Search Results: Adeola Adegbusi
Lately, I have been experimenting with many different things that is usually advised against in the natural hair community. Since I’m able to grow my hair to a length that I have never seen my hair at before, I figured I might as well enjoy it. I have been trying out a few things to see if it will actually make any difference in my hair, one of them being comb entangling.
We’ve all heard that one of the keys to longer hair is to detangle with fingers instead of a comb. For someone who grew up using all sorts of hair tools to manage their hair, this has been difficult to accept. It can even seem contradictory when you read reviews on detangling tools such as the tangle teezer or the denman brush on major natural hair websites. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering why the same people that told you to throw your comb away are the ones telling you to go get the latest and great combs.
I am beginning to discover that I will need to return to comb detangling as I continue my natural hair journey.
You see, the truth is that when it comes to natural hair, no two heads are the same. This means that the greatest hair tip for one person could be a disaster for the next person. If you have a head of hair like mine that always changes with the season, it’s impossible to stick to one hair tip only.
When I first went natural, I started comb detangling. As my hair grew out, I had to finger detangle more, as I found that combing through my hair took a lot of time and was becoming painful. Fast forward to about 3 years down the road and I am beginning to discover that I will need to return to comb through my hair again.
In case you’re on a hair journey and are wondering if it’s actually possible to go your whole life without combing through your hair, here are 5 instances when it’s absolutely ok for you to bring out your best detangling tool for your hair.
1. When you have excessive tangles
Let’s face it, natural hair loves to tangle up. No matter how careful we sometimes are with our hair, it just seems like there’s nothing we can do to completely eliminate the annoying knots and tangles from our hair. Even though we can separate most of the tangles with our fingers, there was a reason for the invention of combs–to separate tangles, remove knots and give you beautiful hair.
2. When you need to wear a polished, defined style
Luckily, there are so many hairstyles that a natural can wear without the need for a completely detangled hair. Hairstyles such as two strand twists, wash-n-gos, updos, and any out style will still look good on hair that has been only partially detangled. However, other hairstyles like cornrows, braids, and flat twists will often require completely detangled hair. Also, when your hair has been angled completely, you’re better able to part through your hair easily and quickly, and your parts will turn out neater, since you don’t have to go around any tangles to avoid them.
3. When someone else will be styling your hair
Even if you have an entire week to finger detangle sections of your hair, your hairstylist won’t. Finger detangling takes a lot of patience and time. To avoid frustration, pain, and getting sent home by your stylist, first comb through your hair at home before the appointment.
4. When you have a TWA or short hair
One of the benefits of having short hair is that it is resilient and able to bounce back from a lot of hair accidents. Since shorter hair is considered to be “new”, they are generally at a healthier state with fewer split ends, this is given that your hair isn’t colored or heat-damaged. With a longer hair length, the comb has to travel a greater length before it can completely detangle the entire hair shaft. This long journey puts longer hair at a greater risk for breakage when it is combed through, whereas a shorter length won’t have this risk.
5. It doesn’t make a difference in your length retention rate.
There are naturals who swear by finger detangling, while many others have a collection of hair combs and brushes. Naturals with fine hair might experience a lot of breakage when they use a comb, while naturals with thicker hair might not have a problem with comb detangling.
To sum it up
When it comes to finding out what works for your hair, try different techniques out and see what works for your hair (or what doesn’t”>. The key to using a comb is to be gentle-handed and patient. As long as you use them once in awhile, they can work–just use the guide above to help you during the process.
Do you comb detangle? And if so, how often?
Visit my personal blog Coils & Glory for more natural hair tips for type 4 hair.
Even if you are not a veteran natural, chances are you have probably heard of Beeswax before. But have you heard of Carnauba Wax?
Carnauba Wax, with the scientific name of Copernicia Cerifera, is another type of wax that can be found in nail and skin care products, hair products, makeup, and sunscreen products. Carnauba wax is a plant-based wax that is extracted from the Brazilian Tropical Palm Tree. This is why it’s sometimes called Brazil Wax or palm wax. Carnauba wax is obtained by drying the palm eaves in the sun for a few days. The wax on the leaves will eventually turn into dust and is then removed by threshing. It is then melted, strained and cooled to be used at a later time.
Carnauba wax is a plant-based wax that is extracted from the Brazilian Tropical Palm Tree. It gives cosmetic products a smooth, glossy finish and is applied in a pliable, solid form.
Benefits of Carnauba Wax
Carnauba Wax is the hardest of the commercial vegetable waxes. It is a tough, versatile and brittle wax that varies in color, from dirty yellow to brown, green or white. When used in cosmetics, Carnauba Wax gives the product a smooth application and glossy finish. It also helps to keep the product in a pliable and solid form.
Carnauba wax is used as an emulsifier which helps to ensure that the oil and liquid ingredients in a product mixes well together without separating from each other. Because carnauba is so hard, it is sometimes used to increase the thickness of solid products such as lipsticks and deodorants, so that they can maintain their intended shape. Due to the hard nature of carnauba wax, it is only used in solid-based hair products such as wax.
If you want to create a piecey pixie or slick down your edges for a sleek ponytail protective style, use this DIY recipe for maximum hold that won’t result in unhealthy scalp build-up. Purchase these ingredients online at Amazon or at your local natural foods store.
What you need
- 6 g beeswax
- 2 g carnauba wax
- 15 g sesame seed oil
- 10 g coconut oil
- 10 g castor oil
- 40 g jojoba oil (grapeseed or olive oil can also be used as an alternative”>
- 10 drops of essential oils of your choice. (grapefruit, lemon, sandalwood or ylang-ylang oil are great for this recipe”>
Directions
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Melt the wax in a pot.
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Stir, turn down the heat, and slowly add the blend of essential oils. If the wax hardens before everything is mixed, gradually increase the heat.
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Pour the mixture into a glass jar. When the mixture has cooled down to about 40 degrees Celsius, add the essential oils.
If you are an avid DIYer, you probably know by now that water and oil do not mix.
Water, being the heavier of the two, would naturally settle at the bottom while oil stays afloat. No matter how much you shake and stir them together, nature dictates that these two compounds will never combine together to become one. You may wonder how all the oils in your conditioner and moisturizer manage to mix well with the other ingredients in your product.
An emulsifier is the ingredient that holds all the other ingredients together to create the perfect blend.
What is an emulsifier?
An emulsifier is the ingredient that prevents all of the other ingredients in your conditioner, shampoo or leave-in from separating.
Emulsifiers can be found in any product that contains oil and water, according to The Herbarie Resource Center. Because many hair products have a variety of ingredients in them that would naturally not combine well together, an emulsifier helps to ensure that these ingredients can bind together to produce a product that is appealing to the eye and will last longer. They are used in products such as lotions, creams, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, beauty products and even in some food products (like mayonnaise”>.
5 Most Common Emulsifiers
Chances are, you will see one of these 5 common emulsifiers on the ingredient list of your holy grail hair and beauty products.
Emulsifying Wax NF (National Formulary”>
Emulsifying Wax is the most widely used emulsifier in the cosmetic industry due to its ability to perfectly blend creams and lotions that contain oil and water. Emulsifying wax helps to improve the consistency and texture of the final product without leaving a greasy film on the outer skin or hair after use. It can also be used to make viscous (thick”> or thin emulsions, depending on the concentration at which it is used. Emulsifying wax can be found at a concentration level of 5-10%.
Cetearyl Alcohol
This is a fatty alcohol derived from natural oils and fats (cetyl and stearyl alcohol”>. It’s used to thicken and stabilize products in order to enhance its consistency. Cetearyl Alcohol is present at a concentration level under 2% in products.
Ceteareth 20
This is a very common emulsifier because it mixes well with all kinds of oil. It works best when used in combination with another emulsifier such as glyceryl stearate. Ceteareth-20 is normally used at a 0.5-30% concentration level. A higher concentration is used in gel-like products.
Glyceryl Stearate
This is a co-emulsifier that must be used in combination with another emulsifier such as polysorbate 20 or ceteareth 20. Glyceryl Stearate is also used as a thickener and stabilizer in cosmetic products. The concentration level of Glyceryl Stearate in beauty products is usually around 1-3%.
Polysorbate 20
This is a commonly used emulsifier of essential oils and oil based fragrances and it is naturally derived from Lauric Acid (coconut oil”>. Polysorbate-20 can be found at a concentration level of around 2-10%. They are mostly used in a water-based product such as shampoos, hair sprays and shower gels.
Now, the next time you read through the ingredient list on your product, don’t be surprised if you see any one of these emulsifiers on the list.
I recently came across a piece by the Atlanta Black Star titled “Did Natural Hair Kill the Black Hair Salon?” and upon reading the title and analyzing the article in its entirety, I quickly came with up my answer:
“No it did not! It only woke them up!”
To support my opinion, I will be taking snippets from the article that clearly explains the natural hair community’s innocence from what Black hair salons are trying to blame us for.
At the time the movie Good Hair was released, the natural hair community was still in its infancy stage–most Black women wore relaxed hair which required frequent visits to their local salon. After watching the movie, however, many of them rethought their personal–and their children’s–hairstyle choices. One might argue that Chris Rock killed Black salons–at the very least, he started a movement that I’m sure a lot of Black salon business owners didn’t see coming.
Back in the day when women used to get their hair chemically treated, they needed to go to the salon often for routine maintenance. A smaller number of women still need this service now. And since many salons used to be reluctant to style natural hair, these women had no choice but to turn their bathrooms into a home salon.
Since many Black salons were so reluctant to style our natural hair, we had no choice but to turn our bathrooms into a home salon.
“I opened my salon, Dyaspora, in 1996 and I was one of the top natural hair salons in the country. I made so much money because everybody was getting their hair done,” Da Costa recalls.
I think everybody is still getting their hair done–whether it’s from the comfort of their home or at the salon. There still remains an abundant number of opportunities for Black salons to stay profitable as long as they follow the market trends.
“There are several cultural forces conspiring to dismantle traditional beauty salons. The greatest might be the Internet, where megasites like CurlyNikki and popular YouTube hair gurus help Black women unravel the mysteries of their own hair.”
Conspire against who? To dismantle what?
Just because a group of naturals were generous enough to start sharing their wealth of knowledge with other women does not mean that they’ve “conspired to dismantle traditional beauty salons”. I will conclude this part with two quotes which state that “knowledge is Power” and “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
“The future remains dark for stylists with an eye toward the past, those who refuse to acquire the skills required for textured hair. But those willing to embrace the movement are finding tremendous opportunity, whether it’s establishing natural hair care salon in underserved markets, or developing their own product lines.”
The honest truth is that seasons change and one must be willing to adapt to changes in the environment. This means that Black hair salons must be flexible and adaptable enough to respond to any changes that might have an effect on their revenue. With today’s advancements in technology, businesses can leverage the power of social media, blogs, and tools like Google Alerts to find out about what’s trending and what matters to their target audience.
Do you think that the Natural Hair industry killed Black hair salons?
Packed with vitamin A, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids, raw shea butter is an all-around hair and skin care product with origins in West Africa. For decades, it has remained a favorite ingredient in the hair and skin care industry for multiple reasons.
The shea butter that most of us are used to is a butter that is extracted from shea nuts of the shea-karite tree. This buttery substance is usually then further processed to meet the needs and demands of the end user. However, many naturals have started purchasing the butter online in its raw form and whipping up their own product into a consistency that might be easier to apply to their hair or skin. Doing this can also provide DIYers the opportunity to add other carrier and essential oils to help enhance the natural properties of shea butter.
While there are many benefits of Shea butter on natural hair, here are the top 3 reasons why so many community members love this all-natural ingredient.
It softens
When used often and consistently, shea butter has been shown to improve the texture and feel of the hair. This is because the essential fatty acids in shea butter deeply penetrates into the hair shaft to smooth the cuticles and to soften the hair strands, which then gives the hair a silky feel.It seals in moisture
The rich vitamins A and E contents in shea butter helps to soothe dryness, minimize breakage and curb split ends. The thick consistency of shea butter also makes it a great sealant to use in cold environments, particularly in the winter time. Raw shea butter’s creamy, thick consistency helps to trap in moisture to the strand for a longer period of time.It is a natural sunscreen
Shea butter has been found to contain low levels of UV protection (around SPF-6″>, making for a great natural “sunscreen” for curly and coily hair. When applied onto the hair, shea butter coats the surface, acting as a shield against the damaging, drying effects heat exposure can cause. This also applies to styling hot tools and even chlorine in a swimming pool.Make your own DIY whipped shea butter moisturizer
Trust us–it’s actually pretty simple.
Is shea butter right for your hair type?
Many naturals sometimes complain about their hair being weighed down from using raw shea butter. This could be due to the density and thickness level of their hair– as well as amount of other products that they cocktail with it. Medium to thick hair texture types can handle shea butter without being weighed down, whereas, a fine hair texture might feel weighed down, especially if too much of the product was used. It is important to not be heavy handed when using shea butter. A small amount can go a long way!
Where to buy shea butter
Most vendors that sells Raw shea butter are on Amazon. However, here is a list of vendors who sell whipped shea butter to the natural hair community:
- Shea Makery (Gourmet handcrafted Shea Butter”>
- Shea Butter Cottage (UK, Fair Trade Company”>
- Coils & Glory (North America”>
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Do you heart shea butter?
Founded by a husband and wife duo, CurlMix is the latest product for the DIY naturalista who enjoys the thrill and excitement of creating her own hair product.
We caught up with Kim, the co-founder of CurlMix to give us some background information about what to expect with this new subscription service. We also interviewed Dr. Maeling Murphy of NikkiMae2003, CurlMix’s first Brand Ambassador (“vlogger of the month””> to hear what she has to say about her experiences with CurlMix so far.
Please introduce yourself!
I’m Kim, Co-Founder of CurlMix, a subscription DIY box service where we send you all natural and organic ingredients for you to mix your own hair products in your kitchen. Tim and I have been married for 2 years and we’ve been in the natural hair game for about 5 years now. We also co-founded our first business, The Natural Hair Academy, a social network for naturals.
What was the inspiration behind Curl Mix?
Back in college I was the ultimate DIYer, and so I would go out to buy all these goodies and then mix my own hair products to share with my friends. After college, I couldn’t keep up with DIYing because it took too much time. Then I decided to go online to see if someone would send me the ingredients in a monthly subscription. When I didn’t find one, I thought that I should create one for other DIYers like myself, thus, CurlMix was born.
How does the subscription service work?
You have to get on the mailing list to be notified when CurlMix will be available for purchase that month. Once notified, you’ll be given a 24 hour window to put in your order for the month. The contents in the CurlMix changes every month as the recipes are curated and recommended by the Vlogger of The Month. Once you receive your mix, follow the directions on the letter inside the box. Then you mix, enjoy, and share your mix with a friend. We would love for subscribers to share what they made on social media, by using the hashtag #CurlMix.
Will a Newbie Natural be comfortable combining the ingredients by themselves?
CurlMix is for two types of people, 1. The person who wants to try out different recipes before buying up the whole grocery store & 2.The person who just doesn’t have the time to spend 1 hour researching, 2 hours shopping, and 1 hour mixing to make a product they aren’t sure about. With those two people in mind, we make mixing as easy as pie. We give you a ton of instruction and even a video demonstration from the vlogger of the month.
Can CurlMix replace traditional shampoos, conditioners, and stylers?
CurlMix is meant to provide you with enough product to determine if you like the DIY recipe. We make it possible for you to try unique recipes every month without the risk. If you like it enough, we would encourage you to go out and buy the items in bulk so that you can keep mixing your favorite products. In the long run, bulk is the cheaper option. CurlMix’s purpose is to eliminate the risk involved with going out on your own to mix products. We take out the guesswork and save you time. So in essence, yes the recipes can replace traditional products, but the monthly subscription is about experiencing something new.
Are all the ingredients natural (i.e plant-based”>? If not, are there any safety precautions that one has to take when whipping up their product?
The products are all natural and some will be organic. We have taken extra steps to ensure that there are no preservatives and chemicals in our mixes. For this reason, we decided not to partner with any company whose products contain preservatives or chemicals. I didn’t realize this before, but nearly all of them have one of the two, especially the big box brands.
Does CurlMix come with tools for combining the ingredients?
Other than major appliances, CurlMix comes with everything you need for mixing.
What is the typical shelf life of the ingredients and the final DIY product?
We recommend refrigerating all of the final products we mail to you. They are all natural ingredients, so I would say it lasts about 3 to 4 weeks when refrigerated.
Will the product be available to Naturals outside the United States?
We are currently working on this. As of now we are saying yes, but the subscriber will have to pay additional costs for shipping.
Where can future customers reach you if they have any question?
Check us out on social media, I am always on there @CurlMix on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You can also email your questions to info@curlmix.com.
YouTuber Nikki Mae has partnered with CurlMix as a brand ambassador.
Watch her DIY honey lemon mud wash using CurlMix ingredients:
As a DIYer yourself, how does it feel to be the pioneering brand ambassador for Curl Mix?
I was quite honored when Kim reached out to me to ask if I would partner with CurlMix for their launch! As a DIYer, I was in love with the concept of providing natural hair & body care recipes along with all the ingredients to make the product at home! I really love making my own products and using all natural ingredients, so it was a perfect match for the Natural Chica platform.
What would you say sets Curl Mix apart from other subscription services in the Natural hair care niche?
The unique aspect of CurlMix is that they’re providing you with the instructions and all natural ingredients to make your own products. This box is also great for those who may have wanted to try and make their own products, but were hesitant because they weren’t sure what recipe to try and what ingredients to get. This saves them that hassle by providing a tested recipe and will definitely hit them with that DIY bug for even more projects!
What tips would you give to future customers of Curl Mix?
I would tell them to have fun with the process! The beauty of a DIY project is that you can really make it your own by tweaking things here and there in the recipe. Don’t be afraid to experiment and maybe even invite a friend over to join in on the fun! Also, if you’d like to see an example of a CurlMix DIY product, be sure to check out my video where I made a Honey Lemon Mud Mask!
Subscribe to her YouTube channel, visit her blog Natural Chica, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter
Want to subscribe to CurlMix? Visit www.curlmix.com to sign up to their mailing list–you don’t want to miss their September 1st product launch.
Prior to the discovery of spray bottles, hair spritzes and DIY hair concoctions, hair grease and braid sheen sprays were the norm for practically every Black woman. As curly puddings and hair gels are the key to a successful twist-out, so were braid sheen sprays to long-lasting braids, corn rows and wigs.
Although the natural hair care community is on the rise, many natural haired ladies are still going back to the hairstyles that they use to do when they were relaxed. Popular hairstyles such as crotchet braids, Senegalese twists, Marley braids and weaves all still require great products for their proper maintenance.
Do people still use braid spray?
With DIYs in abundance, it is easy to think that products such as braid sheen sprays are no longer relevant and that no one really uses them anymore. But the reality is that a lot of people still do, including naturals who can’t be bothered with mixing their own hair spritzes. This is why you will still find these products at your local beauty supply store.
What is it?
In case you’re wondering what a braid spray is and how to use it, let me give you a quick summary. As the name suggests, it is normally used on a braided hairstyle, although it can also be used on loose hair extensions (protective styles”> like wigs. Braid sheen sprays usually come in a large aerosol can or plastic bottles with spray nozzles, all depending on the manufacturer and the ingredients.
Aside from the extra sheen that it provides, a braids sheen spray is also used to:
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Soften and condition your hair while it’s in braids
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Lubricate your synthetic hair to reduce friction and knots which is common with dry hair
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Prolong the length of time that you wear your braids for
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Soothe itchiness and dryness
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Add a silky shine to the hair
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Soothe braid tightness and soreness
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Reduce breakage that normally occurs while taking down your braids
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Add some fragrance to your braids, especially if you wear synthetic hair.
Braid sheen sprays are ideal for any hair type, but those with Type 4 hair, colored hair and any other hair type that dries easily will benefit the most with sheen sprays because they serve as an extra protective layer for your hair while in braids.
A word of caution when using sheen sprays:
You want to make sure that you don’t spray the product too closely on your hair, especially if the product is oil based. This is because spraying the product directly on your hair will make your hair to be too greasy and it might feel weighed down.
Do you still use a braid sheen spray? What are some of your favourite products for your braids?
Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!
Though babies can be cute and adorable, they can also be demanding of our time and energy. When a child is born into a family, the parents–particularly you, the mother–will need to prioritize daily duties to suit your new lifestyle. For mothers with natural hair, this might mean changing the way you care for your hair while still maintaining a healthy head of hair. Here are 5 tips for maintaining your natural hair after giving birth.
1. Keep your regimen simple.
If you are a naturalista who likes to spend an entire Saturday on her hair, let me tell you right now, you probably won’t have that luxury anymore. While a 10-step hair care regimen can sound nice and wonderful, you simply will not have the time. The only care that your hair needs right now is a regular wash, deep condition and frequent moisturizing.
2. Re-adjust your hair regimen to suit your new lifestyle.
Were you single and only took care of yourself when you first went natural? Now that you have a new addition to your family, your awesome (but lengthy”> regimen might need to be put aside while you focus on caring for your baby. This doesn’t mean that the health of your hair should also take a seat. All you have to do is to update your current regimen in a way that best suits you and your baby.
3. Style your hair in between baby’s nap.
Since you can’t add more hours to the 24hours that you’ve been given, you can better manage your time and maximize the little hours that you have left for yourself by styling your hair in between your baby’s naps. Fortunately, newborns spend most of their time sleeping, which means that you can quickly squeeze in a quick shampoo, deep conditioning and styling while your baby naps. New mother, Nikki Mae of Natural Chica has learned to take advantage of this tip.
4. Put your hair away in a protective style.
Natural hair can be demanding when it’s left loose because it dries out faster and tangles quickly. Since taking care of a newborn can take up so much of your time, the best thing you can do to help manage your time is to minimize wearing your hair loose. Instead, you can opt for longer lasting hairstyles such as twists, corn rows or braids.
5. Get help when necessary.
If you have other children to take care of, you might not have the time and energy to take care for your hair as much as you would have loved to. To ensure that your hair remains in its healthiest state, seek the assistance of a licensed hairstylist or a friend to help you manage your hair while you take care of your newborn.
With planning and readjustments, it’s possible to still maintain a healthy head of hair, even with your busy schedule as a new mother.
New naturally curly mothers, how did you take care of your hair while taking care of your newborn?
Even though the weather has warmed up a bit, many women will still choose to do protective hairstyles in order to give their hair a break from frequent manipulation and from the elements. Protective styles are not only for the cold weather, they can also be done in the warmer season to protect the hair from the sun’s UV rays, humidity, strong wind, and from the scorching summer heat.
Summer time is also a season when many people will fill up their schedules with outdoor activities and many other festivities. This means that a lot of women will be busier in the summertime than in any other season. And as a result, they might not have enough time to spend styling their hair as often as they’d like to.
Also, if you tend to travel more in the summer time, you’d probably want to keep your hair in a style that will last you throughout the duration of your trip. This way, your hair won’t be drastically affected by changes in your new environment and schedule. You might be interested in knowing how to maximize your hairstyle so that you can get the most out of the hair growth and length retention benefits of protective styles…
Here are 10 ways that you can retain as much length as possible from a protective style.
1. Make sure you fully detangle your hair before you go get it done.
This way, you won’t have to worry about the stylist combing your hair while it’s dry. Detangling your hair prior to installing a protective style helps to speed up the styling process and it reduces excessive breakage which can happen when the hair is manipulated in its dry state.
2. Be patient and gentle when you or your stylist is installing the protective style.
…so that you don’t end up with split ends which can reduce the amount of length that you retain.
3. Remind the stylist to not pull too tightly on your scalp.
Tight hairstyles are not only painful and uncomfortable, they can also be damaging to the hair follicles. This can affect your hair growth potential and result in bald patches around your edges and in different sections of the scalp.
4. Avoid over-manipulation during the time that you have your protective style in.
Frequent styling and restyling can cause frizz, which can shorten the intended length of time that your hair is supposed to be kept in a protective style for.
5. To moisturize your hair, combine water, oil and leave-in conditioner in a spray bottle.
Then, lightly spritz your hair a few times in a week or as needed. Spritzing your hair often with a hair spritz helps to re-hydrate the hair without disturbing or roughening the hairstyle. This allows you to wear the hairstyle for a longer period of time.
6. When going to bed, wear a silk head wrap to help keep your style in place while you sleep.
An ordinary bonnet will still protect the hair, but it won’t hold the hair in place like a scarf would. Silk scarves also help to keep the hair smooth and minimize frizz while you sleep, so you won’t have to do much maintenance in the morning. However, if you’re an active sleeper, it’s best to secure the scarf by wearing a satin bonnet on top of the scarf.
7. To maintain your edges, use a soft toothbrush to gently brush up your baby hair when needed.
8. If you must change the look of your protective style, make sure to rub a few drops of oil on your palms before rubbing your hands in your hair.
Lubricating your palms prior to restyling helps to reduce friction and frizz which can sometimes make the hairstyle to look rough.
9. When it’s time to take down the style, please make sure that you take your time and be very gentle with the process.
Depending on the style, try to use your fingers to take down the style in order to minimize breakage. When detangling, make sure you only detangle small sections of the hair at a time, so that you don’t lose all your new growth to breakage.
10. After taking down your protective style, the next thing you want to do is a thorough deep conditioning treatment.
Many protective styles doesn’t allow for a deep conditioning treatment because it can roughen the hairstyle. So the best way to restore moisture and strength back to the hair is to deep condition it when it’s loose.
What other ways do you maximize your protective style?
Anyone who has been around the curly hair block for a while now probably knows how fragile naturally curly hair can be. Although natural hair is versatile and can be twisted, curled, coiled and braided into many different styles, any excessive manipulation can result in a major damage to the hair. Aside from the typical hair damage that’s caused by over manipulation, damages to the hair often falls under four major categories. Knowing the type of hair damage that you have will help you to better manage your hair and prevent future hair woes.
1. Physical Damage
This is the most common type of hair damage and it has the most drastic effect on the hair. Physical hair damages are man-made hairstyles and manipulations that compromises on the health and strength of the hair. Although ponytails, afro puffs and buns are quick and easy to do, when done too often and too tight, they can cause a strain on the edges of the hair which can result in a receding hair line.
Another example of physical damage are braids that are too tight and heavy. Particularly braided hairstyles that are left in for too long and that were not well taken care of during the time they were in the hair. So even though you left your hair alone for a period of 12 weeks, the consequences on the health of your hair might be greater than when it was left loose and conditioned on a regular basis.
Another way that the hair gets physically damaged is during detangling and styling. Excessive detangling can result in split ends and eventually, breakage. Whether you detangle with a comb or with your fingers, it’s important to keep in mind that curly hair likes to wrap around each other, and so it’s not necessary to have 100% detangled hair. Therefore, the less you detangle your hair, the more likely it will remain healthy and the less split ends and hair damage you’ll have.
2. Chemical Damage
One of the reasons why many women transition to natural hair is due to the chemical damages that they experienced from relaxers or the constant heat damage that they experienced from straightening their hair. However, just because relaxers are a thing of the past, it doesn’t mean that you can never experience a chemical damage.
Women with natural hair still undergo chemical treatments every once in a while to help improve the appearance of their curls or to change up their hairstyle. Chemical treatments such as bleaching, highlights and coloring can have serious consequences on the health of the hair if they’re not done properly. This is because chemical treatments changes the chemical and physical structure of the hair.
Also, products with ingredients that dries out the hair can cause excessive tangles and frizziness. This can leave the hair looking dull, dry and feeling brittle. Another culprit of chemical hair damage is heat damage. Heat appliances such as flat irons and blow-dryers removes moisture from the surface of the hair cuticles, resulting in brittle dry hair which now becomes vulnerable to breakage.
3. Environmental Damage
The condition of the environment that you live in can also help to contribute to the overall health of your hair. Regions with hard water can affect the look, feel and shine of the hair. This is because hard water leaves mineral deposits on the hair which builds up overtime and eventually affects moisture intake into the hair. Therefore, the hair will end up feeling dry, with lots of frizz and tangles. Environmental factors, such as strong sun, wind, cold air, temperature variations and changes in air humidity can also damage the hair. The static and dry winter air can contribute to moisture loss, leaving the hair dry. Also, the constant change from the cold outdoor air to the warm indoor air can cause the cuticle layers of the hair to loose moisture quickly to the atmosphere.
Strong winds can also cause your curly hair to form more tangles, which can be difficult to detangle later on. The hot sun in the summertime can also affect the health of the cuticle layers of the hair. Environmental effects on the hair cannot be avoided, but they can be better managed by the way you adjust your hair regimen to fit the circumstances in your environment.
4. Nutritional Damage
Although hair is a dead matter, the follicles which the hair grows out of is a living organism which must be well-nourished. Therefore, proper nutrition is needed for the blood veins that carries nutrients to the individual hair follicles.When the body isn’t receiving adequate nutrients, it re-prioritizes the distribution of the nutrients that it receives. This means that vital organs that controls life and death will be attended to first, while the least important organs such as the hair follicles will be tended to last. As a result, the condition of the hair health will be compromised. This is why any nutritional deficiency typically shows first in the hair.
Also, the growth and appearance of the hair is also affected when a person is under stress, on medication or in a serious health condition. Hair damages that occurs as a result of health problems can only be resolved after the body has returned to its healthy state through the use of medication.
Although hair damages occurs in a variety of ways, the most effective way to keep the hair healthy is by minimizing damages that are in your control, i.e physical and chemical damages.
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