The Do's ( & Don'ts) of Curly-Girl Friendly Techniques
Hey Queens,
A little FYI...Technique trumps products ANY DAY!
I know how eager you may be to achieve your hair goals. So asking a fellow natural what products they use sounds like a great idea. However what works for them may not always work for you. You could have the top formulated products but it will NOT benefit your hair if you are still practicing ineffective techniques. Healthy techniques & having a personalized regimen should be your focus. Creating a regimen best suited for you takes time SO lets dig into some curly-hair friendly techniques you can start RIGHT NOW.
Like right now, right now to try to be better to your hair & get you on a healthy path!
Never detangle your hair while it is dry. This is the recipe for breakage. If you have done so, I am sure you heard the snap crackle & pop of your hair. Opt to detangle after applying a detangling cream, conditioner, moisturizer, or even a steamer.
Remove major tangles with your fingers. Your hands can feel for tangles that a comb cannot. This is the safest way to ensure less breakage when detangling. You may then follow up with a big tooth comb. If you run into a problem area, once again use your fingers then proceed with the big tooth comb. Make sure to start with your ends and detangle your way to the top.
Make sure your big tooth comb is without plastic seams (over time these seams experience normal wear & tear which can be damaging to the outer layer of your hair with each pass-through of the comb)
Sleep on a satin/silk pillowcase or bonnet.
IF YOU HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO GET A PONY-TAIL, LET IT GO. Honestly this should have been #1. This is especially true for those with shorter hair. Let go & let God. Typically if your hair is shorter than shoulder length, it may take some work to get into a nice sleek yet healthy ponytail. With shorter hair, your ponytail holder is most likely sitting and clamping down on your ends adding repeated stress. And we all know how precious our ends are. This stress can lead to mid-shaft splitting.
When using bobby pins always make sure its soft rounded tip is in tact. Without the tip, the bobby pin becomes a sharp (literally) weapon for breakage. When inserting and removing bobby pins, lift up and out to not break any hairs with its use. Also be cautious using clips & clamps with hinges as it is easier for hair to get tangled within the clamps
Oil your head ties & rubber bands before using. This will help your hair not lose moisture to the hair tie. This will also help decrease friction between strand & accessory.
Do not wear wool hats or fabrics such as wool on your head. Wear a satin/silk lined cap underneath
Use a moisturizing sulfate free shampoo ( & once a month a clarifying shampoo)
Protect thy hair when wearing protective styles. Make sure your hair is moisturized before putting in a protective style. Be sure to continue to oil & massage your scalp. Depending on the length of time you decide to keep the style in you may want to consider cleansing the scalp while maintaining your protective style. Also be sure the style is indeed protective. Example: If your braids are too tight, you will for sure "pull yo hair out". Ask your stylist to leave your edges out or baby hairs as many call it. Adding heavy braids to thin strands on the edges of your hair will cause breakage & may cause balding if done too often
Do not brush hair while wet. When wet, your hair is in its weakest state. This brushing while wet can lead to over-stretching.
Rotate your hairstyles. Do not keep the same style in for too long.
Wear loose ponytails. wrapping a hair tie more than three times around is too tight. Bands that are too tight will increase tension along the hairline
Dont let your hair dry while in a ponytail. As the hair dries, it should normally shrink.With wet hair being in a ponytail, as the hair begins to dry it is being forced to remain in one position. Not allowing the hair to easily shrink to its natural state will cause weakness for the strands around & under the pony tail holder.
Once you begin to incorporate these practices, congratulate yourself because you are now on your way to having the healthy hair you desired. Making these changes may come as a challenge but consistency is key. Following these techniques will aid in minimizing breakage & will leave room for you to focus on the main curly hair task. Creating the best regimen for you.
Hope this post helps you all. If you have questions, feel free to comment below =)
Love thy mane,
Akilah