NATURAL HAIR CARE TIPS AT HOME

NATURAL HAIR CARE TIPS AT HOME

The resurgence of women rocking their naturally textured hair is a beautiful thing! But somewhere along the line, many have become more preoccupied with length than with the health of their hair. What they don’t realize is that once you focus more on maintaining its health, length will come. Here are some healthy hair habits you should practice, which will ultimately help you reach any hair length goals you might have.

1. FEED YOUR HAIR

This can’t be stressed enough: Healthy hair starts from within. We’re not saying you have to become vegan, but you should include healthy fruits and veggies in your diet and drink lots of water.

If you’re someone who has a hard time with vegetables, blending up a fruit and veggie smoothie is an easy and tasty way to get your daily dose. This will give your hair follicles the nutrients needed to help your strands thrive.

2. BE CAREFUL WITH HEAT

As the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Too much heat too often can lead to damage, and eventually your hair won’t revert back to its natural state. 

Also, too much or improper use of heat can lead to dry, brittle hair, breakage, and split ends. You don’t have to swear off heat for good, but you should be careful with your technique and how much you use.

Here are a few tips:

1. Use heat tools that have clear settings (not just “on/off”), and use the low or medium settings at most. 

2. Prepare your hair for heat styling at the cleansing and conditioning stage to make sure it is well hydrated. 

3. Always use a heat protect-ant! This will serve as a barrier between your hair tool and your hair to prevent damage. 

3. CLEANSE HAIR & SCALP REGULARLY

Yes, healthy hair starts from within, but it also needs a clean, healthy environment from which to grow. A dirty scalp full of buildup can clog pores and follicles and essentially slow down healthy growth. And frankly, dirty hair is just not sanitary!

How often you wash your hair is totally up to you, depending on your daily routine (maybe you work out daily), how much product you use, and so on. 

4. USE YOUR FINGERTIPS WHEN CLEANSING

Depending on how your scalp feels come wash day, a good scratch might feel really good. But using your fingernails could cause unnecessary damage to the scalp. The pads of your fingers, along with a little pressure, is all you need for a thorough cleanse.

5. FOLLOW UP DEEP CONDITIONING.

Our hair needs help in the moisture department because of the shape of our hair. So, as the final step in your wash routine, follow up with a good deep conditioner to infuse moisture into the hair.

6. USE SULFATE-FREE SHAMPOO

Using shampoos that are formulated with strong sulfates can be drying to some hair types. If you’ve noticed your hair becoming overly dry, it may be time to try a new shampoo— maybe one without sulfates

7. USE DEEP CONDITIONER AS DIRECTED

Overnight conditioning may be popular, but it’s unnecessary, and it could cause damage to your strands. There’s no need to leave your deep conditioner on for longer than the time period recommended in the directions.

8. GENTLY ENTANGLE FROM END TO ROOT

Curly and kinky hair needs lots of care. When getting the tangles out, start from the very ends, then slowly and gently work your way up to the roots to cut down on breakage.

9. GET REGULAR TRIMS

Some may find this counteractive to growth, but trimming your hair gets rid of broken and split ends that could lead to more damage. Nipping damage in the bud with a trim about once every season (or as needed) will keep the hair at its healthiest.

10. MASSAGE YOUR SCALP

A soothing scalp massage every few nights will help stimulate the hair follicles and help with blood flow to the scalp to encourage healthy growth..

11. DON'T STRESS

This is easier said than done, but the best thing you can do for your hair is to simply relax. Whether it’s worrying about your hair length or anything else, stress will often show up in our skin as well as our hair. So try to reduce your stress as much as possible.

Once again, the health of your hair is more important than how long it is. Focus on its health and before you even realize it, the length will come!