African Hair Care Secrets for Braiding
African hair care is made easy when braids are part of a hair care regime. Braiding is a skill that requires a lot patience to learn and some creative artistry.
These are two important qualifications but all the time and skills in the world will not mean anything if a textured hairstyle is not being taken care of correctly. Textured hair can feel different to the touch depending on the person's hair patterns, strands, and even density.
By now, everyone has heard of Oprah! We have her hair stylist, Andre Walker, to thank for classifying hair types for mainstream folks. Over the years, thousands of women have adopted his classification system to help simply their hair care. Predominantly referenced by those with textured hairstyles, African hair care can be broken down in a few steps:
- Shampoo with a clarifying product when hair is oily to the touch.
- Remove hair accessories before sleeping.
- Use a detangling comb, wide-toothed comb or even your fingers to manipulate hair before and after braiding.
- Consider African hair care product lines like Inky Loves Nature.
- Oil your scalp using a lint-free towel dipped in a light scalp oil.
One of the biggest challenges in African hair care is waiting the recommended length of time to shampoo! For cultural, social and personal reasons, many people want to wash their hair more often than they should.
To best care for your hair, talk to a licensed professional about fresh alternatives between washes such as using scalp toners (like Inky Loves Nature and their "Nappaliscious Nutritious") and dry shampoo or hair powder (like Bumble & Bumble's "Hair Powder" for dry hair cleansing). It will help to extend the life of your braids.
Another debate about African hair care is what kind of scalp oil to use, if any at all. Long gone are the days where petroleum and mineral based products are recommended since they are known to clog pores. Instead use plant-based products for your textured hairstyle.
Some examples of such products include...
- coconut oil
- shea butter
- olive oil
...but every needs to think like a scientist and enjoy experimenting! Some plant-based products will be better for your scalp and hair than others.
