It’s no secret that many black women all over the world are always looking for a manageable hair style that looks and feels great. Shaving off their hair is not always an option mainly because, who doesn’t want beautifully long and flowing hair? Unfortunately, natural African hair is anything but flowing. It has very tight curls that are tangled hair that can be difficult to comb and style. But, why is this the case? And what can you do about it?
The Structure of Ethnic Hair
Right from the root, African hair grows in very tight and coiled strands. Because of the tightness of the curls of each strand of hair, the hairs wrap around each other causing the ‘’nappy’’ look. The process of detangling the hair can weaken it and make it vulnerable to breakage. In addition, the structure of the hair causes it to need a lot of moisture and so, it tends to be dry in nature.
It may sound very bleak, so far – but fear not, there is hope for African hair. The maintenance process is not very difficult and it is a matter of choosing the RIGHT products and following HEALTHY hair routines for your hair.
How to Take Care of Ethnic Hair
So even though the hair may look tough, it is actually quite weak. This is why it is important that you take care of your hair. As mentioned before, black hair is naturally dry and this is why it is recommended that you:
1. NOT wash it every day. This will dry out your hair and make it even more unmanageable and weaker. Instead, washing it once a week will keep it clean but not dry it out.
2. ALWAYS use a conditioner after you’ve washed your hair. Philip Kingsley says in his book, The Hair Bible, that conditioners add a valuable amount of moisture to ethnic hair and so choose one with labels such as ‘’moisturising’’, ‘’deep conditioning’’, ‘’intensive’’ or ‘’penetrative.’’
The styling products you use are also very important for healthy hair. The tried and tested coconut oil, tea tree oil, carrot oil, soy oil and jojoba oil (among others) not only nourish the hair, but also keep your scalp moisturised and flake free. However, it is Important that you apply these products sparingly to prevent you hair from becoming weighed down and looking greasy.
Styling it is another and completely different article, because, believe it or not, there is a lot you can do with ethnic hair and still look awesome. Plait it, braid it, weave it or even wearing a wig are just some of the options you have with your woolly, but beautiful African hair!
Article by Sharon Kariwo