Tips On How To Maintain African Hair

African hair is actually a bit different from other types of hair like Asian or Caucasian hair whereby African hair tends to be slightly wavy to extremely curly. 

The texture of African hair tends to be drier and curlier than that of Asian or Caucasian hair and you also need to be very careful about the way you style African hair because it tends to be more prone to breakages if handled carelessly.  On the other hand, you will need to do some basic maintenance on your African hair in order to keep it in good condition and shape.

So, below is a simple step-by-step guide that will help you in the process of maintaining your African hair.

How to wash and condition your African hair

Wash and shampoo African-hair for once a week:

African hair actually tends to be naturally drier with minimal oils and that’s why it’s recommended not to wash and shampoo it more than once a week. In fact, shampooing African-hair for several times a week or daily will just strip off the natural oils within the hair thus making the hair shafts, frizzier, drier, and prone to breakages.

Condition African hair every time you shampoo it:

Since African hair tends to be drier, it’s very essential to condition it every time you shampoo it in order to restore hair moisture. However, while conditioning your African hair, always pay extra attention to the hair ends since they are the most brittle, and consider keeping the conditioner within the hair for a few minutes washing it out.

Apply a leave-in conditioner after washing African hair:

After washing your hair, you will need to add a small amount of leave-in conditioner to it while it’s still wet because this will help to add extra moisture to your hair. So, try using a leave-in conditioner that contains natural ingredients like; coconut oil, cocoa butter, and Shea-butter for the best moisturizing results.

Use a conditioner to wash hair regularly if it gets dirty more often:

If your hair builds up sweat and grime/dirt regularly, then you may consider washing it more often than just once a week in order to remove the build-up and sweat.

However, you will need to wash your hair with a conditioner instead of shampoo in-between these weekly washes. This is because a hair conditioner helps to gently wash away sweat and build-up while maintaining the natural hair oils.

Lastly, ensure the conditioner reaches your scalp and hair shaft for the best results.

Apply a leave-in moisturizer to hair daily:

Using a leave-in moisturizer or conditioner on days when your African hair is not washed will ensure that hair stays hydrated and protected from any damage. So, consider using a light leave-in moisturizer that is formulated for African hair in the morning just before styling your hair.

Additionally, try to use a moisturizer that contains essential oils like coconut oil, cocoa butter, and Shea-butter since these oils can easily be absorbed into the hair and keep it moisturized throughout the day.

Deep-condition African hair at least once a month:

doing a monthly deep-conditioning treatment will actually help to make your hair extra-moisturized and less brittle. So, get a good-quality deep conditioner that contains essential oils like coconut oil, argan oil, and Shea-butter for the best results.

How to detangle and style African hair

Detangle African hair using a mixed hair product and a comb:

You will need to untangle knots within your African hair before you begin washing it. So, start spraying your tangled hair with a mixture containing 3-part water and 1-part olive oil or coconut oil, and then apply a regular conditioner directly into the tangled hair beginning from the hair roots to the tips.

Afterward, use your fingers to gently detangle your hair. Additionally, after partially detangling your hair, use a wide-toothed comb to gently brush-out hair beginning from the hair roots while working your way downwards to the hair tips.

However, never try using a detangling comb on knotted hair that is completely dry because this will just damage your hair. So, always dampen your African hair before you start detangling it in order to achieve effective results.

Straighten African hair with a blow dryer with a comb attachment:

You will need to use a blow-dryer with a comb attachment to straighten up your African hair but remember to spray your hair with a heat-protectant just before using the blow-dryer over it. However, you will need to first let your hair air-dry and then apply a heat-protectant just before brushing it straight with a blow-dryer with a comb attachment.

Style African hair into protective and low-maintenance styles:

In case you prefer styling your African hair instead of wearing it down, then consider styling it in form of protective and low-maintenance styles that help to keep hair in place and require no regular manipulation or styling.

So, consider going for braided hairstyles because they look classic, stylish, and protective. On top of that, you can also go for other hairstyles like Senegalese twists and updos like the Bantu knots or buns.

Tryout a sewn-in weave:

Wearing a sewn-in weave can actually protect your African hair but avoid using a glued-in weave. So, if you prefer styling a weave then consider having it professionally sewn into hair for best results.

Additionally, you will need to visit the hairstylist every 2 to 3 weeks in order to ensure that the sewn-in weave stays tight onto your hair and doesn’t over-pull your natural hair. You may even consider wearing a wig in case you don’t want a sewn-in weave.

Let your African hair rest by wearing weaves:

You can actually wear a weave for about one and a half to 3-months in order to let your hair rest. So, after the second consecutive weave, leave your hair to rest for about 3 weeks in order to prevent hair and scalp strain. In fact, wearing weaves for too long or several months can strain your scalp and hair which isn’t a good thing.

Get hair relaxed professionally:

relaxing your African hair does some damage to your hair but this damage can be lessened if you get it done by a professional hair stylist rather than relaxing hair at home.

You will also need to touch up your newly grown hair every few weeks so that it can be able to match the relaxed hair. However, never relax the entire head of hair twice because this can severely damage hair.