Learning how to care for my natural hair has been a challenge, especially since I grew up with relaxers. Going from thin, straight hair that broke if I touched it wrong to robust curls that knotted if I touched them wrong was quite a change. But through research and trial and error, I’ve worked up a routine that works for my tight coils. Everyone’s hair is different, so what works for me may not work for you, but there are some basic hair care tenets that everyone with natural African American hair should follow.
Moisturizing
Water is a curl’s best friend. When I was growing up, I had a fear of water. Water meant that my straight hair would turn curly and ruin my style! But now that I’ve given up the relaxer, I understand that water is actually good for my hair. My advice is to spritz your hair with water every day to keep it moist, and then seal in that moisture with a light oil like olive or coconut oil. If you’re buying moisturizing cream, look for products that list water as one of the first ingredients. Avoid products that contain petroleum as an ingredient because it can clog your pores.
Shampooing
Some African American women with natural, non-relaxed hair have given up on shampoo altogether, opting instead to “co-wash” or just wash their hair using conditioner. I’ve found that co-washing doesn’t really work for me–it doesn’t remove the product buildup that tends to weigh down my hair. So, about once a weak, I wash my hair with a gentle, silicone-free shampoo. Then I deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner.
Detangling
When I first went natural, I thought my hair would grow instantly. Boy, was I wrong! Instead, I found that it got tangled and broke off, or I had to cut huge knots out of it. I was seriously disappointed and considered going back to the relaxer. But now I understand that the process of removing knots is the single most important step in natural African American hair care. Since the hair is so curly, it gets knotted and tangled easily. The easiest way to detangle naturally curly hair is to run your fingers through it when it’s saturated with conditioner. Then, use a wide-toothed comb to remove any serious knots. I detangle my hair once a week, and the amount of breakage I have has decreased massively.
Protective Styling
Another step that has made all the difference in my hair care routine is protective styling. I like to wear my hair “out,” but I know that keeping it twisted protects it from breakage. So, whenever I’m at home, my hair is in flat twists. Buns and braids are also great protective styles. Whatever protective style you choose, just make sure that it protects the ends of your hair, and doesn’t cause too much traction on your roots. Braids and twists that pull at the roots can lead to balding.