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Something that never ceases to amaze me — especially when it comes to this information age that we are currently in — is how much a myth can strut around as if it is indeed a fact. I won’t lie, it took me a while to get my hair’s health on track because there were certain things that I had heard for so long that I took them to be the gospel truth when they were really not much more than an old wives’ tale or even just a really popular lie.

A couple of them are actually in this article that you’re about to check out. Since temps are dropping and the winter season isn’t too far away, as you’re (hopefully”> in the process of putting your winter hair care regimen together, here are some winter-themed myths that you should totally toss out of the window.

Wet hair doesn’t give you a cold; a virus does

If it wasn’t your mother, I’m pretty sure it was your grandma who told you that you should never go outdoors while your hair is wet (especially when it’s cold outside”> because, if you do, you might catch a cold. It’s a popular myth but definitely an inaccurate one. While it doesn’t actually feel the best to be out in the chilly winter air with wet or even damp hair, the reality is that colds (and the flu and COVID”> come from a virus. Now what you can get from having sweaty hair is a fungal infection because fungus likes to thrive in warm and wet environments, but that’s something that we’ll have to touch on in a different piece (do take note of it, though”>.

Dry shampoo is better during the colder seasons

If you’re someone who prefers to blow dry your hair fully after washing (and conditioning”> it but there are days when you just don’t have the time or energy to do that, an alternative can be to go with dry shampoo. It saves time. It absorbs oil. It helps to increase hair volume and it can also neutralize an odor that your hair may have. Just make sure that you don’t “trick” yourself into thinking that dry shampoo should be a constant replacement for regular shampoo during the winter season. Even when there’s a lot of snow and rain outdoors, that doesn’t mean that your hair doesn’t need the direct moisture that comes from shampooing and conditioning it the old-fashioned way. In fact, hair can oftentimes become pretty dry when it’s cold because the harsh winds can zap moisture outdoors and central air can do the same inside. So again, dry shampoo can help you in a clutch, but it should never replace shampooing (with non-sulfate shampoo“> and deep conditioning, even during the winter season.

Your immune system doesn’t really affect your hair

Getting 6-8 hours of rest. Eating fresh produce. Drinking herbal tea. Exercising. Taking a Vitamin C supplement and a probiotic. Keeping stress levels down to a minimum. All of these are things that can help to keep your immune system strong which can prevent you from getting sick. And since it’s more likely that you will catch a cold during the wintertime, it’s important to be intentional about keeping your immunity in good condition. However, it’s not just for the sake of your health but the health of your hair too. The reality is that healthy immune cells play a pivotal role in hair rejuvenation while unhealthy cells can lead to hair loss. Just something to think about as you’re making some homemade vegetable soup or sipping on some chamomile tea.

Using hot water on wash day is best during the wintertime

Nothing feels better than hot water on your body after coming in from the cold air. I get it. But if you want to retain moisture in your skin as well as in your hair and scalp, hot water is an absolute no-no. Not only does it have the ability to strip your hair of its natural oils, hot water can also dry out your scalp which can lead to an itchy scalp as well as dry, brittle hair that could result in breakage. Another challenge that comes with hot water use is it can irritate your scalp and no one wants that. So, definitely stick to lukewarm. It’s the ideal temperature to stimulate blood flow to your scalp which can help to increase hair growth.

Focusing on moisture isn’t as much of a priority when it’s cold outside

The combination of extremely cold weather outside and the intensely warm (and dry”> heat indoors make for the kind of combination where your hair can end up drier and more brittle than ever. That’s why it’s a huge misconception that you can let up on your conditioning routine during the fall and winter seasons. You should still deep condition your hair at least twice a month. You also should sleep with a humidifier. Not only will it help to keep moisture in your hair as you rest but there are studies which reveal that it plays a pivotal role in reducing the spread of viruses including COVID.

Hat wear is the “protective style” of winter

You may have heard somewhere that the two main things that qualify a hairstyle as being “protective” is if it requires minimal manipulation and it keeps the ends — the oldest parts of your hair — covered. This is true which is why a lot of people think that wearing hats, beanies, scarves, etc. is the best (and easiest”> route to take during the wintertime. Yes and no. While there is certainly nothing wrong with wearing hat accessories, what you have to be careful of is making sure that the inside of your hat wear is lined with satin; that way, the fabric from your hats won’t dry your hair out. Oh, and that you do let your hair breathe from time to time. Again, a sweaty scalp can trigger fungal growth and that’s certainly not ideal if you’re looking to gain some length retention in time for spring. There you have it, y’all — myths debunked.

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In recent years we’ve witnessed a trend of more Black women leaving their natural hair to return to relaxers. What is concerning though is that alongside this trend, we continue to see more and more studies reporting the chemicals that are in straightening hair products are putting more women — especially Black women — at risk for both breast and uterine cancer. Back when I was in my 20s, something that I was known for was being unpredictable when it came to my hair. From week to week, you never really knew what my hair color or hair texture was gonna be. As a creative, I miss those days. But when it comes to my health, I’m glad that I’ve transitioned to my natural hair and, as far as color goes, I’m into semi-permanent rinses more than anything. I wish I could say that the initial transition was strictly health-related, but it actually wasn’t. Super long story short, I just got sick of putting so many chemicals in my hair that I never really got to know the locks that I was born with. Still, with the influx of intel that’s been coming out about how much hair relaxers and permanent hair dyes are directly linked to cancer — I am relieved that I let the “white crack” (if you’ve never read the book Nappily Ever After or seen the movie before, check them out for the crack context”> and color alone. I’ll expound.

Hair Straightening Chemicals Connected to Cancer. What’s Really Going On?

Scientists have been studying the use of chemical hair straighteners and permanent hair dye and its effects on women’s health, and increasingly the results are pointing to an increased risk of multiple forms of cancer. Boston University’s 2021 Black Women’s Health Study of 59,000 African American women found “Black women who used hair products containing lye at least seven times a year for 15 or more years had an approximately 30 percent increased risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer compared with more infrequent users” as reported by PBS.

More studies are being released around the fact that the chemicals that are in a lot of these hair products are putting more women — especially Black women — at risk for both breast and uterine cancer

In October of 2022 the National Institutes of Health released findings of an increased risk of hormone-related cancers in people who use hair straightening chemicals, and Black women are more likely to use these products. Additional study findings published in October 2022 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute examined associations between hair product use and incident uterine cancer among more than 33 ,000 participants in the Sister Study. They found that “Women who had reported frequent use of straighteners (more than 4 times in the previous year”> were about 2½ times more likely to develop uterine cancer” according to the American Cancer Society. Some of these findings say that women who use lye-based relaxers increase their chances of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis by 20 percent while women are nearly doubling their chances of being diagnosed with uterine cancer. All of this is especially alarming within the Black community considering the fact that although Black women are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they are far more likely to die from it.

Permanent Hair Dye and the Risk of Cancer

It’s not just hair straightening chemicals, permanent hair dye is in question as well. Scientists from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS”>, part of the National Institutes of Health, studied data from more than 44,000 participants in the Sister Study and found that “women who regularly used permanent hair dye in the year prior to enrolling in the study were 9% more likely than women who didn’t use hair dye to develop breast cancer. Among African American women, using permanent dyes every five to eight weeks or more was associated with a 60% increased risk of breast cancer as compared with an 8% increased risk for white women.” The Cleveland Clinic report that some data connects hair dye with other cancers in addition to breast cancer, “the most well-studied connection is between bladder cancer and hair dye.”

Should You Stop Chemically Straightening and Coloring Your Hair?

Does this mean that you should never chemically straighten your hair or color-treat it again? The decision is yours to make, and we want you to know as much information as possible before you make it. It’s important to know that the risk of cancer was linked to regular use, which was defined as “more than 4 times in the past year.” Also, please don’t forget to get regular check-ups while seeking out as many alternatives as possible, so that you can put your mind at ease. Interestingly enough, some Black women feel the era of relaxers is over (check out MadameNoire’s “Hair Relaxer Sales Have Declined Significantly In The Past Decade” and Forbes’s “Black Women Going Natural Push Entire Industry To The Brink Of Extinction””>. As for me and my two cents, lye is a damn lie, so definitely go with a no-lye based relaxer if you must go permanently straight — oh, and the less you use permanent hair dyes, the less you have to worry about them at all. Besides, it’s not like there aren’t healthier alternatives that can help you to achieve the look of straight hair and/or a change in your hair’s hue without so many…potential complications.

7 Healthier Ways to Get Straight and/or Colored Hair

Here are seven suggestions that can greatly help you experiment with hair color and stretching out your natural texture – without using straightening chemicals and permanent hair dye.

1. Invest in an Effective Hair Dryer

Something that I wish I had purchased a LONG time ago is this Revlon One Step Hair Dryer. It doesn’t get super hot. It pulls out way less hair. And my cuticles are much smoother when I’m done using it (I’m not the only one who thinks so; a hilarious YouTube reviewer agrees“>. If you want your hair to get bone straight, you might need to flat iron your hair after blow drying it with this, but I’d be shocked if you needed to do more than a one pass. It’s definitely one of the best investments that I’ve made into my personal hair routine in a long time.

2. Apply some Color Wow Dream Coat

There are so many TikToks about this product that it can literally make your head spin. Yet, interestingly enough, I get why. If you semi-saturate your hair with it before you blow dry your hair, it does seem to make it significantly straighter for a longer period of time; even if you’ve got Type 4 hair. No joke.

3. Stretch Your Hair Out Naturally

It seems like almost since the beginning of time, there have been non-heat-related ways to stretch curly hair including threading, banding, braid-outs and twist-outs. I won’t lie — based on how thick and/or long your hair is, you need to be prepared to watch a movie or catch up with a friend on the phone while using these methods because the process can be a bit long — still, the end results are always worth it.

4. Go with a Silk Press

If you were to ask 20 different stylists to explain the process of a silk press, you would probably get the same generalized answer with a few variations as far as the details go. For the most part, it’s when you blow out your hair and flat iron it. One twist that some stylists add is wrapping hair in Saran wrap (like here, here and here“> in order to “set” the hair. When done correctly, your hair can remain straight for up to two weeks (especially if it’s not too humid outside”>.

5. Color your hair with a semi-permanent product or colored hair wax

As far as hair color goes, semi-permanent dyes and rinses are much safer and since they oftentimes last through at least a dozen washes, they can easily help you to maintain the color that you chose for a few months. Just keep in mind that they are usually best for maintaining your own color, hiding grays or going darker. And what if you want to do something drastic? There’s always colored hair wax to your rescue; some brands are even vegan. It may be temporary but the results are super vibrant.

6. Play with a Wig or Extensions

When it comes to these lace fronts out here, they didn’t come to play! Based on how they’re installed, they can look like the hair is growing straight out of your scalp which means that you can cornrow your natural hair underneath and give it a rest for up to 4-6 weeks at a time. Same goes for a lot of weaves (so long as you sew or clip them in instead of using any adhesive”>. Because both of these options require very little natural hair manipulation and they help to keep your ends out of harm’s way, they fall into the category of being a “protective style” which means you can wear straight and/or colored hair without damaging your own hair in the process. Read next: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Wigs as a Protective Style

7. Embrace your natural texture

Of course, you can do what I’ve been doing for many years now — embracing your natural hair texture. As I basically said in the intro, so many of us have been conditioned to think that curly texture hair is challenging, more expensive to take care of and not as visually appealing that we’ve automatically reached out for relaxers when all of this couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, learning your hair requires time, patience and finding the right products — oh, but once the light bulb goes on…it does wonders for your self-esteem/self-image. And the fact that it’s by far a healthier route to take? Well, that’s just the icing on the cake, y’all. Give it a shot. I’m sure that, in time, you’ll see just what I mean. Looking to straighten your curls without relaxers? Here are the Top 10 Tips to Straighten Curly Hair Without Frizz

Whew. It’s quite the heavy responsibility, raising children to become self-sufficient adults. It truly is the kind of task that has a billion different components to it too. Take hair care, for example. When is it the right time to transition from you shampooing your daughter’s hair in the bathtub and then washing her hair in the sink to letting her do it all on her own?

From what I’ve read and researched, an eight-year-old can do it if she’s highly supervised. Then, between the ages of 10-12, your daughter should be able to do it all by herself. But whether your little girl is 5 or 11, there are things that you can do to get them used to making wash days a part of their self-care (and hygiene”> routine. Here are the ones that I think are most important.

Pictured: @lucien_kids

1. Make a big deal about it

I know. A lot of us grew up treating wash days more like a necessary “evil” than anything else. Personally, I think it should be approached like somewhat of a milestone because, unless your daughter plans on going to the salon for the rest of her entire life, wash days are something that she’s going to be doing for decades to come. So yeah, make a big deal out of them. Schedule them out beforehand. Discuss them with her. Make sure your energy comes off as excited to introduce her to different facets of hair washing rituals. The more we enjoy taking care of our hair, the healthier our hair will be in the long run.

2. Explain to her why wash day is so important

Here’s what’s a trip. I’m willing to bet that if a lot of us were asked why we should consistently shampoo and condition our hair, it would take us a moment to come up with a viable response. The reality is that shampooing our hair cleanses it and our scalp. It also massages our scalp which helps to stimulate our hair follicles. Conditioning our hair adds moisture so that our hair is manageable and less prone to breakage. The clearer your daughter is on the purpose of both of these things, the easier it will be for her to understand why they’re both essential self-maintenance activities.

3. Get her a “wash day” bucket

All of us like having things that are our very own. When it comes to your daughter shampooing and conditioning her hair, she is no exception. So, make sure to get her a bucket filled with her own wash day supplies. Some sulfate-free shampoo. A conditioner (that smells really good”> as well as some leave-in conditioner. A detangling comb. A microfiber towel (explain to her that those are gentler on her hair than the towels that she dries her body off with”>. A few hair masks that she can learn to pamper her hair with. A carrier oil that she can learn to pre-poo with (because the more she learns how to make her hair manageable, the more comfortable and confident she will be about styling it”>. Some alcohol-free edge control (because baby hairs make perfect sense on young women”> — things that will help her to feel like she’s growing up, so that she get (and stay”> excited about washing her own hair.

4. Do more supervising than anything

Okay parents, you know how some of y’all can be. Instead of supervising your child, you kind of take over because you know that you will do a better job. While that very well may be the case, there is no way that your daughter is going to learn how to properly wash her hair unless she does it for herself. Besides, if a lot of us were truly honest with ourselves, we could stand to watch a couple of hair washing tutorials ourselves because all we’ve been doing for the longest is plopping product on our hair, rubbing it in for a couple of minutes, rinsing it out and going about our day. If even you want to make sure that you’re going about your own wash day the right way, check out our article, “The Best Way to Wash Curly Hair”. If you happen to be more of a visual learner (or you’d like a few visual examples to show your daughter”>, check out this video, this video and this video.

5. Let her pick some form of entertainment

If there are days when you don’t feel like washing your hair, you already know that there are going to be times when she won’t be thrilled about doing it either. “Chores” tend to go by a lot faster when there’s some entertainment that can serve as a form of distraction. So, let her pick her own music and/or a movie or favorite television show after she’s shampooed and it’s time to do some detangling and styling. When you give kids something to look forward to, that’s almost always a surefire way to inspire them to follow through on their obligations.

6. Teach her some styling hacks

I don’t know about you but sometimes what makes me want to avoid wash day is going through the styling process. Whether you’re totally against heat or you plan on blow drying and perhaps even flat ironing her hair, I get that you might want to solely take care of that part of the wash day process. But based on your daughter’s age, when it comes to styling, be open to showing her some ways that she can style her own hair, all by herself. Teach her how to braid. Give her introductory courses on how to do a wash ‘n go. Instruct her on how to pull her hair back into a bun or do some two-strand twists. When she’s able to complete the wash day process, it will give her a sense of pride — and that’s something that she can carry along with her for the rest of her life.

How have you encouraged your child to get involved on wash day?

Imagine a world where we all found our hair to be “good” because we were all raised as children to embrace our own natural hair texture.

Although many of us grew up in a time when the internet wasn’t nearly as popular or accessible as it is now, the reality is that children are literally bombarded with images and ideas about body image and their hair on an hour by hour — shoot, moment by moment — basis. Some are positive reinforcement and yet a lot of them are about as close to toxic as you can get.

Even when I was a little girl, I remember putting a towel on my head to try and make myself look like I had longer hair. Make-believe can be fun; however, looking back, I know that a part of me thought that long straight hair was prettier than the (mostly”> Type 4a texture that I have. And I know I’m not alone in this.

That’s the bad news. The good news is there are things that you can do as a parent — or even a relative, close friend or mentor — to make sure that you still remain the greatest influencers in your children’s lives; this includes when it comes to their self-esteem. And one facet of their esteem is how they see their hair.

Here are valuable steps you can take to help the children in your life embrace and love their naturally curly hair. 

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1. Find pictures of people who have a similar texture

A part of the reason why I was so caught up with wanting long straight hair when I was younger is because I went to mostly white private schools. It wasn’t that my parents didn’t praise my Blackness and all that came with it (most of the time, at least”>; it’s just that peer pressure is a real thing, even at a very young age. And to see all of those girls with long pigtails, I thought that was what my hair was supposed to be doing instead of being in braids or Afro-puffs. I remember how much Vanessa Huxtable (The Cosby Show“> influenced me as I started to grow older (especially the season when she had that dope Afro”>. I think that seeing more images of women and girls like her would’ve made me feel less alone. That said, one benefit of the internet is we have more access to photos and videos. So, show your kids people who have hair similar to them. It can help them to feel like there are others like them and that can help to boost their confidence.

Read next: 20 Books That Empower Girls to Love Their Curls

2. Talk to them about all of the benefits of their hair texture

Remember how I said that I used to wish that I had straighter hair while my goddaughter currently wants a thicker and curlier texture? The reality is that every single texture on this planet has some special things that it’s able to do. These days, you couldn’t pay me to switch my natural texture up because I like all of the creative things that I can do with it (braids one day, an Afro another day, a blow-out the next day”>. And my goddaughter? I mean, at her age (11″>, I used to wish that I was her (hair-wise”> because her loose waves made it appear that her hair grew faster than those of a curlier kind (not true; we just have to take care of our hair differently”>. Bottom line, there is such a thing as negativity bias. What it basically means is we’re naturally wired to lean toward the negative of matters rather than the positive. So, how do you get your child to see the good about their hair and hair texture? That’s where the next point comes in.

3. Create a “hair love list” with them

When it comes to self-love, it’s something that we have to literally program ourselves to do. That’s why I’m all about creating lists that include things that we adore, especially so, about ourselves. So, after completing some of these other steps, don’t hesitate to ask your child what they love about their hair texture. If they say the proverbial, “I dunno” followed by an Elmo shrug, help them along by expressing what you like about their hair and what other people would also probably like about it. Then compile the list and put it someplace where they will get to it on a daily basis (like a bedroom or bathroom mirror”>. A couple of times a week, ask them to verbally recite their list to you. The more they get used to hearing what they appreciate about their hair, the more it will literally become a part of their way of thinking.

4. Be intentional with products you use

I’d venture to say that just about all of us have some memories of dreading getting our hair done and it was usually because either A”> our parents were too heavy handed and/or B”> they didn’t apply the kind of products that complemented our own hair texture. Now, in fairness to them, they probably didn’t know much about which ones to use and which ones to avoid. These days, though, there is plenty of access to this kind of information, so devote an hour a week (or so”> to researching the kind of hair products that go with different hair types and how to apply them. My first suggestion would be to take our Texture Typing Quiz to learn more about your child’s hair type. Then you go on YouTube or TikTok and put “hair product hacks” based on the type of hair that your child has.

5. Load up on hair accessories

No matter what the age, hair is always more fun when we have accessories to play around with. That said — hats, scarves, barrettes, hair clips, headbands, hair ties and hair combs…start to see hair accessories as a must-have addition to your child’s wardrobe. The more items that they have to choose from and work with, the more they will look forward to getting their hair done or doing their own hair — regardless of what their hair texture may be.

6. Show them how to do their own hair

You won’t be doing their hair forever, so use each season (spring, summer, fall, winter”> as an opportunity to “loosen the reins” a bit by taking out an hour or so on a weekend to teach them more about personal hair maintenance. The reality is that a lot of us grew up to become super frustrated with our hair, even as adults, all because we had no clue how to style it. There’s no time like the present for your child to learn how to care for their tresses, so that their hair doesn’t end up “intimidating” them. Instead, it can be something that they truly and fully celebrate!

Many of us spend about one-third of our 24-hour days in bed which means it’s important that we make sure that we are “sleeping well”, so that our hair can reach its absolute maximum potential.

While you may never have given it much thought before, I’m going to share with you eight things that you might be doing at nighttime mistakes that could potentially be wreaking pure havoc on your hair — whether you realize it or not.

1. Always Sleeping on the Same Side

If something that you struggle with is one side of your hair being significantly stronger and longer than the other, I totally feel your pain. My left side typically thrives in a way that my right side simply doesn’t. While some of this can probably be chalked up to genetics, things like your diet, imbalance hormones, medication, aging, damaged hair follicles (whether it’s from some sort of trauma or even constantly touching, rubbing or pulling at one side of your hair”> and definitely how we sleep can also play a role. Well, as far as sleeping goes, did you know that each hair follicle comes with its own customized blood supply? Not only does this mean that if some follicles have a stronger supply than others, that will lead to them producing longer and thicker hair, it also means that if you constantly sleep on the same side every night, that can compress your blood vessels, so that those follicles are spending hours, each and every day, not receiving the nutrients (from the blood”> that they need. So, while I know it may be difficult — trust me, I know — try and be intentional about not constantly staying on the same side all night long. Or, at least, begin your sleep time on the opposite side that you are the most comfortable sleeping on. It’s a little shift that can make a really big difference over time.

2. And/Or Always Putting Your Hair Up in a Pineapple

OK, I know that a lot of you may be fans of putting your hair up in a pineapple each and every night. However, as the Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “The excess of a virtue is a vice”. What that means, as it relates to this article is, if you’re constantly putting your hair up in the same style and position, for 6-8 hours on end, that can result in tension being on the same part of your head which can lead to weakened tresses and, eventually, breakage. So, if you are adamant about going the pineapple route, try and switch up where your hair goes every few days and definitely don’t hold it up with a hair tie. Otherwise, you’re almost asking for a breakage issue — probably not immediately but definitely eventually.

3. Sleeping in Your Hair Conditioner

If you’re a YouTube fan of hair videos, it’s not uncommon to see ones that talks about sleeping overnight with conditioner on your hair in order to get the maximum benefits from it. While I understand motive of this kind of advice, I actually think it’s not the best idea. The reason why is because our hair tends to be in its weakest state whenever it’s wet (or damp”>. Then, if you add to that the friction that comes from moving around all throughout the night, not only do you up your chances for some major matting and tangling issues come morning, you could end up with some broken strands too. That’s why it’s far better to deep condition your hair for 2-3 hours before bedtime and, if you want some “extra moisture support” put a leave-in conditioner onto your tresses in the morning time instead.

4. You Don’t Treat Yourself to a Scalp Massage

I promise you that I am able to speak from very up close and personal experience when I say that if you don’t make it a point and practice to massage your scalp, at least 3-4 times a week, you are doing yourself a real disservice. Not only does it help to significantly reduce any stress or anxiety that you might feel, it also helps to calm your nervous system (so that you’ll be able to sleep better at night”> and it stimulates blood flood to your scalp, so that your hair follicles can receive even more of the vitamins and minerals that they need in order for you to have thicker and longer hair.

While simply massaging your scalp with your fingertips is beneficial, you’ll really pamper yourself (and your follicles”> if you apply a warm DIY massage oil to those tips beforehand. The tingling sensation that peppermint oil provides will help to increase blood circulation to your scalp. Rosemary oil is awesome because it promotes hair cell regeneration which leads to thickness and growth. Cedarwood oil has a reputation for reducing hair loss. Lemongrass oil reduces the growth of dandruff. Bergamot oil decreases scalp inflammation. Chamomile oil deeply moisturizes. Just add a few drops of one of these to one-fourth cup of a great carrier oil (check out “Top 20 Carrier Oils for Hair””>, massage your scalp for 10-15 minutes and you’ll feel like you’re spending a few moments in heaven. Your hair will too.

5. Not Getting Enough Rest

And finally, did you know that over 70 percent of people in this country say that they have at least one night a month when they don’t get nearly as much rest as they would like? That’s not good because sleep deprivation can lead to all sorts of things including irritability, lack of concentration, a lower libido, a weakened immune system, a greater chance for high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes — and yes, hair issues. In fact, if you’re not getting an adequate amount of rest on a consistent basis, that can result in an increase of stress which can cause your hair follicles to go into a premature resting state and then a premature shedding phase. No one wants that which is why it’s really important to get no less than 6-8 hours every night. Your hair will thank you. The rest of your body will too!

6. Not Wrapping Your Hair Up at Night

I totally get that when it comes to this point (probably the next one too”>, your first reaction is probably “duh”. Still, sometimes we do things without exactly knowing why it’s a wise choice to make. When it comes to wrapping your hair up with satin or silk scarf or putting it into a bonnet that’s designed for your hair, not only does this help to preserve the natural oils that your locks need in order to not dry out and become brittle, “covering up” also significantly decreases the chances of your hair getting tangled, plus it helps to keep your locks from frizzing up too. Oh, and if you’ve recently gotten your hair professionally styled, wrapping it up can preserve it for longer. So yes, it’s definitely a good idea to make this a nightly practice.

7. Not Using Satin Pillowcases

And what if you hate wrapping up your hair or, for some reason, the way your wrap looks when you turn in at night is not the way it looks when you wake up the following morning? Listen, I hear you. The solution for that is sleeping on a set of satin pillowcases. Not just because it will do all of what I just said but, as a bonus, due to how satin material is designed, it will cause your face (and neck”> to literally glide across it; this results in you not getting creases on your face which could lead to fine lines up the road. Also, if you recently got your eyebrows and/or eyelashes done, satin fabric can help to keep them intact too.

8. Your Bedding Is Cotton Instead of Silk

I’m pretty certain that I’m not being too presumptuous about the fact that you probably sleep on some form of cotton sheets. That’s understandable; especially since cotton is considered to be a “breathable” fabric. Still, aside from the fact that silk is breathable as well, did you know that it’s the kind of fabric that repels dust and resists mold and mildew (which is really good to know if you deal with bouts of asthma or allergies”>? When it comes to your skin, silk doesn’t absorb any of the creams or oils that you may put on your face at night (which means that they will stay on your body longer”>. And when it comes to your hair, silk contains its own natural proteins that help to keep your hair from drying out. How cool is that?

Sweet dreams, y’all.

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Listen, I’ll be the first to say that one of my all-time favorite hairstyles is a protective style. Because protective styles are super low-maintenance and really cute at the same time, it can be tempting to put a set in and not really think about my hair all that much for weeks on end. Tempting but not a good idea. Not by a long shot.

The reality is that although protective styles are convenient, they are also designed to be temporary (eight weeks tops”>. That also requires that you implement some type of hair care routine while you have one in — that is, if you want your hair to be healthy once you take your protective style down.

Some people forget that last part which is why I thought it would be a good idea to ask you a few hair care-related questions — just so you can be sure that your daily hair habits are ultimately working for the good of your hair overall.

Is there something “wrong” with putting your hair into the same style every day?

When it comes to getting your hair to flourish, one of the main things it needs is balance. In other words, too much of anything can prove to be detrimental, if you’re not careful. For instance, while a ponytail is pretty low-maintenance, if you put your hair up in the same place for days on end, after a while, you will probably experience breakage due to the tension of the ponytail always being in the same spot. Or, if you always wear a wig, that could weaken your edges “thanks” (but no thanks”> to the friction that your wig band may be causing. Even putting your hair in a crown braid could result in breakage at some point if you’re taking it down on a daily basis (because that’s still quite a bit of manipulation”>.

Moral to the story here is to switch your hair up a bit from time to time. If you’ve got small braids in, wear a wash ‘n go for a couple of weeks after taking them out. If you’ve been wearing your hair in a high bun, pull it back into a low ponytail a couple of times a week. That way, your hair won’t weaken due to the literal pressure of being in the same hairstyle all of the time.

Should you be focusing on your hair more than your scalp?

One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of us make when it comes to protective styles is assuming that once we put in — for example — braids and twists that we don’t have to do anything to our hair until we take them out and that’s simply not true.

That said, as far as what you should be focusing on more — your hair or your scalp — that is a bit of a “which comes first: the chicken or the egg?” kind of question simply because your scalp is the foundation of your hair and your hair is well, your hair. Honestly, the main thing to keep in mind here is a big part of the reason why you have a protective style is so your hair will experience as little manipulation as possible.

That’s why, when it comes to natural locks, a protective style is the time when you can (and should”> focus on things like your diet and consuming a lot of water. Fresh fruits and veggies will give your hair the nutrients that it needs while water will help to keep your hair follicles hydrated. It’s also a good idea to lightly spritz your hair a couple of times a week with a homemade solution made up of a carrier oil (check out “Top 20 Carrier Oils for Hair””> and some distilled water. That will help to moisturize and condition your hair without creating a lot of unnecessary build-up in the process.

But honestly, what I think should get the most attention when your hair is in a protective style is your scalp. If you’ve got braids, twists or faux locs in, you probably have a lot of parts in your hair that expose your scalp. Use this time to gently massage your scalp every night (it increases blood circulation to your scalp and hair follicles”>. If your scalp feels dry or irritated, apply a bit of Jamaican black castor oil (it can relieve itchiness and strengthen the roots of your hair”>. If you do decide to wash your hair while it’s in a protective style like braids or twists, use cooler water (hot water can dry your scalp out”>. Try to avoid using hair products that have sulfates, alcohols or fragrances in them — those can dry out and/or irritate your scalp too.

It can’t be said enough that your scalp is your hair’s foundation. The better you are at taking care of it, the greater chance you will have of your hair being healthy and strong.

How much product should you be using in a protective style?

Something that’s very important to keep in mind is when you have a protective style in your hair, it really is best to take the “less is more” approach when it comes to product use. Since you probably won’t be shampooing your hair as much, you need to make sure that “gunk” doesn’t collect on your strands or that a lot of product ends up irritating your scalp.

Does that mean that you should use nothing? Eh. I’m not saying that. Just make sure that what you do use is applied sparingly and that it serves a purpose.

For braids and twists:

• Use a scalp toner to soothe your scalp
• A leave-in conditioner spritz will moisturize your hair without “caking up”
• Foaming mousses are great for taming fly-aways
• Applying a finishing oil will give your look some sheen

For wigs and weaves:

The main thing to keep in mind with both of these protective styles is the kind of hair that you’re wearing. If you’re using human hair, you can pretty much use the same products that you would for your natural hair (although not nearly as much”>. If you’re using synthetic hair, only go with products that are specifically designed for it.

Are you sure that you’re actually wearing a protective hairstyle? 

There’s one more thing to consider when it comes to if your daily habits are actually helping or hurting your protective styles and your natural hair — it’s if what you consider to be a protective style is actually that at all. By definition, a protective style is a hairstyle that 1″> keeps your ends tucked away and 2″> requires as little manipulation as possible.

You know what this means, right? If your ends are exposed and/or you are putting your hair in a “technical” protective style but you’re taking your hair down and styling it every day, that means it’s not experiencing low manipulation — and that means that it’s technically not a protective style.

So, whatever you do, if you’re calling “it” a protective style, make sure it follows both rules (not one or the other…both”>. Otherwise, no matter how cute your look may be, it’s not a true protective style — and it could be making your hair vulnerable to dryness, weakness and breakage. Please style wisely.

Pictured: @slimreshae

Protective styles are a funny thing. Not in the “ha ha” kind of way but in the sense that, while there are a ton of benefits that come with having them, some people act like they’ve got superpowers when it comes to haircare and length retention. Because of that, sometimes they find themselves pretty disappointed when their chosen protective style doesn’t do all of the things that they initially expected it to.

So, let’s destroy a few popular myths about protective styles today, shall we? Whether you opt to keep your hair in one most of the time or you’re considering a particular look and you’d like to learn more about exactly what you’re getting yourself into, there are a few myths about protective styles that I’m going to do my best to debunk today.

1. Protective Styles Will Automatically Help Your Hair to Grow

You’ve probably heard that your hair grows between ¼”- ½“ every month. This means that if you were able to retain all of the new growth from your roots, you would have six inches of length every year (for the record, reportedly, Asian hair grows the fastest while African hair grows the slowest”>. Unfortunately, lot of us don’t get to see this kind of progress because our hair is damaged, our ends are split or we simply choose to cut our hair often.

However, something that can help you to retain length is a protective style. One reason is because it helps to keep you from manipulating your tresses as much. Another reason is because you can (usually”> keep your ends tucked in (think braids, buns, wigs and weaves”>. Since your ends are the oldest parts of your hair, whenever they’re out of the way of weather elements, styling tools and other things that can dry them out or weaken them, that helps you to keep some inches too.

Keeping all of this in mind, it’s actually a rather gross assumption that protective styles will automatically help you to achieve your hair goals. For instance, a ponytail is technically considered to be a protective style but if you always keep your hair up in one, two things could hinder hair growth — constantly putting it into the same position (because that could weaken that area of your hair”> and always leaving your ends exposed.

So yes, while protective styles can aid in helping your hair to grow, you still have to be a bit strategic in how you use them if you want to see real progress over time.

2. Protective Styles Are the Best Way to Grow Out Your Hair

It’s also not 100 percent accurate that protective styles are the best way to grow out your hair. In other words, don’t think that just because you put your hair into some faux locs or Marley twists that you won’t have to do anything else. There are other things that you need to factor in for your hair to flourish as well:

• Drink plenty of water to hydrate your hair follicles from the inside out
• Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies to provide your follicles with the nutrients that they need
• Moisturize your hair with a leave-in conditioner so that it doesn’t become dry and brittle
• Massage your scalp to increase blood circulation to it (more on that in a bit”>
• Take a multivitamin to compensate for the nutrients that you may be lacking in your diet
• Wrap your hair up in a silk or satin scarf (or bonnet”> at night to reduce friction and prevent dryness
• Be gentle with the edges and nape of your neck in order to reduce breakage

If you do these things and you have a protective style, you could very well be on your way to having longer and healthier hair. Just make sure that you don’t skimp on any of these tips. All must be applied for lasting success.

3. Scalps Love Protective Styles

Let’s touch on your scalp real quick. Even though it’s the foundation of healthy hair, it’s kind of amazing how much it tends to get neglected by so many of us. That said, whether or not you have a protective style in your hair, you need to be intentionally proactive about caring for your scalp; especially when you have a protective style.

One reason is because if you’ve got braids or twists, that means you’ve got more parts in your hair which means your scalp is more vulnerable to extreme heat or cold. Another reason is because if you’re opting to wear a wig or weave, your scalp may be covered up more than usual which can also be potentially damaging. So, as you can see, it’s not really fair to say that scalps are automatically in love with protective styles. In fact, if there’s ever a time when you really should hone in on your scalp, it’s when your hair is sporting a protective look.

You can care for your scalp by doing the following things:

• Cleanse your scalp even if it’s only by applying an apple cider rinse in order to clarify it
• Massage your scalp to increase blood circulation to it and your hair follicles
• Applying essential oils to it or add some essential oils to your shampoo in order to improve the health of your scalp
• Eat more omega-3 rich foods like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, tuna and fortified yogurt to moisturize your hair and reduce hair follicle inflammation
• Use a scalp scrub before and after a protective style to remove any build-up and reduce the potential for itchiness and irritation

4. Protective Styles Are the “Cure” for Split or Damaged Ends

It really can’t be said enough that your ends are the oldest parts of your hair. This means that they need to be handled with extreme care at all times. Otherwise, you could end up with really dry or brittle ends and that could lead to split ones (check out our article “7 Ways to Deal with Perpetual Split Ends””>. Split ends aren’t good because, no matter how many hair commercials may tell you otherwise, there is no “cure” for them. In other words, if you end up with split ends, the only thing that you can do to prevent them from wreaking pure havoc up the shaft of the rest of your hair is to cut them off.

When it comes to avoiding split ends, while protective styles can certainly help to keep you from getting any new ones, it’s still a good idea to trim your hair before putting your tresses into a protective style. The only exception is sometimes braids and twists (especially if they are smaller ones”> because when your ends aren’t “blunt”, that can help them to blend more seamlessly into your protective look. For the record, if you are going to go this route, make sure that you deep condition your ends first.

Also, while your hair is in a protective style, try and apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair a couple of times a week. If it’s in a spray form, it will be light enough to give your ends some moisture without causing build-up on your protective style in the process like some cream-based leave-ins do (whether you’ve got hair extensions in your protective style or not”>.

5. Protective Styles Don’t Require Natural Hair Maintenance

I oftentimes compare natural hair to silk. The reason why I do that is because I think that, like silk, hair is very strong and fragile at the same time. That’s why I don’t cosign on the belief that some people have, that once your natural hair is in a protective style, you don’t have to give it much thought until you take the style down.

The main thing to keep in mind where this myth is considered is protective styles are designed to give you a break from styling not maintenance. If you always apply this unofficial rule to your hair routine and choices, you’ll be amazed by how quickly your hair will grow and thrive. YouTuber Seun Okimi uses protective styles to grow her hair and you can watch how she washes and maintains her hair when it’s in a protective style (passion twists”>. You can also check out my article “How to Care for Your Natural Hair While Wearing Box Braids.” 

6. It’s Fine to Keep the Same Protective Style in Long-Term

There is someone I know who kept the same microbraids in her hair for years. Don’t get me wrong, she was absolutely stunning in them. Problem is, now she has no edges at all (check out “If You Want Your Edges Back, Stop Doing This””> and her dermatologist says that she has no hope of gaining them back. That’s because she’s been diagnosed with traction alopecia which is hair loss that literally comes from wearing a particular hairstyle for so long that it weakens your hair follicles.

Some things that you can do to prevent this from happening to you is

1. not put your ponytails up in the same position all of the time (like we discussed earlier”>
2. wear a wig cap underneath your wigs (to keep the wigs from irritating your edges”>
3. only keep lace front wigs in for six weeks at the most (and even that depends on the quality of the wig, how it’s installed and how well you care for it”>
4. only leave braids, twists and faux locs in for 6-8 weeks max

Oh and definitely give your hair and scalp a rest before getting more of these looks by waiting 2-3 weeks before another installment. Otherwise, too much of a good thing could prove to do more harm than good. Literally.

The interesting thing about myths is some people take them to be facts and that’s why they prove to be so disappointing in the long run. Hopefully, with these six protective style-related ones being debunked, you can get a hairstyle that really does help you and your hair goals. Because if a protective style isn’t doing that…what good is it? Exactly.

” alt=”This Is How Summer Damages Your Hair (And What to Do About It”>” src=”https://images.ctfassets.net/naq2t3kc7ito/52wzmk1UOrAYi1Jxbaalri/d0343efe57875d427c427841bc3131a3/summer-hair.jpg”>

Every season has its pros and cons, right? When it comes to this time of the year, some of the pros would be that the weather is warm, the days are longer and it’s also traditionally when we all take some sort of much-needed vacation. As far as “cons” go, one of the biggest ones is that summer can cause complete and total chaos with our hair. That is, if we’re not careful. By “careful”, what I mean is, being proactive about taking especially good care of our tresses from now until Labor Day.

In order to stay one step ahead of summertime, it’s important to know how it can damage your hair. That way, you’ll be able to implement the steps necessary to prevent any of that from happening. If you’re ready to do that, this article will provide a pretty helpful breakdown.

3 Ways the Summer Season Wreaks Havoc on Your Hair

1. UV Rays Do a Ton of Damaging Things to Your Hair

If UV rays have the ability to damage your skin (and they do”>, they can certainly do the same thing to your hair. As far as your locks are concerned, when you spend too much time in the sun, it can literally fry the outer layer of your hair. That will lead to discoloration and oftentimes really dry and brittle tresses too. And if you ignore this, your hair could end up thinning out and breaking off.

2. Saltwater Strips Your Hair of the Moisture That It Needs

As for saltwater, I’m not just talking about swimming in the ocean. Technically, sweat is saltwater too and when your hair gets too much of it, it tends to pull all of the moisture out of your hair, making it difficult to detangle or style. As if that isn’t bad enough, if your hair is color-treated, saltwater can fade your dye and even create split ends.

3. Chlorine Dries Your Hair Out

Do you plan on spending a lot of time at the pool this summer? If so, just remember that chlorine isn’t your hair’s best friend either. It’s a chemical that can also dry your hair out. In fact, it can make your hair weaker overtime because it has the ability to eat away at the structure of your hair strands. Something else that chlorine does is remove many of the amino acids that make up your hair which also leads to extreme dryness.

How to Protect Your Hair During the Summertime

Now that you know some of the main ways that the summer season can ruin your hair, let’s touch on some of the things that you can do to prevent that from happening.

Use a leave-in conditioner

Whenever I write an article about how to keep your hair healthy and/or moisturized, you’re probably always going to see me shout-outing leave-in conditioners. That’s because it’s one of the easiest ways to keep moisture in your hair — which is something your tresses are going to desperately need all summer long. A cream-based one is pretty thick. My recommendation is to apply that before getting into a pool or ocean. Otherwise, if you just want to give your hair a bit of a moisture boost without messing up your hairstyle, go for a leave-in that comes in a spray. Spritz your hair before working out, going out on an outdoor date or doing anything that will cause you to sweat and/or spend more than 30 minutes (give or take”> in the sun. It’s a simple thing that can make a really big difference.

Do more pre and post rinses (to combat saltwater and chlorine”>

Did you know that whenever you rinse your hair in hot water, it separates the cells that help to form your hair’s cuticles? That should be reason enough to rinse in cooler water; if you need another one, cool water helps to seal your cuticles. That’s why it’s a good idea to rinse your hair with cool water before excessively sweating or swimming in an ocean or pool. Cool water will help to seal in the moisture that you already have and that will make it more difficult for saltwater or harsh chemicals such as chlorine to penetrate your cuticles too much.

Drink more water

Reportedly, 75 percent of Americans are severely dehydrated, no matter what time of year it is. So, just imagine how much more this is the case between June-September! For the sake of your overall health and well-being, you need to drink plenty of water. You also need to do it in order to replenish your hair because the reality is that water makes up about 25 percent of your hair’s structure (pretty amazing, right?”>.

Eat raw fruits and veggies

So, what if you’re not the biggest water fan on the planet or you want to find other ways to get more water into your system? A workaround is to eat raw fruits and veggies that have a high amount of water in them. Some of those include berries, celery, oranges, cucumber, peaches, spinach, watermelon, cruciferous vegetables, pineapple and zucchini. If you eat all of these raw, you’ll get to take in lots of water and a concentrated form of nutrients that are in them too. Fresh summer salad, anyone?

Apply a carrot seed, avocado and coconut oil blend

A bit of an oil blend can also protect your hair. Carrot seed is good for your tresses because it conditions your scalp (and helps to prevent it from feeling itchy and irritated”>. Hair-wise, it moisturizes and strengthens your hair which prevents hair loss and split ends. Avocado oil is a great hair oil because it gives your hair a bit of “slip” which makes it easier to detangle. It’s also effective at protecting your hair from environmental damage like pollution, ocean water and sun rays. Coconut oil is awesome because it contains properties that will prevent a dry scalp, its fatty acids will protect your hair follicles and stimulate hair growth and it’s about 20 percent effective at shielding your hair from UV rays. A teaspoon of each, mixed together and applied to your hair a couple of days a week can do wonders.

Wear a protective style or wrap your hair up more often

Whether you want to give your hair a break from the heat, the humidity or how much you manipulate it whenever you style it, you can never go wrong with a protective style. Just make sure that you only keep your style in for six weeks at a time and that you still nurture your scalp in the ways that I’ve already mentioned (and that you give your hair a 2-3 week break after taking it out”>. Oh, and if you decide to wear your hair wrapped up in a turban or scarf for a lot of the summer season, applying a leave-in conditioner is an absolute must. Also, try and go with a fabric that lets your hair breathe and reduces your chances of scalp and hair sweating a lot. Organic cotton and silk immediately come to mind. Since both fabrics also help to regulate your body temperature, you can’t go wrong with those.

Pamper your ends

It can’t be said enough that the reason why a lot of us aren’t seeing as much progress as we would like when it comes to length retention isn’t because our hair isn’t growing; it’s because our ends are breaking off, just about as fast as the hair that’s coming out of our roots is coming out. You’ve already seen that the summer season can’t wait to dry your hair out and since your ends are the oldest part of your hair, you need to “baby them” as much as possible. I actually wrote an article on how to do this for the site a while back. For tips on how to take care of your ends, check out “10 All-Natural Ways to Protect Your Ends (That Aren’t Protective Styles”>”. Don’t just read it — follow through. It’s one of the best ways that your hair will survive this summer heat!

Pictured: Franchelli Rodriguez

If one of you were to ask me to name my top five favorite activities, I can assure you that sleeping in my bed would rank in the top three. There is nothing quite like the combination of soft bedding, adorable PJs and cute hair before turning in at night (whether I’m sharing my space with someone or not”>. Thing is, when it comes to finding a hair look that complements everything else that I mentioned, it can be a bit of a tight rope because, although I want my hair to have some sort of stylish look to it, I also want to make sure that I don’t wake up to a chaotic mess the next morning as well.

The solution? The following five ideas (for starters”>. If you’ve been trying to figure out how you can turn in for the night with your hair looking as cute as it possibly can (because most of us like cute hair all of the time, not just some of it!”>, here are some practical tips that are aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and practical (when it comes to easing into your morning hairstyling routine”> too.

1. Master the Pineapple

As far as going to bed “cute” goes, one of my favorite looks (on longer hair”> is definitely the pineapple. If you’ve heard of it but you’re not exactly sure what that is, a pineapple is when you pull your hair up into a loose ponytail and then tie a scarf around it. It’s a great bedtime option because it can help to decrease tangling while also keeping your curls from flattening out after rolling around all night long. Plus, who isn’t cute in a ponytail, right? For step-by-step instructions on how to make your own pineapple, you can watch the tutorial below, as well as helpful videos here and here. If you happen to have shorter hair, here’s how to create a pineapple for it (here“>.

2. Try Some Cornrows or Flat Twists

A look that I personally find to be super sexy — whether you’re wearing it outdoors or inside — are cornrows. Since they can also reduce detangling and help your ends to remain “tucked away” (which reduces breakage“>, of course, they’re a real plus when it comes to adding them to your nighttime routine. No matter how big or small the braids are, it’ll be really cute on you (even if it’s three big ones”> and if you decide to tie a bandana around them (to lay your edges down”>, it will end up looking more stylish than anything else.

Speaking of protective styles at night, flat twists are also pretty cool. They are basically twists that are done in such a way that they lie flat on your head. If you’d like to give them a shot but you need some help on how to do them, this video and this video are super informative. Speaking of twists, another option is to put your hair in twists at night. If you saturate them in one of my favorite products (SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie“> beforehand, you can go to bed with an adorable twisty style and wake up to the cutest ringlets ever!

3. Don’t Break the (Gel”> Cast

Back when my hair was super short (boy, do I miss those days sometimes”>, it was nothing to just jump in the bed with no nighttime routine for my hair at all. A big part of the reason why it was unnecessary was because my hair was so short that sleeping on it wasn’t really going to mess it up, one way or another. Another reason why I wasn’t very concerned was because my hair oftentimes had a gel cast on it (check out our article “What is a Gel Cast? (And How to Break It”>””>. And so, as long as I was sleeping on a satin pillowcase, it was somewhat difficult to “break the cast” in my sleep. Sure, a gel cast (hair that has gel on it in order to define curls and reduce frizz”> can make your hair feel a little “crunchy” but we’re talking about being cute more than just convenient here. Anyway, a gel cast is another styling option to consider if you want to go to bed looking pretty close to being picture perfect (more times than not”>.

4. What Do You Know About “Plopping”?

If the only time it seems that you can actually wash your hair is after work and you’d prefer to not apply any heat in order to speed up the drying process, another method that you can apply to your bedtime routine is a process known as plopping. It’s similar to a pineapple in the sense that you loosely gather your hair together, except you don’t put it all into a ponytail. Instead, you wrap everything up in a towel or scarf instead. Not only does this “scrunch” your curls naturally but it speeds up the drying process too.

Just make sure that you wash your hair no less than a couple of hours before turning in and that you go with a silk or satin scarf. The first tip will keep you from soaking your pillowcase and the second will reduce any frizz from occurring on your curls. Also, while some people put a bonnet on their head when plopping overnight (check out this video below“>, if you’re not a fan of those, there are all kinds of cute ways to tie a scarf around your head at night. This brings me to my last point.

5. Learn Aesthetically Appealing Ways to Tie Scarves

Tying up your hair at night can actually be a really great look. It’s all about not just putting a piece of fabric on your head any ole’ kind of way but instead, mastering different ways to tie it. Putting your hair in a high or low turban (instructional video is below”>, putting a scarf around your head and tying a low knot in the back (instructional video here“> or tying your scarf in such a way where the excess material is knotted around your head and secured in the back (instructional video here“> are all styles that look great and will protect your hair all throughout the night.

Remember, tying your hair up before turning in doesn’t mean that it has to be with some ratty scarf or that you have to always tie your hair up in the same way each and every evening. Cute PJs and a just-as-cute hair wrap style can make you feel just as good about going to bed as you do about getting out of it and figuring out what you want your look to be the following day. I can personally attest to all of this.

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Even though I’ve been noticing more articles out in cyberspace about women who are returning to relaxers, if you’ve been thinking about doing the opposite and going all natural, this article was written with you in mind.

First, a true confession of my own. A few years ago, I went back to “creamy crack” because I decided to rock a mohawk and the kind of style that I wanted required straight hair. The look was just what I wanted but I’ve gotta admit that my hair wasn’t nearly as healthy — mostly because it was a lot more fragile (which tends to be the case with relaxed and color-treated hair”>. So, here I am back with natural hair and enjoying every minute of it.

I just thought I’d share that lil’ tale in order to keep you encouraged if you’re on the fence about going natural or not. Oh, and if there’s a part of you that’s wondering if summer is the best time of year to “make the switch”, I personally think that it is. You’ve just got to make sure to follow these steps, so that you can make the transitioning process a lot easier on yourself.

1. Always Remember to Deep Condition

There are two main reasons why you should definitely not skimp on the deep conditioning when you’re transitioning during the hottest season of the year. First, the extra moisture can help the sun from dehydrating your locks. Second, deep conditioning can make detangling your hair a lot easier to do. This is actually really important while you’re in the process of working between two totally different textures (relaxed and natural hair”> because the less tension that you put on your hair, the less likely it will be to break off.

While we’re on this topic, aside from deep conditioning, try and commit to applying a leave-in conditioner to your hair in between wash days as well. It will also make your hair a lot easier to manage. You can check out what we find to be great deep conditioners on SHOPNaturallyCurly. As far as leave-ins go, we’ve got 20 Holy Grail leave-ins that we think you’ll really like.

2. Exfoliate Your Scalp

During the transition process, one of the things that you want to make sure you’re intentional about is taking care of your roots. After all, that’s the foundation of your “new hair”, so your roots need to be as strong as possible.

By exfoliating your scalp, you help to remove product buildup, so that your hair follicles don’t get clogged up. Exfoliation also helps to keep your sebum levels balanced and it helps your hair to grow out healthier. For tips on how to properly exfoliate your scalp, check out our articles “DIY Scalp Exfoliation: The Do’s and The Don’ts” and “10 Masks & Scrubs that Make Your Scalp Feel Amazing”.

3. Have Fun with Braid-Outs and Twist-Outs

If there was ever a time to have a ball with braid-outs and twist-outs, it would be while you are going from chemically straight to naturally curly. Not only do both looks help you to manipulate your hair as little as possible, they can also give your hair the illusion that it’s all the same texture too. OKae Kaela and Nae2Curly are two YouTubers who can walk you through how to create a beautiful braid-out. Slim Reshae and The Gloved Natural can show you how to come out with an amazing looking twist-out.

4. Leave Color Out

I get that you might be frowning at this one because, when the sun is shining bright, we often like to have it beam down on a head full of color. Problem is, hair dyes can be extremely drying and if you add that to the fact that UV rays can take the moisture out of your hair too — I’m sure you can see where all of this has the potential of going as far as the health of your hair is concerned.

The biggest takeaway here is to avoid permanent hair color if you can during the peak summer season. Your hair is already going to be pretty delicate as you’re going from a straighter to a curlier texture and unless you’re planning to big chop, you’re going to need to be as gentle as possible in order to retain some length. Besides, it’s not like there aren’t rinses and hair waxes that you can play around with. Both are better options, so go with them instead.

5. Apply Some Sunscreen

Speaking of the sun, your scalp needs just as much protection from damaging UV rays as your skin does. And when you’re in the process of transitioning your hair, you want your scalp to be in the best condition possible. The main thing to keep in mind here is if your hair is fine, you should go with a spray while if your hair is on the thicker side, a cream is better.

If you’re unsure of where to start your search for the best hair products that provide UV protection, check out our article, “Top 15 Products With UV Protection”. Or, if you’re someone who likes to go the DIY route so that you can keep as many chemicals out of your tresses as possible, we’ve got you covered. Check out “6 DIY Sunscreen Recipes to Protect Your Hair”.

6. “Baby” Your Edges and Nape

I’ll be honest with you — whenever I go through the process of growing relaxers out of my hair, it’s getting used to my “curly edges” that is the biggest adjustment. But I promise you that if you try and just relax the sides and “kitchen” (the nape of your neck”>, eventually that’s going to lead to breakage. Or, if you’re constantly brushing and edge-controlling your temples to death, that could significantly weaken them.

Leaving both parts of your hair alone is gonna take some getting used to. Trust me, I know. But as you’re trying to be low-maintenance with them, make sure that you apply a leave-in conditioner to your edges and nape. If you’re going to use edge control, make sure that it has no alcohol in it (check out “5 DIY Edge Control Recipes For Curly Hair””> and try to leave the “slick down” obsession alone. Hey, better to have curly edges than none at all…right?

7. Pull Out Your Hair Wraps

Something that I promise is going to be your saving grace while you’re in the process of transitioning your hair is headwraps. Having a bad hair day? Headwrap. Wanna look super cute but don’t feel like going through the drama of styling your hair? Headwrap. It’s so humid that you don’t know what to do with your hair? Headwrap.

Something that I adore about all of mine is I can easily dress them up or down. And what if you don’t have a clue what to do with your scarves and wraps? These days, there are many turbans that already come “pre-tied”. This means that all you have to do is put them on your head and go. A site that has a lot of these options is Etsy. Just go there and put “pre-tied turbans” in the search field. There is a ton of variety to choose from and the prices are pretty good too.

8. Don’t Hesitate to Big Chop

I ain’t gonna lie. Hands down, to this day, the times when I felt my boldest and styling my hair was the easiest was when I was rocking a texturizer TWA. I was CUTE cute (if I do say so myself”> and you can’t tell me nothin’ different. That said, while I’m not someone who thinks that everyone who’s transitioning would automatically be better off cutting off all of their hair — when it’s burning up outside, there’s perhaps no better time to take a few inches off. That way, you’ll feel cooler in the summer sun and a few steps closer to having a head full of healthy all-natural hair. Happy Summer Season, y’all!

” alt=”How Sweat Affects Your Hair (Especially This Time of Year”>” src=”https://images.ctfassets.net/naq2t3kc7ito/1xGvD8vMsnIYISc7N0QrKW/2bccb77cf21ef0b55f8285245732d972/curly-exercise-700.jpg”>

Like it or not, sweating is something that pretty much all of us do (when people can’t, it’s called anhidrosis”>. And contrary to the popular belief of some, sweating’s purpose isn’t to remove toxins from your system (your liver and kidneys do that”>; no, sweating is designed to regulate your body’s temperature.

Since this is the time of the year when we typically sweat the most, I thought it would be a good idea to explore some of the ways that sweat can affect our scalp and hair. Because, believe it or not, there are several. 

Sweat Can Dry Out Your Hair

There is quite a bit of sodium in sweat which is why it tastes a lot like saltwater. Saltwater isn’t great for your hair or your scalp because it zaps all of the natural moisture that’s in both. And when your hair is dehydrated, that can lead to dry and brittle hair (which can also cause split ends and breakage”> and/or a dry and itchy scalp. Neither of these are good.

Sweat Can Clog Up Your Hair Follicles

You probably never thought about the fact that there is a link between sweat and hair loss. But the reality is that when sebum and a buildup of sweat combine, that can create a substance that ends up clogging up your hair follicles. And yes, over time, that can result in hair loss if you’re not careful. How wild is that?

Sweat Can Lead to Scalp Inflammation

Something that is present in sweat is lactic acid. When you sweat excessively, this kind of acid can irritate your scalp. Then, when you scratch your scalp in order to find some relief, that can actually make the itching a lot worse — and that can result in scalp damage due to dirty fingernails and/or creating lesions on your scalp.

Sweat Can Alter Your Hair Color

So, here’s a doozy. Did you know that sweat can fade your hair color? Yep. Just like with saltwater, if you let sweat stay in your hair for too long, it can strip your hair of the dye that’s in it which results in your needing coloring touch-ups more often (which could also lead to more hair damage”>.

Sweat Can Weaken Your Strands Over Time

Remember what I said about lactic acid earlier? Something else that it has the tendency to do is bind itself to the keratin in your hair. When this happens, not only will it dry your hair out (as stated before”>, it can also weaken the bonds of your hair as well. And eventually, that can cause hair loss too (wow!”>.

How to Protect Your Hair from Sweat

So, now that you know some of the ways that sweat can wreak complete and total havoc on your hair, what are some things that you can do to prevent that from transpiring — especially during a season when sweating is pretty unavoidable?

1. Rinse your hair after working out

One of the best ways to get “saltwater” out of your hair is to rinse it out with fresh water. So, after working out or spending a lot of time in the sun, consider giving your hair a good rinse with some cool water (you don’t wanna use hot water; it dehydrates hair too”>.

If you’re planning on wearing a wash ‘n go, this shouldn’t be a problem because the water will help to hydrate your natural curls. If you’ve got your hair in a protective style (like some box braids”>, a quick rinse should be relatively easy to do too. On the other hand, if your hair is in some other style and you absolutely don’t want to wreck it by rinsing it, I’ve got another suggestion towards the end of this piece.

2. Exfoliate your scalp

If you want to keep sweat (and product buildup”> from clogging up your pores, exfoliating your scalp is always gonna be your best bet. Not only will it help to keep sweat from irritating your scalp, it will soothe your scalp too. If you’ve never done this before, we’ve got some helpful tips and recipes. Check out our articles “This is Why You Need to Exfoliate Your Scalp”, “Don’t Scratch, Scrub: 5 Scalp Scrub Recipes” and “10 Masks & Scrubs that Make Your Scalp Feel Amazing”.

3. Apply a leave-in conditioner

Whether you’re in between wash days or you want to add some moisture to your hair after exercising but you don’t want to go so far as drenching it with water, a fair compromise is to apply a leave-in conditioner. If it’s water-based, it can bring some hydration to your hair without adding a ton of product build-up. It will also make it more difficult for lactic acid to damage your hair strands.

As you can see, sweat in the hair is common but it’s not something that you shouldn’t prepare your hair (and scalp”> for. And if you follow these tips, your tresses should be able to successfully withstand the heat — and the sweat — that this summer will be sure to bring.

Pictured: Satin-lined Grace Eleyae turban

If you’re like me and you’re currently on a mission to gain some solid inches as far as your hair is concerned, it’s super important that you make sure that your edges and the nape of your neck get all that they need so that your entire head of hair can look healthy and strong. Since these areas tend to be the most fragile, this means that you need to be super intentional when it comes to the steps that you take, maintenance wise. In order to help you do that, I’ve got seven tips that I know, from up close and very personal experience, will definitely cause those areas to thrive. You ready?

1. Make Your Own Edge Control

OK, baby hairs are cute (to a point; sometimes, they can get really outta control”>. Still, I personally don’t believe that we should focus on them to the point where we’re willing to literally lose our edges in order to get them just right on a daily basis. And when it comes to some of the edge control products that are on the market, that’s what we are running the risk of doing due to all of the chemicals and drying alcohol that’s in them. Plus, the constant friction that comes with brushing our edges back all of the time — listen, the point here is that, again, our edges (and nape”> tend to be the most fragile parts of our hair. This means that 1″> we need to use edge control in moderation and 2″> it really is best that we either go with a non-drying product or that we make our own. I’ve made some before and it’s a lot easier to do than you might initially think. In fact, I’ve actually written an article that features a few recipes for this platform entitled, “5 DIY Edge Control Recipes For Curly Hair”. Check it out when you get a chance.

2. Massage Your Edges and Nape with DIY Oil

If you happen to notice that there are areas around your edges and nape that are much thinner than you would like, something that can help to strengthen your hair follicles and restore the hair that’s been lost is to gently massage those areas a couple of times a week. The main reason why this is so beneficial is because, when we massage our scalp, it helps to increase the blood flow to our follicles so that they are able to receive more nutrients at a quicker pace.

By the way, you can really take your massages to another level if you make your own massage oil. Matter of fact, did you know that essential oils like lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint, cedarwood and ylang-ylang all have reputations for restoring hair loss? Just add them to a carrier oil such as grapeseed, avocado, argan, olive or jojoba, warm it up in the microwave for 10 seconds, apply the oil to your fingertips and run circles around your edges and the back of your neck. It feels great, releases tension and puts you on the path to getting hair back where you want (and need”> it most.

3. Let Your Edges and Nape Air Dry Before Blow Drying Them

A huge mistake that I used to make on my own wash days is, when I wanted to wear my hair blown out, I would immediately start blow drying my hair, even while it was soaking wet. Now, I know to use an old T-shirt to absorb the excess moisture, to apply a cream thermal heat protectant (cream is best if you’ve got 4 hair type and/or a lot of hair volume”> and then to let my hair air dry, at least 60 percent. Following these steps helps to reduce the chances of heat damage. As far as your edges and nape go, it’s really best to let those dry completely and then to semi-straighten them out with the dryer when your dryer is on cool. That helps to decrease the chances of weakening those areas (if you opt to go with applying heat at all”>.

4. Eat Lots of Protein

Your hair is made up of mostly protein (keratin”>, so it makes plenty of sense that you should eat more protein in order to get all of your hair to stay healthy and continue to grow. As far as the kind of foods that have the most amount of protein in them, meat and eggs are probably a given. Some others would include almonds, oats, quinoa, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, fish, Brussels sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and peas.

5. Pay Attention to “Protective Style Red Flags”

Sometimes, I’ll have summers when I’ll rock nothing but some medium-sized box braids. I adore everything about that particular style. What I have learned, though, is a good braider is someone who won’t have you leaving their shop feeling like you’re about to become a low-key ibuprofen junkie. In fact, good braiders usually don’t apply so much tension that you’re in pain for days on end. They also are not so consumed with your edges looking straight that they are willing to weaken their hair follicles in order accomplish that goal (this goes for “catching” every little hair on the back of your neck too”>. Moral of the story — when it comes to braids and twists, deep condition — all of your hair but especially — your edges and nape before your appointment, request that your stylist not braid so tight that your scalp wrinkles up and be sure to moisturize those areas with the DIY oil that we already talked about, at least a couple of times a week.

As for protective styles like wigs — massage your edges and nape before putting one on, always wear a wig cap and try not to make a habit out of sleeping with your wig on (the sensitive parts of your hair need time to breathe”>. You can read other tips on how to care for your hair when you’ve got a wig on by checking out our article, “7 Things You Don’t Do When Wearing a Wig”. Oh, and when it comes to weaves, make sure that you use quality hair, that you don’t constantly keep your tresses in a ponytail (that kind of pressure isn’t good for your edges or nape either”> and that you don’t leave your weave in for what seems like decades. Even when it comes to the best kind of extensions, 12 weeks should be your max before you give your hair a few weeks to relax and you get another set of extensions put in.

6. Pamper with Silk and/or Satin

I’ll be honest. Because I work from home, I just leave my hair in big plaits a lot of the time. And when I go out, oftentimes I just rock a pre-tied turban (the ones that come with satin lining on the inside are wonderful. You can find several merchants that make them on Etsy; just put “pre-tied turban” in the search field”>. Since they fit so comfortably, my edges don’t have to worry about enduring a lot of pressure. Then, I’ll wear my hair out on the weekends and because I oftentimes don’t have anything on my head, it’s all good then too.

However, if you happen to have other styling preferences, just make sure that things like scarves, headbands and even hats have some satin lining in them. Not only will that help to keep your edges and nape from losing moisture and becoming dry and brittle, it will also significantly reduce the friction that they experience; friction that can weaken your hair follicles and cause those areas to thin out within just a few weeks’ time. Also, make sure to either tie your hair up at night with a silk or satin scarf, to wear a satin bonnet or to sleep on a satin pillowcase (for the exact same reasons”>. Honestly, while this might be an unpopular opinion, I think that you should go some nights with your hair wrapped and some nights with your pillowcase. The reason why is because, when there is pressure applied on the same spot, for hours on end, for months at a time, that can also lead to thinning. Sometimes, even scarves and bonnets can “rub the wrong way” while we’re tossing and turning. Going without them so your hair can just “be” can be a really beneficial thing.

7. Ease Up on the Stress

Stress is good for no one. As far as your hair goes, it can literally push your hair follicles to a resting phase that will prevent it from growing any further; this can eventually lead to long-term hair loss. That’s why it’s important to exercise; get no less than 6-8 hours of sleep every night; to take a B-complex supplement; to consume less sugar, carbs and caffeine (all are stress inducers”> and to set healthy boundaries in both your personal and professional life. Otherwise, your edges and nape might let you know that you are overwhelming yourself more than you should by thinning out in those areas. That’s the bad news. The good news is you can make choices that will help to change that around. Please make sure that you do.

©Shellie R. Warren/2021

 

Frizzy hair really is the worst, isn’t it? Unlike curly locks that look smooth and uniform, frizz does its own thing. So much to the point that it can make your hair look like it’s dry and/or unhealthy and/or rough to the touch (even if it’s not”>.

So, what causes this kind of mayhem to happen? Humidity, hair damage and harsh hair products are usually the biggest culprits. And unfortunately, those of us with curly locks tend to battle with frizz the most (ugh”>.

While this means that sometimes, being a naturally curly

While this means that sometimes, being a naturally curly girl (pun intended”> can result in a few unexpected bad (frizzy”> hair days, I am here to assure you that there are some all-natural approaches that you can take to combat frizzing — ones that will give your curls more definition and keep frizz totally out of the way.

girl (pun intended”> can result in a few unexpected bad (frizzy”> hair days, I am here to assure you that there are some all-natural approaches that you can take to combat frizzing — ones that will give your curls more definition and keep frizz totally out of the way.

1. Pre-poo with a sandalwood and jojoba oil blend

Pre-pooing is a method of intentionally putting oil onto your hair before you shampoo so that you decrease the chances of losing moisture while washing it. If you’d like to make your own pre-poo blend, try some sandalwood and jojoba oil. Sandalwood not only contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that are really good for your scalp, it’s also a great moisturizer for your hair. As a bonus, it smells wonderful. If you add 5-7 drops of it to 1-1 ½ cups of jojoba oil, the vitamins B, E, copper and zinc in jojoba will nourish your hair as well. The end result is your cuticles will be amazingly soft through the entire wash day process (the mixture will make it easier to detangle your locks too”>.

2. Seal your ends

It really doesn’t matter how curly the rest of your hair looks if your ends look frizzy and fried. That can happen if they’re dry or your ends are split (more on the split part in a sec”>. Something that can help to get your ends to cooperate with the rest of your hair is sealing them. That simply consists of locking in the moisture that’s in your hair after you shampoo and condition it. As far as some of the best oils go — grapeseed is packed with Vitamin E, Jamaican black castor oil will moisturize and thicken your hair over time and avocado oil contains fatty acids that will condition your hair really well.

3. Keep your ends trimmed too

It can’t be said enough — there is no product on the market that will “heal” your split ends. Whenever those bad boys pop up, your only true option is to cut them (which is why you should do all that you can to avoid getting them in the first place!”>. Listen, I’ve been the person who’s tried to hold onto length even when my ends looked a hot mess and it definitely contributed to the “frizz effect”. So, while the whole “get your ends trimmed every 4-6 weeks” isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of rule, the moment that you notice that your hair is frizzier than usual, that’s usually a sign that you need to trim or at least dust your ends. If you don’t, the “splits” could run all the way up your hair shaft. It’ll be almost impossible to stop the frizzing once that happens.

4. Apply product, not heat, when your hair is wet

Hopefully you already know that trying to blow dry your hair while it’s sopping wet isn’t a good idea; that’s definitely a great way to create some serious hair damage. What I mean here is when you are washing and conditioning your hair in super hot water, that basically creates humidity and that can lead to frizz. Instead, cleanse your hair in lukewarm water. Then rinse in cool water to seal your cuticles. And while your hair is wet, apply whatever product you plan on using to give your curls a lot of definition. As far as products go, check out our article “Top 10 Curl-Defining Hair Products” for a list of recommendations. Oh, and try to keep your hands out of your hair until everything completely dries. Avoiding this tip can lead to frizzing too.

5. DIY some flaxseed gel

Speaking of products to put in your hair, if you’re someone who lives by the motto “the more natural, the better”, you definitely should give flaxseed gel a try. It’s high in Vitamin E which makes it a solid nutrient. It contains properties that fight off free radicals and help to prevent scalp inflammation. And the really awesome thing about it is, it has a great reputation for eliminating frizz in curly hair while helping curls to stay together so that they look more defined; fuller too. If you’d like to make your own batch of flaxseed gel, check out the videos here and below for instructions.

6. Use a leave-in conditioner

I’ll tell you what — if there’s one thing that’s done wonders for my hair since I’ve been growing it out, it’s making sure that I apply a leave-in conditioner, even if I’ve deep conditioned my hair. Because my tresses can never seem to get enough moisture, I like that a leave-in can instantly hydrate my hair and make it soft and manageable. Plus, it definitely helps to keep frizz from creeping up. In fact, if you’re having a bad hair day, a dab of leave-in can help to tame any hairs that seem to want to do anything but act like they’ve got some sense. We can help you out in this department too. Check out “Top 20 Leave-in Conditioners” and “10 Best Water-Based Leave-in Conditioners”.

7. Go easy on the heat

Whenever you use an excessive amount of heat, it results in your hair’s cuticles getting damaged — and that will cause frizz more times than not. Another issue with heat is it can loosen your natural curl pattern over time — and no, you won’t be able to get your curls back because that is a sign of damage. So again, go easy on the hot water while washing your hair. If you want to blow your hair out, try and let it air dry at least 60 percent and go with a cooler setting. Always apply thermal heat protectant when using heat. And if you decide to go with a diffuser, that’s fine (it works on all hair types and textures”>. Just make sure that you don’t hold it super closely to your hair (that could cause heat damage as well”>.

8. Style with your fingers as much as possible

Curls that clump together create lots of definition and volume. The flip side to this is when you do a lot of combing, brushing or even picking out your hair, that can separate your curls to the point that it creates frizz too. That’s why, as much as possible, it really is best to style your hair with your fingers instead of styling tools. It will increase the chances of you keeping your curls in place. It also can reduce the amount of damage that styling tools can do to your hair whenever you apply too much pressure or they create too much friction. Follow through on this and you’ll be seeing a lot more curls and a lot less frizz. Guaranteed.

Getty Images

According to a study titled the True Cost of Beauty, conducted by OnePoll for Groupon,women who invest regularly in their appearance spend an average of over $300 a month on their physical appearance. Hmph. Honestly, hair and mani/pedi appointments alone can pretty much knock that out (not to mention the maintenance of eyebrows and eyelashes”>. But what personally came to my mind is how much money that I used to spend on hair products. Real talk, sometimes I would shell out at least $150-200 each month on that stuff alone.

Why? There were layers of reasons. First, I “blame” YouTube because there are a billion Black hair care channels featuring women with amazing looking hair who each recommend at least five different hair products. Then there’s my natural curiosity. I mean, if a product says that it can do 15 things for my hair, why not try it? And then there was sheer impatience. It’s really not discussed enough that purchasing something and using it for three days, all the while thinking that it’s going to miraculously transform your tresses, is low-key delusional.

So, what made me stop being a product junkie? Well, like you’ve probably heard about other addictions, I had to accept that my time in beauty supply stores was getting way out of hand. Then once I did that and I started discovering some other ways to get the hair results that I was looking for, I realized that I didn’t need to have drawers and cabinets full of hair products just to get beautiful hair. Beyond that, letting all of those products go came with some bona fide benefits too.

1. It Saves Money (A LOT of It”>

These days, I have a shampoo and conditioner that I really like. A deep conditioner that I use. A couple of items for my wash ‘n go days. A thermal heat protectant. A couple of bottles of essential oil. A carrier oil. And that’s about it. Since I basically use the same things all of the time, not only has it saved me a ton of cash, I also don’t have to make purchases every month. Keeping some coins in my pocket is definitely a win.

2. I Can Eat What I Use. Kinda.

There are many health care experts that will say that if you can’t eat what you’re about to put onto your skin or hair, you shouldn’t use it. They take this approach because our skin and scalp are made up of thousands of pores. And while they probably don’t absorb 60 percent of what we put on (like some internet stories claim”>, they do take in something. Now that I really get that, I’m good for reading the back of labels, making my own hair products or taking the “less is more approach”. Some days, all I’ll do is put a dab of rosemary oil into one of my palms, massage my scalp and hair and put it into a crown braid. The rosemary oil only cost me three bucks max, it’s an oil that a lot of people cook with and it’s holistically beneficial. That’s because rosemary oil increases blood circulation, reduces stress, improves cognitive function and stimulates hair growth. How cool is that?

3. My Hair Is Healthier

Since I’ve let a lot of products go, my hair is definitely healthier. Matter of fact, it wasn’t until I “downsized” that I noticed how much harder and unmanageable my hair was back when I was a product junkie. Not only that but my scalp was itching a lot. In my mind, it just meant that I needed to wash my hair more or — how crazy is this? — add some more product. However, what was really going on is I had too much product build-up and that was irritating my scalp and weighing down my hair. Clogged hair follicles stunt hair growth. Product build-up can eventually lead to hair damage and even hair breakage. So yeah, my hair is definitely much better off without multiple things — things that have lots of chemicals— in them all at once.

4. My Body Is Healthier

Once I started paying more attention to the labels on hair products, I began becoming more aware of the labels on a lot of the foods that I eat too. And that made me opt to go with consuming more produce and avoiding as many preservatives as possible. I’ll be honest — deciding to eat healthier can sometimes be expensive (our country needs to do something about that”>. At the same time, though I look great, I have more energy and I know that I’m doing a service for my body by not being a food junkie (did you catch the play on words there?”>.

5. It’s Helped Me to Take a More Minimalist Approach to Everything

I once read that being a minimalist is all about finding freedom — and I truly couldn’t agree more. Having a lot of stuff, just to have it, can feel…burdensome if you’re not careful. As far as my hair goes, it feels good to walk into my bathroom, know exactly what each bottle or container is for and not have a ton of other ones taking up space, unnecessarily so. And don’t even get me started on what all of that plastic is doing to our environment (did you know that there are 20 million tons of plastic in the ocean right now?”>. You know, a lot of interior designers say that we only wear 20 percent of the clothes that we own. I’d venture to say that most of us only use 20 percent of our hair products too. So…why have things that you don’t need? What’s the point? Across the board.

Telltale Signs That You Are a Product Junkie

You know what they say — the first step towards working through an addiction is admitting to yourself that you actually have one. That said, if you’re not 100 percent sure if you are a product junkie or not, here are some dead ringers that you indeed are:

• You can’t make one trip to a grocery store or drugstore without picking up a bottle of something.
• You have products in basically every room of your house.
• There’s hair stuff that you’ve been holding onto for years that you haven’t used.
• Some of your items haven’t even been opened. Yet.
• You have multiple hair products that serve the same function (shampoo, mousse, edge control, etc.”>.
• Nothing is really making your hair better.
• You’re breaking your budget to get more hair stuff.

If you see yourself in two or more of these points, there’s no time like the present to let some of those products go, get some of your space back and start saving some money. After all, hair products are cool but being a product junkie? At the end of the day, it’s not much more than a…waste.

My hair is naturally dry. I don’t mean the standard kind of dry either. What I’m saying is, it doesn’t matter how long I deep condition my tresses or what kind of oil that I used to seal my ends, my hair is going to drink up all that moisture and still ask for more.

That said, three things have helped me to give my hair the hydration that it seeks — drinking more water, consuming more fatty acids and applying a leave-in conditioner.

If you’re someone who either rarely uses leave-ins or you never have because it just seems like an additional semi-unnecessary step to take in your already hectic hair care routine, I’ve got seven solid reasons why you should consider adding it in. Seven reasons why, after doing so, you’ll wonder what the heck took you so long.

1. It gives your hair an instant moisturizing boost

What’s one way to know, for sure, that your hair needs more moisture? It’s, if when you gently tug on a strand, it snaps. If that happens, adding a dab or two of leave-in conditioner can almost immediately add some elasticity and bring your hair back to life. Just make sure that you go with a product that has water listed as the first ingredient. The more water that’s in your leave-in, the more moisturized your hair will ultimately be.

2. It significantly reduces frizz

Anytime your hair is stripped of the natural oils that it needs, you’re going to encounter at least a little bit of frizz. And since curly hair textures already have challenges with natural oils making it all the way down its hair strands, you can probably see how leave-in conditioners can significantly help in this area. When your hair is conditioned well, that helps to bring more definition to your curls. The more definition you’ve got, the less frizz there will be.

3. It can help to decrease breakage

Very few things are as strong and as fragile as hair is. On one hand, according to science, when hair is stretched out, it’s actually stronger than steel. On the flip side, when there’s too much heat applied, it’s constantly experiencing the wear and tear of styling. Or, it’s dry and brittle and that can result in breakage. Since leave-in conditioners are able to penetrate your hair’s cuticles, you significantly decrease the chance of your hair breaking whenever you apply it.

4. It makes hair styling easier

Hair that’s soft and hydrated is so much easier to style; especially if you’re trying to part or comb through your locks. Leave-in conditioner can definitely help to make this possible. And since it comes in the forms of sprays and creams, you can go one that is light or heavy; it’s totally up to you (and your hair type”>.

5. It protects hair from damaging UV rays

Did you know that too much exposure to the sun can result in your cuticles being damaged? When that happens, it can discolor your hair, make it more brittle and even lead to split or broken ends. None of this is a good thing; however, all of it can be avoided if you apply a leave-in conditioner when you know that you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the sun. There are plenty of products on the market that can help you out in this department. Or, you can go the DIY route by checking out our article, “6 DIY Sunscreen Recipes to Protect Your Hair”.

6. It adds depth to your hair color

Two things that tend to happen whenever we color-treat our hair is 1″> it gets drier and 2″> it becomes more fragile. Because leave-in conditioner hydrates the hair, it can help to remedy both of these issues. Something else that’s cool about leave-ins is, the more moisturized your hair is, the richer your color will appear to be. Not only that but moisture can help to reduce how quickly your hair hue fades. At the end of the day, this means less color touch-ups which means less (new”> hair damage.

7. All hair types can benefit from it

It doesn’t matter if your hair is thick or fine, curly or straight, high or low porosity — there is a leave-in conditioner that’s ideal for every hair type. Since we’ve been focusing on curly hair textures today, Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner, Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate & Repair Multi-Action Leave-In and Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Treatment are three that you definitely will enjoy seeing the results of.

So, the next time you’re out shopping for some products to pamper your hair with, you now have some really good reasons to put a bottle of leave-in conditioner at the top of your list. From personal experience, you won’t regret it. I can just about promise you that!

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If you’ve got a curly hair texture (and you choose to wear your tresses in their natural state”>, something that you’re always going to want is lots of curl definition. And while there are plenty of commercial products on the market that can help to make this happen, you might be surprised to know that there are also foods that can provide you with what you are looking for too.

Sure, there are some that you can put into your system to make your coils pop (check out our article, “Top 10 Foods for Gorgeous Curly Hair””> but did you know that there are edible items that you can put on your hair to bring out the best in your curls as well?

If you want your curls to stand out on an entirely different level and you’d prefer to use as few chemicals as possible, here are 10 foods that you probably already have in your possession that can definitely help to make that happen.

1. Plain Yogurt

Whether your hair is dull, damaged, dry or you’re simply looking for something that will help to strengthen your hair follicles (so that you can ultimately gain more inches”>, plain yogurt can make that happen for you. And here’s the thing — yogurt is full of nutrients and ingredients that can help to keep moisture in your hair. This is good to know because the more hydrated your strands are, the easier it will be for you to maintain your curls.

Check this YouTube Video Out: Deeply Nourishing Greek Yogurt Hair Mask DIY for Dry Curly Hair

2. Bananas

For starters, bananas have a mineral known as silica in them. This is awesome because it helps your hair to produce more collagen (which can make your strands stronger”>. The properties in bananas also serve as a pretty potent conditioner, so the combo helps to bring more definition to your curls while keeping your hair really healthy in the process.

Check this YouTube Video Out: INSANE HAIR GROWTH: DIY Double Hair Growth Mask with Banana

3. Rosemary Oil

Rosemary oil is great because it contains nutrients that help to stop premature greying, it increases blood circulation (so that your hair follicles can get stronger”> and it can even help to prevent hair loss. Your curls will adore this oil because it also helps to increase thickness of your strands which means that your curly locks can get more volume whenever you apply it (check out “8 Essential Oils That Are Great for Curly Hair””>.

Check this YouTube Video Out: DIY Rosemary Hair Oil for Rapid Hair Growth [Easy Method]

4. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is loaded with Vitamin A, zinc, omega fatty acids and amino acids; the combo helps to nourish your hair on a whole ‘nother level. Pumpkin is also pretty rich in sulfur which is good to know if you’ve got some dandruff that you want to keep under control. Also, if you want something that will help to smooth down your cuticles a bit, pumpkin can certainly make that happen too. Check out our article, “Pump Up Your Hair With Pumpkins” for more details on how.

Check this YouTube Video Out: I Put Pumpkin on My Dry Natural Hair and WOW!!

5. Ketchup

Here’s one that will probably catch you totally off guard. Did you know that if you use ketchup as a hair mask, the tomato and vinegar combo can help to strengthen your strands, give you more sheen and even get chlorine out of your hair? A lot of it has to do with the fact that both ingredients are highly acidic which makes it easier for you to remove residue and chemicals from your hair whenever you apply them.

Check this YouTube Video Out: How to Remove Green Tint Using Ketchup (Naturally Curly Hair”>

6. Sugar Water

Sugar is a great exfoliant for your scalp. Believe it or not, adding it to your shampoo or using it as a sugar water spritz can make your hair really soft which also means that you can end up with less frizz. Natural hair YouTuber Sarelly actually shot a video singing its praises that you can check out here.

Check this YouTube Video Out: How to: Sugar Scalp Scrub and Tea| Remove Buildup for Healthy Hair Growth

PICTURED: GIGI USING EGG WHITES FOR CURL EFINITION

7. Egg Whites

Egg whites have a lot of protein and Vitamin B in them. That’s why applying them to your hair is ideal if you’re looking for an all-natural protein treatment or you want your hair to feel a bit softer. Oh, and as far as your curls go, we’re such a fan of this food that we actually wrote an entire article on why you should try them out on your own hair. Check out “Why People Are Using Egg Whites as a Natural Curl Definer” when you get a chance.

Check this YouTube Video Out: DIY Egg White Mask for Curly Hair Volume and Thickness!

8. Champagne

If your hair is color-treated and you’ll looking for a way to bring some highlights out of them, something that you can do is spritz a little champagne to your tresses. The golden tone of the champagne will bring warmth to your color while the bubbles will add some volume to your curls (especially if you spray the champagne on your roots while you’re styling a wash ‘n go”>.

Check this YouTube Video Out: Champagne Rinse for Your Hair

9. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are loaded with vitamins B and E, antioxidants, magnesium, protein and fatty acids; that’s why, it’s no wonder that they top the list of really great things to put on your hair. Matter of fact, there are plenty of articles out in cyberspace that specifically address how applying flaxseed to your locks can turn even the most stubborn curls into ringlets — especially when you turn the seeds into gel. (There’s a video on how it works via hair aficionado ARIEL’s YouTube channel here“>.

Check this YouTube Video Out: DIY Flaxseed Gel for Curly Hair + How to Make It Last Longer (2 Easy Ways”>

10. Honey

Talk about saving the best for last. There are a bevy of reasons why honey is great for your hair. It’s a wonderful conditioner. The protein in it can help to reduce breakage. The properties in it can help to reduce hair loss. And, since it acts as a humectant and an emollient, honey can help to reduce frizz while creating a natural sheen to your locks. If you try nothing else, give honey a shot. It’s as sweet to curly hair as it is to your taste buds!

Check this YouTube Video Out: DIY Honey Hair Mask for Moisture! Homemade Deep Conditioner!

So, if there’s one thing that’s actually more complex than a lot of us would like to give it credit for, it’s probably our scalp. Yes, it’s obvious that it’s the skin that covers your skin and that hair follicles grow out of it. But did you also know that your scalp has five layers (skin, connective tissue, aponeurosis, loose areolar tissue and periosteum”>, that it has a way of revealing things about your health and that, like your face, your scalp has a “type”?

Yep. All of us literally have either normal, dry, oily or combination scalp and knowing what yours is, specifically, is what can help to put you on the road to having a healthy scalp and flourishing hair.

That’s what we’re going to explore today. The four different kinds of scalp characteristics and how you can take better care of your own scalp once you narrow down what yours is.

Normal Scalp

Something that your scalp is supposed to normally produce is sebum; it’s a waxy oily substance that your body naturally produces in order to hydrate and protect your skin/scalp. That said, when you have a “normal” scalp, all this basically means is your scalp produces the right amount of sebum to keep your scalp well-moisturized. Not only that but you don’t usually notice any signs of itching, redness or irritation as far as your scalp is concerned and you don’t have to wash your hair and scalp any more or less than you usually do. If this is you, that’s awesome. Until something changes, keep doing what you’ve been doing!

Dry Scalp

When your scalp doesn’t produce enough of the sebum that it needs, you could end up with what is known as dry scalp. And pretty much like when the rest of your skin is not moisturized enough, dry scalp can lead to itchiness, irritation and flaking; plus, your hair is typically drier and brittle too. It’s not uncommon for people who live in dry climates to battle with dry scalp more than others. It’s also common to confuse dry scalp with dandruff. That’s why it’s important to remember that 1″> dandruff is caused by a fungus called Malassezia and 2″> its flakes are usually stickier, larger and off-white or yellow while people with dry scalp tend to have flakes that are white and smaller.

Treatments for Dry Scalp

Use a moisturizing shampoo

Look for shampoos that are free of sulfates that can dry out your scalp and hair.

Deep condition

Deep condition on every wash day to give your scalp and hair additional moisture.

Soothe your scalp

Use ingredients or treatments with some aloe vera gel or witch hazel.

Massage your scalp

Give yourself a scalp massage with rosemary or bergamot essential oil; both can help to condition your scalp and contain healing properties.

Use a humidifier

Sleep with a humidifier to give your scalp additional moisture throughout the night.

Stay hydrated

Eat hydrating foods such as cucumbers, watermelon, apples, lettuce and peaches and drink plenty of water.

Oily Scalp

Again, it’s perfectly normal (necessary even”> for your scalp to produce sebum. However, when you have an oily scalp, that means that you’re producing an excessive amount of it. Interestingly enough, because sebum is a layer of protection, oftentimes what leads to an oily scalp is dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, forehead acne or skin conditions like eczema because they all are skin irritants that can “trigger” more sebum. It’s also worth noting that when your scalp is oily, typically your hair is oily too which can make it feel dirty and difficult to hold a style.

Treatments for Oily Scalp

Take a daily probiotic 

This can help reduce inflammation that can cause flare ups like eczema and dermatitis.

Clarify your hair with apple cider vinegar

An apple cider vinegar rinse will remove product build-up and help to restore the pH balance of your scalp.

Try menthol

Shampoo your hair with a brand that contains menthol; it cleanses your scalp without over-drying and soothes it with its tingling sensation.

Focus your conditioning

Condition your hair more than your scalp (to keep the additional moisture from making your scalp greasier”>.

Apply tea tree oil

Dilute your tea tree oil (it’s potent”> and then apply it to the acne that you may have on your face.

Consume foods that are high in Vitamin B

They will help to control how much sebum your body produces. Some of those include dark leafy greens, salmon, eggs, green peas and brown rice.

Combination Scalp

Just like some people have combination skin, some people have combination scalp. This kind of scalp can be common in Black women because it can result in sebum not being able to make its way all the way down the hair shaft (which is typical with curly textures”>. As a result, the scalp may be overly oily while the hair is too dry.

Treatments for Combination Scalp

Pre-poo and deep condition your hair

The pre-pooing will give your hair some extra moisture prior to shampooing it and the deep conditioner will deeply hydrate your hair after every wash.

Try a monthly scalp scrub

A scalp scrub can help to slough off dead skin cells and remove excess product that you may be using to compensate for how dry your hair is.

Use a leave-in conditioner

With a leave-in conditioner, your hair can get extra moisture without you applying a ton of more hydration to your scalp.

Minimize the heat

Heat can irritate the oils on your scalp while further drying out your hair in the process.

Eat foods that are high in Vitamin C

The “C” will help your scalp to produce more collagen to keep your hair follicles healthy as it makes your hair stronger.

Dust your ends

As you notice brittle or split ends, dust them so that they don’t run further up your hair shaft.

As you can see, your scalp is not quite as “one type fits all” as you may have initially thought. But learning more about it and what it needs can help to get it (and you”> on the path to having a healthy scalp and even healthier hair — which makes all of the research and added steps totally worth your while!

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No matter what texture your hair may be or how long you want it to get, I’m pretty sure that I’m on the right track when I say that a main hair goal for us all is to have a head full of healthy hair. And when it comes to natural hair in particular, because it can sometimes be difficult for the natural sebum on our scalp to travel all the way down our strands, this means that we have to be super intentional about making sure that our hair is well-moisturized — because when that happens, not only are our tresses really soft but they end up being super stronger and more resilient too.

So, let’s dive in. Here are 10 things that you can — and should — do in order to make your hair softer and stronger…so that your hair can be as healthy as possible from root to tip.

Pre-Poo

Whether you decide to use a non-sulfate shampoo or a clarifying one to remove excess product build-up, it’s always a good idea to pre-poo your hair beforehand. By applying a carrier oil like avocado, jojoba or sweet almond (pretty much any oil you’d like”>, aloe vera gel or even pre-pooing commercial products (check out “8 Best Pre-Poo Treatments for Curly Hair””> before washing your hair, it will make it easier to detangle your locks, it can make your conditioner more effective, it will add moisture, make your hair more manageable and definitely make it so much softer — and all of these things will reduce breakage which will make your hair stronger over time.

Hair Steam

Applying steam to your hair will help to add hydration. It works by opening up your hair’s cuticles, so that it’s easier for moisture to get into them. This option is great if you have low porosity hair, you want to deep condition your locks, you’re looking for a way to increase blood circulation to your scalp and/or you want to add some sheen and softness to your hair. Learn some tips on how to get the most out of steaming by checking out our article, “How to Steam Your Natural Hair the Right Way”.

Microfiber Towel

Not all towels are created equal. Microfiber towels are great for drying your hair because they’re gentle on your strands, they’re super absorbent, they significantly reduce frizz and you don’t have to worry about getting lint or other debris on your hair as you’re drying it. Bottom line, microfiber towels require very little hair manipulation which can help your hair to absorb the products that you put it in it. Plus, these types of towels reduce the chances of damage when it’s in its most fragile state (wet”>.

Ylang Ylang Oil

Over here, we’re such fans of ylang ylang oil that we wrote an article about it several years ago — “How to Use Ylang Ylang Essential Oil For Excessive Hair Fall & Oiliness”. While it touches on the fact that this particular oil is a great conditioner, some other benefits that come from using it on a regular basis is it improves your hair’s natural texture, reduces breakage, soothes dry scalp, smooths your hair’s cuticles and makes it very soft to the touch. Plus, it smells pretty wonderful too.

Vitamin E

Whether you opt to eat foods that are high in Vitamin E like pumpkin, almonds, sunflower seeds, kiwi, avocados and butternut squash, you decide to take a Vitamin E supplement on a daily basis, you prefer to use hair products that are full of Vitamin E or all of the above, you can never go wrong with this nutrient as far as your hair is concerned. The antioxidants in Vitamin E help to reduce oxidative stress that could damage your hair’s follicles. It can also hydrate your scalp, stimulate hair growth, strengthen your hair strands and make your hair oh so very soft. It’s one of the best vitamins for your hair. No doubt about it.

Omega-3

Speaking of nutrients that are really good for your hair, definitely don’t forget about omega-3 fatty acids. Food-wise, you can get your fill via ones like salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, mangos, berries and spinach. You can also take it as a supplement. Or, you can make your own flaxseed hair gel (get some instructions here and below”>.

Henna

It’s no secret that when you make the decision to permanently color-treat your hair, you run the risk of damaging it (especially if you go with a dye that contains ammonia”>. However, henna is a type of hair dye that comes from the plant Lawsonia inermis. It’s great for your hair because it’s a potent conditioner, it can slow down premature greying, it contains astringent and antifungal properties and it’s got Vitamin E in it which you already know can help to make your hair extremely soft. If all of this has piqued your curiosity but you’d like to learn more, you’re in luck. Check out our articles, “Should I Use Henna to Color My Curls?” and “Naturally Brighten & Condition Your Hair with Henna”.

Chamomile Tea

If there’s nothing more soothing to you than enjoying a hot cup of chamomile tea — good for you because you’re doing wonders for your health from head to toe! The properties in chamomile tea help to boost your immunity, soothe a sore throat, relieve migraines, heal acne, reduce eye puffiness, improve your quality of sleep and moisturize your hair and skin. When it comes to your hair specifically, chamomile tea can help to get rid of dandruff flakes, make your hair shiny, thicken your hair and, thanks to the vitamins A, zinc, iron and calcium — drinking the tea and/or applying it as a hair rinse will help to pamper your locks on a myriad of levels.

DIY Hair Mask

Question. When’s the last time you treated your hair to a homemade hair mask? When it comes to deep conditioning your tresses, it’s a “win” every time because it adds even more moisture to your strands, decreases frizz, hydrates your scalp, softens your locks and helps to protect your hair from environmental damage. It can also make your hair stronger and more manageable on the days when you choose to color-treat your hair. Some DIY recipes that can inspire you are also featured on our site. Check out “Best DIY Recipes for Naturally Curly Hair”.

Leave-in Conditioner

Something that I wish I had done YEARS ago — and yes, I am yelling it! — is applied a leave-in conditioner to my hair, even after deep conditioning it. If your hair seems to drink up all of the moisture you give it, your locks are color-treated or you’re simply looking for another way to reduce breakage, control frizz, bring definition to your curls, make your hair feel soft to the touch while pampering your ends at the same time, a leave-in can make all of that possible. If you want some help selecting the right kind of leave-in for your hair texture and porosity level, check out our articles “Top 20 Leave-in Conditioners” and “10 Best Water-Based Leave-in Conditioners”. Here’s to a head of hair that is really soft and extremely strong, y’all!