One way we show our hair love is through styling. Taking the time to care for and style your hair is one of the most common forms of self-love. A lot of people can attest to that tingling feeling of confidence they experience with freshly done hair. If you’re like me and would rather style your hair yourself but are unsure of where to start – I’m here to help. Here are some beginner-friendly tips for styling natural hair.
Start with clean hair.
Before you even begin the style, make sure your hair is nice, clean, and deep conditioned. When your hair is clean, whatever styling or moisturizing products you apply will soak in and work better. Also, this helps reduce product build-up because you’re not slapping more products on hair that is already filled with old products. If your hair is too caked up with products or if the different products you’re using don’t mix well, you’ll have a lot of particles and flakes in your hair that’ll make it look dirty. I personally like to use Squeaky or Rich & Funky from Uncle Funky’s Daughter to cleanse my hair before styling. Then I go in with Heal & Renew to detangle and deep condition.
Thoroughly moisturize.
Before you start your styling process, ensure your hair is properly hydrated and moisturized. This helps reduce breakage while styling. Hydrated hair is more elastic which means it can withstand breakage. Also, the more elastic your strand is, the more “moldable” it is. That makes it easier to take the shape of whatever set you put it in, especially if you’re doing styles like twist-outs, braid-outs, Bantu knots, or roller sets. I use either Extra Butter or Supercurl with Thirsty Curls – depending on what style I’m doing. The hydration and moisture they give my hair is top tier!
Be mindful of your texture and type.
The texture is the size of your strand; fine, medium, or coarse. Hair type is your curl pattern, how tightly coiled your hair is. If you’re like me and your hair is on the coarser and tighter side, you will benefit from stretching your hair before styling. Some ways to stretch your hair are the banding method, African threading, cornrows, single braids, or even finger detangling.
Create smaller sections.
If you want more definition, create smaller sections. The more you style your own hair, the more you’ll be aware of the optimal number of sections you need to create if you want your hairstyle to come out a certain way. Hair density should also be taken into consideration.
Use an extra mirror.
If you’re doing a style that requires parting the back of your head. Get an extra movable mirror, I use the $5 ones from Walmart. Place it on a stool or elevated surface behind you while you stand in front of your bathroom mirror. This allows you to see the back of your head properly. You might need to play around with how you tilt the movable mirror to get the best view.
Ultimately, remember that everyone’s hair is different. The same style can look very different on two heads due to differences in hair texture, length, and density. Get used to appreciating how hairstyles look on your own hair and do styles that work with your hair instead of against it.
xoxo
Aboyowa (@westafricanbaby)
