For several years, natural hair was stereotyped and only thought of as ringlet-like, curly, long hair. But now, we’re in a time where Type 4 hair is getting more recognition. Young girls and women are embracing they’re natural kinky textures and I absolutely love it! Now, one problem that is still occurring is not knowing how to properly care for coarse hair. I’m here to help!
Textured hair has a tendency to be drier than other hair types. This means you have to show it a bit more TLC, which brings me to the first tip: Add moisture.
First, you will need to learn what type of hair you have: low, normal, or high porosity. Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb moisture. To find your hair’s porosity level: place a couple of strands of your hair in a glass of water.
If you have low porosity, your hair is resistant to receiving water and moisture. Avoid using butters and oils and focus more on creams.
If you have normal porosity, your hair holds moisture and shine. Your hair is basically in the winning position, which means you can almost get away with using all products.
If you have high porosity, your hair absorbs the products but loses moisture though the day. I suggest using butters and oils to lock in the moisture.
In order to keep your hair healthy, you must keep up with monthly trims or even a new cut. I recommend regular trims at least every 3-6months by a professional.
Here are two benefits of keeping your hair trimmed or cut:
•Healthy ends – getting regular trims can help you avoid split ends
•Less breakage – a trim can also eliminate split ends, causing your hair to grow more healthily
Yes, we love the possibility of being versatile with our hair and trying different styles. I personally love to do twist-outs, braid-outs, and curl styles using rollers. Whenever I style my hair, I avoid heat in every way possible. My biggest fear is heat damage! But the truth is, heat is only bad when you ignore the basics of heat styling. If you’re going to use heat, here’s some tips to be careful:
•Use heat protectant – heat protectants decrease the chance of destroying your tresses
•Don’t over use – Sometimes, you want straight hair for a month. I wouldn’t recommend straightening your natural hair everyday, even if you’re using a protectant. Try twice a month or opt out for a straight wig
•Try different methods – If you’re too much in a rush to not let your hair air dry and insist on using a blowdryer, adjust the settings. For naturals, using the low or cool setting can reduce the chances of getting heat damage.
Did you find these tips helpful? Leave a comment below!
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3 comments
Can you explain further how to determine which of the 3 types of porosity your hair is using the water test?
There are two methods you can use to find out how porous your hair is.
The Float Test: Take a couple of strands of hair from your comb or brush and drop them into a bowl of water. Let them sit for 2-4 minutes. If your hair floats, you have low porosity. If it sinks, you have high porosity.
The Slip’n’Slide Test: Take a strand of hair and slide your fingers up the shaft (toward the scalp). If you feel little bumps along the way, this means that your cuticle is lifted and that you have high porosity. If your fingers slip smoothly, then you have low porosity hair.
Next time you wash your hair, grab a strand and drop it into a glass of water. If the strand immediately sinks to the bottom, then your hair is of high porosity. If it floats somewhere in the middle with ease, then it’s of normal porosity. If it seems to stay at the top, taking forever to sink downward, then your strands are of low porosity.