Search Results: Tabitha Tongoi
Wigs are a fantastic way to maintain the health and length of your hair. Long, healthy hair is not simply a matter of throwing on a wig and walking out the door. Oftentimes we do need to prepare and maintain our hair over the course of our protective style. Here is what I recommend:
Ensure your natural hair is clean
Prior to wearing your wig, take a moment to ensure your natural hair is clean. If you have not washed your hair in a couple of days and you have sweaty scalp or product buildup, wearing a wig may be detrimental to the overall health of your scalp in the long run. Depending on their breathability and cap construction, wigs can harbor bacteria and grime that can upset the natural pH levels of your scalp, leading to dryness and flakiness. To ensure your scalp is at its best, cleanse your hair regularly, but most importantly, prior to beginning a wig regimen.
Braid your hair to prevent matting
Braiding your hair underneath a wig is not only meant to ensure your wig looks natural, it also has the benefit of preventing your hair from matting. Our curly hair loves to grow in tufts, so we can’t simply pat down our fros and then don our wigs. We’re better off braiding our hair in cornrows or even in small twists prior to wearing our wigs. This will ensure we keep our hair as stretched as possible for the duration of the protective style. Additionally, once it is time to take a break from wigs, we will be better able to detangle our pre-sectioned hair.
Wearing a wig is not a ticket out of caring for your hair.
Care for your hair underneath
Wearing a wig is not a ticket out of caring for your hair. If we’re keen on maintaining the health and length of our hair, we’re better off nurturing our hair underneath. Now you may not be able to complete your usual hair regimen in full, but at the very least, ensure you cleanse your hair weekly. Also, rather than apply heavy oils or pomades to your scalp, use a light oil like argan oil to seal in your hair’s moisture. You may also want to give your scalp a massage at least once a week to aid in circulation. Be sure to closely monitor the health of your hair over the course of your protective style.
How do you prep your hair for wigs? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
Each side of the fence has sound argument for their stance and fairly so. Personally, wigs are a favorite of mine! In fact, I only started wearing them when I went natural. Over the past five years of my natural hair care, I’ve learned how to wear them as protective styles. I throw them on when I want to change up my style as well as when I need to keep my hair protected from harsh weather.
At any given time I have ten or so units within reach, although over the course of my natural hair journey, I’ve owned up to thirty. I know this may be a few too many for most naturalistas but as a natural hair blogger, hair versatility is my passion! Here’s how I categorize my units:
By Price
I like to have some cheap wigs on hand for short trips to the grocery store or if I’m out volunteering at a community center. I purchase most of my cheap synthetic wigs online and love them because I can get my money’s worth out of them. I save my expensive, human hair units for special events when I have to, you know, slay!
Editor’s note: The Divatress website seemed to be down at the time this article was published, but you can follow Divatress on their Facebook page.
By Color
I like to keep the color of my units as close to my natural hair color as possible, but there’s no denying I love to whip out some whacky colors occasionally. Ombre browns and grays are my all-time favorite. These units are great for artsy events when I want to display my creative side – think Coachella vibes. Colored units can be a great way to communicate personality, attitude, and style without the damaging effects of dyes on our natural hair.
Sensationnel Instant Fashion Couture Wig – Taraji
By Texture
As with my choice of hair color, I like to keep my wig textures as natural as possible. I tend to gravitate towards units with a natural hair blow-out texture or those with afro-curls and kinks.
Silky, wispy textures don’t favor my ethnic features – let’s not even talk about how much gel I need to use to slick down my kinky edges for a seamless blend in! It’s no wonder I only have one silky unit in my stash. That said, if you’re itching to wear straight hair and want to avoid using heat on your own hair, throw on a straight unit.
Her Give Hair – Curly Textured Wefted Hair
By Length
At different times over the course of my natural hair journey, I’ve used my afro-textured wigs as motivation for my hair journey. I buy kinky-straight units that are close to my goal length and use these as a daily motivation to nurture my natural hair underneath. Alternatively, sometimes I’m really keen on wearing an afro but want to avoid shrinkage, so I simply throw on an afro wig. This saves me the hassle of shrinkage and allows me to change up my style in an instant.
What are some of your favorite units and why? Leave us a note down below. We’d love to know.
It is best to build your hair regimen around your hair’s unique needs. If your hair is exceptionally dry, you may need to focus on adding moisture, while if you’re an athlete and sweat heavily every day, you may want to emphasize the cleansing aspects of your hair regimen. Remember, a hair regimen is built in response to your hair’s needs, so it may not always remain the same. Nonetheless these four anchor points should ground your hair regimen over time.
1. Pre-poo
You may choose to apply an oil along the length of your hair to prevent excessive cleansing during the washing process. This step is often referred to as pre-shampooing. Shampoos, particularly those with sulfates, can often strip our hair of natural oils, so pre-pooing adds an extra layer of protection against loss. To pre-poo your hair, apply a light oil such as jojoba oil to the length of your dry hair. Leave the oil on for at least 30 minutes and then proceed to cleanse your hair.
2. Cleanse
There are different levels to which hair can be cleansed. Clarifying products are the most astringent while bentonite clay and oat water may be gentler. Either way, over the course of your wash day regimen, feel free to use some type of cleanser to rid your hair of weekly buildup. Our community’s favorite cleansers are SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Shampoo, Obia Naturals Coconut Shea Shampoo Bar. Some of our Editors’ favorites are Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo and Alikay Naturals Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo, and Briogeo Rosarco Reparative Shampoo.
3. ConditionConditioning your hair is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your hair. Conditioning your hair using a moisturizing deep conditioner adds extra moisture and slip to your strands and prevents breakage in the long run. In addition, protein deep conditioners work to strengthen our strands say after coloring or applying heat to our hair. Again, feel free to switch between the two depending on your hair’s unique needs. A couple of our favorite deep conditioners are SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Treatment Masque and the Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner.
4. Seal
In order to prevent moisture loss, apply sealants. You may use a light oil, heavy oil, or even a whipped butter. You want to use a product that is able to coat your strands with emollients in order to slow down moisture loss. After all, the purpose of a regimen is to keep our hair moisturised. Steps 1, 2, & 3 above would be pointless if our hair dry.
Lastly, a regimen is a personally tailored process that may take several months to get it right, so keep trying. Keep doing your research and learning from the wider community of curl sistas. You can always come back to this list to make sure you have your foundational pointers in place.
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Who would have known that hair could change a life? I mean, in a meaningful, path-altering way? You know, really give you a whole new perspective and shape your experiences for years to come. Who knew that hair could be a lens with which to view myself and to approach the world? Hear me out before you say “it’s just hair.” I know it is, but for me my natural hair journey has brought a fullness of life that I never imagined possible.
I started my hair journey in July 2011. I scoured the internet for YouTube tutorials, blogs, articles – any piece of information that could help me follow through with my decision to stop applying relaxers to my hair. I spent countless hours reading, watching, subscribing, and researching everything and anything related to natural hair care. And with time, I began to get a grip of how to take care of my hair.
The power of watching others like you
But beyond the hours spent watching YouTube tutorials and reading blogs by hair gurus, was an even more powerful revelation. Natural hair was the hook, but with time the journey took on a force of its own.
Beyond the hours spent watching YouTube tutorials and reading blogs by hair gurus, was an even more powerful revelation.
See there’s something powerful about watching your life lived through one who’s bodied like you. There’s something bolstering, reassuring. There’s something validating about watching a YouTube beauty guru apply her makeup and watching your bodied self, mirrored in another, partaking of the rituals of being. Makeup applications, tutorials, hauls, regimens, talks, and hours spent on blogs and videos. As if, almost watching oneself. As if, almost learning what it means to be oneself. It is symbiosis.
It’s a process by which young, black women are working through what it means to be young black women. Beyond acrylic nails, the latest reviews and lookbooks are a conversation across screens. How should I present myself to the world? Should I wear natural hair or wear human hair wigs? Should I be a minimalist or a bohemian beauty?
The power of online connection
My natural hair journey has gone beyond just natural hair care; it’s shaped my perspectives on self-care and on the power of using social and web platforms to tell a different story, a new story about the black woman and in my case, the African black woman. Natural hair care has allowed me to connect with women from across the world – we’ve laughed, shared experiences, built friendships, and spurred each other on.
The power of influence
It’s truly an honor that as life would have it, I’ve had the opportunity to share my hair journey with a new generation of naturalistas via my blog. As I share my story, I’m not just sharing hot hair tips and tricks to give you long, natural hair, I’m letting you in on the beauty of womanhood, particularly black womanhood. I’m spreading “love and sunshine” to an often forgotten and underrated demographic. I’m challenging a political narrative that has been defined by other bodies other than our own.
What an honor, what a time to be alive, what a time to let my kinks and curls, and in deed my soul, be free.
Dry vs. wet detangling
Just to be clear, dry detangling and wet detangling aren’t all that different. In the former you detangle your hair when it’s nearly dry and in the latter you detangle your hair when it is dripping wet, maybe even as you wash it. This particular aspect of natural hair care can be contentious. Naturalistas who detangle dry hair claim that their hair is better able to handle the manipulation and less likely to break. Naturalistas who detangle wet hair claim the opposite. They say that their hair is better able to handle manipulation when it is wet, as it is softer and more pliable.
I’ve used both methods with success over the past five years of my natural hair journey. When my hair was shorter, I enjoyed both dry and wet detangling. However, when my hair was about 10-13 inches, I found that dry detangling was an efficient way of getting rid of knots. However, now that my hair is approaching 20 inches, it seems to do better with wet detangling. The key, I guess, is to learn to be responsive to your hair’s needs as they change over time.
4 things you need to detangle
Now that we have an idea of what I mean by “wet detangling”, here are four things that will make your wet detangling sessions a lot easier.
Deep conditioner
Prior to detangling, deep condition your hair with a moisturizing treatment. Feel free to add ingredients such as butters, honey, and oils to add more slip. I’ve found that my strands are easier to manipulate when I infuse my hair with moisture prior to thoroughly deep conditioning. My hair feels like my knots have melted away.A thorough monthly session
Set aside two or so hours each month to thoroughly work your way through your strands one at a time. I know this might sound like much but it makes every other detangling session in between easier for the rest of the month!Sections
If you attempt to detangle your entire mane all at once, you’ll get frustrated. Trust me, I’ve been there! Instead, section your hair and work on each section at a time. As you work your way through each section of hair, be sure to braid it up loosely and pin it out of the way, which leads me to my fourth and final point.A stretched style
As best as you can, try to keep your hair stretched after detangling. There’s no point whatsoever in spending your precious time picking out knots and tangles only to have your hair shrink and matt again. As Type 4 naturals, stretched styles keep our hair from coiling back up onto itself. Let your hair dry out in a stretched style to avoid tangles.Do you detangle your hair when it’s wet or when it’s dry? What methods and techniques have you found effective? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
Watch: 5 Signs You Are a Product Junkie
Ignore marketing fluff
Before you purchase a product, get past the marketing fluff. By this, I mean don’t believe every catchy word on the jar. Companies make a lot of promises that their product will add shine, stop breakage, or even relieve dryness, but without the right ingredients, all these claims are just fluff. To see if a product does what it actually says it does, read its ingredients list. You may want to look for water/aqua as well as emollients and oils. You may also want to look out for labels such as sulfate-free and paraben-free, as these indicate the product’s formulation doesn’t strip our hair of its natural oils and also doesn’t have dangerous parabens that may be linked to cancer. There may be ingredients listed in scientific terms that you may not be familiar with, but as a rule of thumb, I always use Google to do a little research on the ingredient. If a product contains too many preservatives and artificial chemicals, I’ll leave it right on the shelf.
Try sample sizes
Many hair companies are now offering their products in sample sizes. Every chance I get I grab a couple and test them at home. I take time to assess the product’s performance. If it does a good job of removing my weekly buildup and relieving a dry and itchy scalp, I’m more likely to commit to a full-size product. Rather than believe that a product automatically does what it claims to do, I test it and mark it according to my own standards.
Pay attention to packaging
Now this is not too important. At the end of the day, it’s what’s on the inside that counts rather than fancy claims on the packaging. That said, I’ve got to admit I’m always drawn to products that are well packaged and branded. I think companies that take time to make their product stand out on the shelf, may also have a few other essentials, such as the product formulation, already figured out. For me, pretty packaging communicates that the hair company has thought long and hard about their ideal customer and is doing their best to appeal to them.
Sniff test
I’m quite sensitive to strong smells, and while I like a shampoo that leaves my hair feeling daisy fresh, I don’t want to feel like a walking bottle of perfume for the rest of my day. For me, if a product has overbearing accents, I’m least likely to purchase it. This to me may be a sign the product is not well formulated or balanced. Checking that a product passes the sniff test before I purchase rules me out from making purchases that will go to waste.
Compare prices
I don’t want to close my eyes in anguish as I swipe my card for a product. Unless this product is made from the rarest oils from the depths of the Amazon, I’m not willing to pay above market price. Some hair product lines are exclusive, professional, or even designer and so may warrant a higher price, but most products that are in the mainstream market should be priced within reason. Before you splurge, find out the price range of similar products in the market and then make an informed decision.
Buy multi-purpose products
I like a product that fulfills multiple hair needs at once. I have never been a fan of 2-in-1 shampoos and conditioners, but I sure do love conditioners that do well as both deep conditioners and even leave-in conditioners depending on how much I apply on my strands and for how long. I have often found that products with a more natural or organic base are more versatile. For example, apple cider vinegar can serve as a cleanser and when diluted and infused with a few other treats like aloe vera juice, it can serve as a leave-in mist. Some deep conditioners also straddle the divide between protein and moisture intense categories. Once in a while, I don’t mind a product that is highly moisturising but also restores my hair and leaves my strands feeling sturdy.
What factors do you consider when selecting your hair products? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
What is the kakadu plum?
The kakadu plum is an Australian native plant found in the northwestern regions of the continent. Its scientific name is Terminalia ferdinandiana and it is locally known as gubinge, murunga, or Billygoat plum. It has been used by indigenous Australian communities for centuries as an antiseptic, food, and a healing remedy.
The kakadu plum is a nutrient-rich, botanical powerhouse and one of Australia’s superfoods. Scientists believe it developed an efficient system to protect itself from the oxidative stress caused by constant exposure to harmful rays of the sun.
The kakadu plum contains the world’s highest concentration of nutrient-available vitamin C with up to 3000mg of vitamin C per 100g of fruit. This is 50 times the amount found in an orange. It’s full of antioxidants, anti-fungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.
What are the benefits of the kakadu plum for hair?
Kakadu plum-infused hair products supports moisturization and hydration in curly hair. By maintaining the level of collagen and elastin, kakadu plum can boost moisture and gloss in particularly dry or lusterless hair.
These five hair products have kakadu plum extracts:
- Kevin Murphy Hydrate-Me Masque– Infused with kakadu plum, rosehip, and evening primrose oil, this conditioning mask draws from its rich vitamin base to infuse strands with hydration.
- Australian Native Botanicals Conditioner For Coloured Hair– With no sulphates, silicones, or synthetic fragrances, this conditioner offers restoration for colour-damaged hair from its rich kakadu plum antioxidants.
- Salon Only Repairing Shampoo– Rich in desert lime, kakadu plum, and native quandong extracts, this shampoo’s protein rich formulation fortifies the hair context to promote elasticity and shine.
- Organic Selections Rosemary & Kakadu Plum Conditioner– As a scalp tonic, this vegan-friendly, sulphate-free, and vegetarian conditioner draws from a wide base of nature’s best powerhouses to restore moisture balance to curls and kinks.
- De Lorenzo Insant Allevi8– Formulated from baobab protein, kakadu plum and cactus flower, this desert-inspired range promises to restore moisture and shine to your curls.
Research sources
That said, protective styles can easily become counterproductive, causing more harm than good in the long run. Many naturalistas have admitted to experiencing breakage and dryness after wearing protective styles. Oftentimes, it is for the following reasons.
When protective styles become counterproductive
They were not properly installed
In my experience, I have found that protective styles with extensions are more likely to be detrimental to the health of my hair, particularly if they are not properly installed. I am talking about styles such as weaves, box or crotchet braids, and even sew-in wigs.
Some hairstylists may install up to ten packs of hair on a client’s head in order to achieve the desired style. While it may look cute when you walk out the door, chances are the extensions may place too much stress on your hair due to their weight. Upon removal, one may experience excessive breakage.
They were left in too long
Believe it or not, I have heard of situations in which a weave has been worn for up to six months. That’s half a year! This type of protective styling can be very detrimental to the overall health of one’s hair. One may even have some mold growing on their scalp at the end of it all. I do not mean to gross you out, but these type of incidents in which hair is poorly maintained beneath a protective style occur way too often.
How NOT to fall into the trap
If you have box or crotchet braids
Wash them weekly with a conditioner and every other week with a cleansing shampoo. Dab a little olive oil along the length of your hair in the braid and gently massage it into your scalp. I advise against heavy pomades and butters as these can cause buildup and give your braids a really funky stench.
If you have a weave
Like crotchet braids, keeping your hair in weaves requires lots of care although nurturing your strands may be a little trickier depending on whether or not the weave is glued or sewed on. Either way, in order to maintain the health of your natural hair you will need to wash your weave wefts frequently. The best washing techniques will allow you to cleanse your scalp thoroughly of any buildup. You will need to ensure your scalp and natural hair are fully dry after every wash to avoid the chances of mildew. Lastly, ensure you only wear your weaves for 4-6 weeks and then give your hair a break.
Keep it simple
While the creativity within the natural hair community is outstanding, I have come to realize my hair doesn’t like too much manipulation. If your protective style of choice is too complicated and time-consuming to install, not to mention counterproductive in the long run, you may want to keep it simple. For example, you may want to try a few protective styles that don’t require synthetic hair – buns and ‘roll & tucks’ are a few good ones. Either way at the end of the day, if the goal is healthy hair be sure to install protective styles that are not counterproductive.
However, over the past four years of being natural, I’ve come to learn that the beginning is the hardest part! I big chopped in February 2012 after transitioning for eight months. After several weeks of enjoying my sprouting curls, I began to wish for longer and less coily hair. Over time, I developed these six tactics that helped me stay motivated in the long run.
Take lots of pictures
Snap away! Be the selfie queen of them all if you’d like! Pictures help you see how far you’ve come. You can track the health and length of your hair over time to see what works and doesn’t work for your hair. You can simply take pictures to measure the size of your fro, track the type of hairstyles you’ve worn, or even to map the growth of your kinks down your back. I like to have a special shoot once a year in which I celebrate my hair growth. I call this my natural hair anniversary. I take loads of pictures of my hair to motivate me till my next anniversary.
Accept your texture
When I went natural, I thought my curls would be loose and bouncy. I envisioned bushy, halo-like, golden curls that danced in the wind. But as it turns out, my curls are gravity defying and have the natural ability not to wince in the face of a tornado! Resilient and steadfast is how I’d describe my curls. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean my curl pattern is inferior, it’s just different and unique and I’m learning to accept it.
Be consistent
Build a hair regimen, which is a set of techniques and a list of hair products you use consistently to nurture your strands. Regimen building not only promotes moisture retention, which in turn is great for you hair, but it also keeps your hair’s health at its optimum. Healthy hair is nurtured over time, so if you are consistently keeping to your hair regimen, you’ll most likely see length and health retention.
Do your research
Read blogs, watch YouTube videos, and Google your hair questions. Information is power. The more hair techniques you know, the better your hair care practices, and by extension your hair’s overall health. Do what works best for you rather than jump on bandwagons. Our naturally curly hair community has a lot of resources, so don’t be afraid to dig deep!
Connect with other naturals
Find a curlfriend or three! Take pics together, exchange hair tips, swap hair products, and build a community. There’s nothing better than having a close group of friends to spur you on! If none of your friends have gone natural, you may look to join online forums and groups. There are several ones on social media.
Are you newly natural? If so, how are you staying motivated? Have you been natural for a while now? What tips would you share with new naturals/transitioners to motivate them on their journeys?
My hair grows in tufts
One of the most enlightening aspects of going natural has been learning how my hair grows. I’ve observed that if left untouched for a few weeks, my hair sprout out in tufts. Individual strands of hair coil around each other and grow out together almost like locks. Two-strand twists allow me to keep my hair growing in this same pattern – by keeping my strands twisted, I imitate my hair’s natural inclination to grow in tufts.
Easy to install
The only tools I need to install my –strand twists are my fingers. I simply section off my hair, gently detangle it and proceed to wrap one section of hair around another. I honestly cannot imagine an easier style to install! Some naturalistas like to add holding creams and butters to the length of their hair as they twist it up, but that’s as complicated as it gets.
Great for all lengths of hair
I’ve worn strand twists from when I had 4 inches of hair to this very moment when my hair is about 20 inches long. I’ve found them equally effective at all lengths. When my hair was shorter, I’d wear micro-twists and as my hair has grown longer I’ve made my twists slightly thicker. The great thing about twists is that you can install them as you please regardless of the length of your hair.
Easily styled and accessorized
I like to consider my twists as a variation of locks. In other words, I draw inspiration from my naturalistas with dreadlocks when it comes to styling. Sometimes I pin my strands up and away in a bun and other times I’ll interweave them to don a more chic and sophisticated style. Heck I might wear a flower crown and let my strands grace my face or add a little bow for some sunshine on a rainy day. It’s all about what works for you really. The bottom line is two-strand twists are versatile and can be styled just as easily as one would locks.
They allow me to nurture the health of my hair while keeping it protected. This is one of the aspects I love the most about my two-strand twists. When I first went natural, I was keen to keep my strands protected but also moisturised. I found that with styles like braids or even weaves, I was able to do the former but hardly the latter. However with two-strand twists, I’ve found I can keep my hair protected and in a low manipulation style while still deep conditioning and moisturising as usual. I complete my entire regimen in my two-strand twists and only retwist my hair as necessary.
Have you worn two-strand twists as a protective style? What’s been your experience? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
Detangling techniques vary greatly with the diversity of curl patterns, lengths, and density in the natural hair community. Some naturalistas argue that detangling with a light oil is best while others say conditioner-drenched hair is best. While each head of hair is different, I’ve found my hair is at its best when I detangle it before I shampoo.
While each head of hair is different, I’ve found my hair is at its best when I detangle it before I shampoo.
4 reasons why I prefer a pre-shampoo detangling session
1. My stretched hair is easier to manipulate
My Type 4 hair is very coily and shrinks up to 80% of its true length. For this reason, I keep it stretched in low manipulation styles such as two-strand twists and twist-outs. When it’s time to detangle my hair, my hair tends not to be as knotted as it could possibly be. Stretching my coils in low manipulation styles means my hair does not tangle as much as it would if I wore it out in an afro everyday.
2. My dry hair is stronger before I shampoo
I don’t know about you but my hair is like a wet rug. The moment it comes into contact with water, it will shrivel up and easily bend out of shape. However, when dry it can stand up against a whirlwind! This is why I prefer to detangle it prior to shampooing. When my hair is dry, I can easily pick out knots and shed hair because my hair is sturdier and easier to manipulate with minimal breakage.
3. I can wash off any detangling products afterwards
Oftentimes, depending on how my hair feels, I’ll add an oil or heavy cream to the length of my strands in order to aid in the detangling process. If my strands are heavily knotted and feel dry and crunchy from wearing my hair out, I’ll add some coconut oil or shea butter blend to my hair for some added slip. Detangling before I shampoo means I can drench my coils and then wash off the excess product. Detangling with a light oil also serves as my pre-poo treatment. Double win!
4. Allows me to section my hair before washing
My type 4 hair is best washed in sections in order to prevent matting. When I detangle my hair before I shampoo, I’m able to put my hair up and away in loose braids once each section is complete. I usually have about 4-6 braids before I jump into the shower. As I wash my hair, I simply move from section to section. I find this method a lot more efficient and time-saving.
Do you detangle your hair before or after you shampoo? We’d love to know why so feel free to leave us a note down below!
Question
My hair always appears to be dry, even though it isn’t…or is it? I’m not sure, but I know that isn’t the way my hair naturally should be. I shaved my head multiple times to try and start over and reset the hydration. Every product I use seems to either be too heavy and thick and sits on my hair, or it just doesn’t do enough.
PLS HELP ME! I want juicy waves not dry and crunchy!
Answer
It is worth acknowledging that the beauty industry promotes glossy shiny hair. Advertisements for sheens and elixirs have somehow made shiny hair translate to healthy hair. However, as is the case with 4C hair, this isn’t always true. Type 4 hair cuticles tend to be raised meaning our hair refracts rather than reflects light. This in turn may give the appearance of “dull” hair. That said, there are several ways to abate dryness and in turn add a shine to our hair.
Read more: You are Feeling Texture, Not Texture
Ensure that your moisturizing game is top notch
Be sure to keep up with my weekly deep conditioning treatments. Moisture is essential for the health of our hair as it adds elasticity and prevents breakage. Now your hair doesn’t have to be soaking wet all day every day, but make sure to have it drenched in water at least once a week.
Always deep condition after you cleanse
Always deep condition or use a daily conditioner after cleansing your hair, especially with a shampoo. Daily conditioners and deep conditioners close the cuticle after it has been lifted by cleansers. Remember that a closed cuticle increases the potential of shine.
Seal your strands with natural oils
I prefer natural oils like olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil, as they’ve proven to be effective sealants over the course of my five year natural hair journey. When my hair is slightly damp after a wash, I apply a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of coconut oil along the length of my hair and then follow through and braid or twist my hair. When I take my twists or braids out, my hair is shiny.
What are your favourite ways to add hydration and sheen to your hair?
1. Flowers
Flowers are one of my favorite accessories to add an air of femininity and playfulness to my coils. Sometimes I will thread a fresh rose through my strands or maybe let I will let it rest on the crown of my ear. At other times, I will clip down a well-crafted hair brooch to add a gentle touch of elegance. Either way I love that flowers add a captivating lightness to my coils.
2. Hair Crowns
Lots of naturalistas like to refer to themselves as queens, and rightly so! Lucky for us, there are lots of hair accessories we can use to celebrate our status. Hair crowns come in all shapes and designs and are easily available for a few dollars online and in major retailers. From feather trim fascinators to beaded and bejeweled chains, we can transform into angelic bohemian beauties!
3. Hats
Not only do hats protect our precious coils from the harmful effects of the sun, they are a sure way to add personality to your entire outfit! There are lots of hats in the market from bowler hats to fedoras to berets; the list is endless. We are truly spoilt for choice! That said, as a coily hair enthusiast I understand that hats can cause mechanical damage to my hair, so I make sure to buy satin lined hats for an added layer of protection.
4. & 5. Turbans and Scarves
Turbans and scarves are my most practical hair accessory. I can’t tell you the number of times I have stood in front of my mirror with only three minutes to walk out the door and absolutely no idea what to do with my hair. And voila! Turbans and scarves have come to my rescue! I whip up a sassy wrap in a minute, secure it with some bobby pins, and I am ready to hit the streets.
How do you accessorize your coils? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
Truth is many of us come to discover the joys of natural hair as students or as newly-earning young women. By virtue of this reality, we don’t have all the money in the world to spend on our hair care, and natural hair can be expensive for several reasons.
Most of the brands that are creating products tailored to the natural hair community are new and have only a few years. As you can imagine, this means that their overheads might be expensive and as such their prices have to be a little inflated to cover costs. Secondly, a good number of popular brands are currently based in the US, so exporting them to the rest of the world can be expensive for international shoppers like myself.
So, how might we minimize the costs of maintaining natural hair?
Stock up on the basics
This is essential. After four years of natural hair care, I have come to realize that all I need in my product stash is a cheapie cleansing shampoo, moisturizing deep conditioner (DC”>, protein deep conditioner, and sealing oil. That is it! I do not need three different types of hair growth oils or four different types of shampoos for each week of the month. I have learned to keep my stash simple and my hair has been a lot happier. It is not weighed down by 16 types of oils or a 27-step wash day process. Keep it simple for the sake of your hair and your sanity!
DIY
Lots of products that naturalistas claim to be at the core of their regimen can easily be duplicated at home. For example, if you would like leave-in conditioner, you can make it yourself.
Here’s a simple recipe:
- fill a 100ml spray bottle halfway with plain water
- add a teaspoon of your deep conditioner
- add half a teaspoon of glycerin, and lastly
- add 1-2 tablespoon of rosewater
There you have it! Your very own leave-in conditioner.
Alternatively, instead of investing in a fancy bottle of elixir, head over to your kitchen and grab some sunflower oil, olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil. These products are probably better for your hair, as they do not have artificial additives.
Alternate
Treating your hair to that $50 deep conditioner every week might be too expensive. Instead, take the opportunity to alternate with a cheaper conditioner as a DC one week and your expensive DC then next. Oftentimes cheaper conditioners can still do the same good as more expensive conditioners. At the end of the day, a product’s formulation is what works for our hair not the price tag on it.
Stick to the basics
Remember that at the end of the day the goal of natural hair care is to keep your strands moisturized. That said, what everyone needs is water. A basic regimen includes cleansing, moisturizing, and sealing. So as long as you are faithfully sticking to the process, you should be good to go.
How do you save cash when it comes to your natural hair care? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
I’d like to think that embracing their curls has had something to do with it.
As a young, black woman my natural hair journey has greatly informed my view of myself. Hours spent staring at my face in the mirror as I gently detangled my kinks have in many ways led me to introspection. My natural hair journey has pushed me to think deeper about my identity – what makes me unique? What do I like? What do I stand for? How do I present myself to the world? How does the world receive my presence? Wearing my hair natural has brought me to contention with myself on many occasions, but what was once chaos is resolving into charisma and self-love.
As a young black woman, I’ve come to learn that fashion is an abysmal discussion. Amongst naturalistas, some use their clothing to make radical political statements and others yet to express themselves creatively and artistically. Personally, I straddle the divide, if at all there is one.
As a creative thinker, I’ve used my hair and clothing to make political statements through acts of self-portraiture. I’ve worn my hair in a big afro and dressed in all black then invited myself into spaces in which my chocolate skin was unusual. I’ve found my curls to be radical in that they defy gravity and form a halo around my head – crowning me as a queen as many of us naturalistas like to say.
Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance is similar case in point. The berets and strong afros were hardly a subtle comment on racial inequality in the United States, rather, they were the exact opposite. Beyoncé’s performance caused a storm. This goes to show how politicized our hair and physical adornments are as black women.
going natural has given me the power to redeem myself from the standards of a racially politicized world.
From yet another perspective, my natural hair journey has taught me to focus on myself and to do things for my own satisfaction rather than that of others. Rather contrastingly to the aforementioned point, going natural has given me the power to redeem myself from the standards of a racially politicized world.
I wear my kinks and coils paired with a power suit into corporate meetings. I strut my twist out paired with elegant, flowing gowns at formals. I wear my kinky twists wrapped in flower garlands and paired with bohemian hues to concerts. I’ve let go of the shame I felt for having “different hair”. I’m learning to loosen the standards I’ve held for my physical appearance because I’ve come to learn that they didn’t glorify my features in the first place. I’ve learned that I don’t need to “tidy up” my hair in order to “slay”. My journey is ongoing, but this I know will remain true: my value and self-worth does not depend on whether I wear my curls out or wrap them in braids or whether I’m in casual jeans or a formal gown. I am beautiful either way.
Has your natural hair influenced your style? If so, how?
We don’t always have all the answers
When I think back to the day I did my big chop, I can hardly believe how little knowledge I had on the journey ahead. But still, I plunged into the natural hair community as I was inspired by the experiences of other women. I’m sure glad I did because the more I embraced my kinks and curls, the more motivated I was to learn more about how to nurture my strands. I found the same to be true in other areas of my life as well. Many times I have plunged into the heart of the unknown simply because I was driven by passion, but I’ve found joy in learning along the way. The journey is just as important as the end goal.
Time heals and repairs all things
Like split ends, bald spots, and evasive edges! Trust me, I started my hair with a pitiful bunch of strands. I had bald spots on the crown of my head and if you’d seen me then, you’d probably be skeptical as to why I was still hopeful about my hair, but as life tends to prove rather often, time heals and repairs all things. Girl, the locks that were once ear length are now waist length!
Consistency is fundamental
If you’ve been natural for a while, you’ve probably figured out that consistency is paramount to the growth and health of our hair. Regimen building, deep conditioning regularly, and protective styling militantly will yield results. Every 15 min. you spend moisturising your hair and every hour you spend detangling will pay off. With steadfast determination, you will see results.
The same applies to any star or celebrity around us. There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Beyonce, Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey – each of these women is who they are today, because they excelled in consistency. Each of these women is the best in their field, because they acquired the knowledge and skills to set them apart from the rest. Accordingly, in life, to win we have to consistently put in the hard work.
The Power of Self-Love
The natural hair life, in many ways, is an introspective journey. Hours spent standing in front of my bathroom mirror, gently working my fingers through my kinks and coils; hours spent accepting my body in a world that oftentimes questions its validity, have validated my self-worth . Loving oneself as a young woman is one of the most important journeys you could ever embark on. From self-love springs creativity, resistance, acceptance, change, and growth. Self-love is foundational. We must look deep within ourselves and lavishly forgive ourselves before we can look to heal the world around us. Self-love spills into and bears fruit in the rest of life and begins when we believe without a shadow of a doubt that we are beautiful, brilliant, worth it, and gifted.
What has being natural taught you about life? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
These are five tips I found helpful as I learned to confidently wear out my natural hair:
Wear it out
There’s no other way to get better at something than by practice. Ever heard of the phrase practice makes perfect? Well, this is one of those situations in which we can‘t simply hope to grow in confidence! We must continually put ourselves out there and rock our curls. Day 1 might be difficult. You might feel like the entire world is staring at your hair, but with time, you will realize the power of self-confidence. Our kinks and coils are beautiful, so go ahead and rock them proudly. The world will adjust.
Learn what works for you
Now some naturalistas are absolutely fine with rocking their hair in a ‘fro everyday. I have a friend, Yanda, who is always rocking her ‘fro out beautifully. She slays! Learning what works for you is part of learning to love yourself. Some naturalistas can rock a set of fierce cornrows from January to December. Others can rock those faux locs. Others still are safe as houses working their TWA’s and high cheekbones. Each style works for each woman and her personality differently. To be confident in rocking your curls, experiment a little and find what works best for you.
Think about your aesthetics
And I do not mean this in any demeaning way. To me aesthetics is your whole look. Head to toe. Now this topic can be an article of its own, but natural hair is intrinsically controversial and political, regardless of an individual’s intentions. As women of color our aesthetics – skin tone, hair type, and body shape are constantly under the glare of a non-consenting media. However, I’ve come to learn to wear my hair out despite this reality. If anything, going natural is a way of expressing and taking pride in our rich cultural diversity.
Fill in your physical package
Oh goodness me, that sounded extremely chauvinistic, but let me explain what I mean. “Package” means your complete physical appearance. Think about what clothes and accessories make you feel most comfortable and confident. Do you love heels? Rock them! Are you the queen of flats? Chuck them on! Throw on that shirt you love or a little lipstick that makes you feel confident. I know this might come across as superficial, but trust me, adding simple accessories to your look add sophistication to your entire fit. I have found that the better I feel about my whole look, the more confident I feel in wearing my natural hair.
And lastly, if not most importantly…
Remember that physical beauty is, after all, a chasing after the wind. There will always be someone to envy and someone who envies you. Someone who thinks your natural hair is absolutely stunning and yet another who cannot be bothered. I have found that the most important aspect of growing in confidence is to focus on your inner sense of self-worth. Build your character, learn to give, support a friend, volunteer at a shelter. Many times when I’m feeling insufficient in my physical beauty, it is because I am spending too much time focusing my energies on how I think others perceive me. When I turn my outlook inwards, I find that my inner qualities are truly what make me beautiful and whole. Do what you can to look your greatest, but do not allow it to consume you. You are enough. You are absolutely gorgeous just the way you are. Now believe it and beam it!
First impressions count
Brands are well aware that they only have a couple of seconds to capture your attention. If you only have a couple of minutes to select and buy a new hair product, you are most likely to use scent as a differentiating and deciding factor. To this end, hair companies tailor their first impressions around the top note of their products. According to Antonio Centano, founder of Real Men Real Style, “the top note is the initial, lighter smell of the fragrance that hits the nose immediately after application.” Typical top notes are light floral, citrus, fruity, aquatic, or spicy scents that last from 15 min. to 2 hrs. Top notes communicate a feel good experience that resonates with many consumers, making them more likely to purchase one product over another.
Scents add sophistication
According to New York Times Fashion & Style Writer, Bee Shapiro, some beauty companies today are taking that idea that scents add sophistication to new extremes. According to Shapiro, there’s been an increase in the number of corporate clients for sophisticated hair care scents, and believe it or not, woodsy musk and spiced up vanillas are trumping fruity-fragranced lathers. High-end salon brands are moving away from the single top note fragrances, such as those in popular retail brand Herbal Essences, and replacing these with multi-layered fragrances. Aside from their actual formulations, luxury hair care lines are differentiating themselves from mass produced, retail lines simply by crafting complex scents and pricing them dearly.
Fragrances and brand identity
Have you ever wondered why companies like Carol’s Daughter continue to distinguish themselves from new and upcoming hair care lines? Well, it might boil down to their consistency in developing soft, tropical fragrances. In other words, fragrances can carry the identity of a product. In a single waft, they are able to heighten the perception of a product’s functionality by imparting a powerful subliminal message that they are of high quality. Brands are aware that while the simple function of washing hair is a common beauty regimen, it’s also a sensory experience, so they tailor their fragrances to communicate a superiority and distinction.
Have you bought hair products simply because they smell good? If so, what products most appealed to you and which didn’t?
