cut those splits when I see them and keep on stepping.
9. Don't overload hair with products. Not only is it expensive to use a lot of products, but it's not necessary. I will add a post later with a list of my favorite products.
10. Use natural hair products. I know it's more expensive, but from my experience, natural hair products works better than the cheaper products with bad ingredients.
It may sound like a lot at first, but taking care of natural hair really is not that complex. You just have to get familiar with your hair and what works best for you. I hope my tips are helpful.
wow...look at how much growth you have had in 2.5 years.. amazing.. now did you follow the same regimen when you had shorter hair?
ReplyDeletelet me know when you ready for more followers
Sorry Luv for the late response. I'm still learning how to use my blog, so I didn't see your comment :-(
ReplyDeleteNo - my regimen has changed a lot over the years. The focus has always been on keeping my hair moisturized and minimizing tangles, but over the years, I've experimented with different products and different processes - a series of trials and errors. What I have listed here is what has worked best for me and what I use currently.