Black natural hair is beautiful but at times it is not because of the mistakes women make. From how they use hair products to simply not understanding the nature of their hair. Natural black hair is usually curly and this calls for great care.
What are the three most common hair care mistakes women make when styling their natural hair?
The first mistake is using too much product. When we change anything about our hair, we always panic, buy a ton of extra styling products and put it all on. Our hair ends up looking greasy or weighed down, so we end up washing our hair too frequently which just dries it out. Be extra judicious with products. You can always add a little more as you go.
Many people are fascinated, yet often frustrated, with the manageability challenges of their new growth and want to go back to relaxing. The first six to eight months of growth are not their true natural curl pattern or hair texture. Their scalp and follicles are still healing, so they need to do everything they can to make it through this “scab hair period” and into your true hair texture. Once they’ve made it through this patch, they’ll have softer, more manageable and even curl patterns.
Curly hair is the driest hair type so no matter how you’re wearing it, you need a really great leave-in moisturizer. Most women say they “know” about moisturizing, but stop with rinse-out conditioners, hair oils and treatment masks. You need a leave-in to ensure hair stays super hydrated.
Sourced from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/natural-hair-care_n_1499453.html?ir=India&adsSiteOverride=in
For many black women, the choice of moving from relaxed hair to natural hair can be quite difficult. The question posed is if maintaining natural hair is truly less expensive than maintaining relaxed hair? Well the answer depends on time. How long a person takes to find the right product for their natural hair.
Once you decided to leave your relaxed hair behind, you were all ready for the freedom. Freedom from time-consuming salon visits and the high cost of chemical maintenance. You looked forward to having the ability to slap some water on your hair and being ready to go at a moment’s notice. So maybe it surprised you when you found yourself trolling the hair care aisles at all times of the day and night, perusing hair companies online looking for the one perfect product to make your curls pop, and looking at an empty wallet as a result.
You’ve spent more money in a few months being natural than you did over the last year being relaxed. What gives?
Yes, you no longer have to shell out money for relaxer touch-ups, but until you find your favorite products for your newly natural texture, there may be a lot of trial and error going on.
Sourced from: http://blackhair.about.com/od/naturalcare/fl/Is-Being-Natural-More-Expensive-Than-Being-Relaxed.htm
For those who opt to keep natural hair the main issue is how to keep your hair moisturized. Curly hair usually has a dry scalp and hence the importance of ensuring that it has enough moisture. This can be achieved through drinking water and using certain hair moisturizers.
Drink Plenty of Water
The hair is 1/4 water and it is essential for optimal hair growth and health for several reasons. Water is the vehicle that carries essential vitamins to the roots all the way to the shaft, and even into the strand. Not only does it carry vitamins to the hair, it is the primary source of energy for hair cells that generate new hair growth. Water also removes pollutants from the body–pollutants that may cause hair loss. Incorporate water into your daily diet to help maintain a level of moisture for your hair.\
2.Use Water & Water Based Products to Moisturize Your Hair
Lightly spritz your hair with water because water helps absorption of other products. Other moisturizing products are good for your hair, but water is better. Keep in mind that oils and butters minimally moisturize your hair (with the exception of those oils that penetrate the hair shaft such as coconut oil, avocado oil and olive oil). When shopping for moisturizers, check the label to ensure that the main ingredient (first ingredient) listed is water. If it is not water, do not purchase.
Sourced from: http://blacknaps.org/2014/05/20/4-steps-to-achieving-moisture-balance-in-natural-hair/
