My hair is too oily. How can I make it appear less greasy? Many conditioners and styling products formulated for the African American market contain greasy ingredients like lanolin, petrolatum, cocoa butter, waxes and oils. These quickly build up on the scalp and hair and can even stunt future hair growth. If you do use one of these heavy products, apply just a little; keep it on the hair and off the scalp. Wash your hair at least twice a week with a mild clarifying shampoo to remove the residue. Then use a conditioner, but keep it off the roots and be sure to rinse thoroughly. Avoid two-in-one products.
Bleaching my hair has made it really coarse. How can I undo the damage? Bleaching causes a good deal of damage to the hair; the lighter you've gone, the worse the damage is. Use a mild shampoo and the strongest conditioner you can without making your hair go limp. Wash your hair only as often as necessary. Do a deep-conditioning treatment once a week, if possible, and take steps to minimize further damage, such as combing gently (especially when wet) and keeping heat-styling tools on low.
I just had my hair straightened. How should I take care of it? Perming and straightening cause a good deal of damage, and are particularly hard on fragile African American hair. Wait a week after processing. Then use a mild shampoo and the strongest conditioner you can without making your hair go limp. Wash your hair only as often as necessary. Do a deep-conditioning treatment once a week, if possible, and take steps to minimize further damage, such as combing gently (especially when wet) and keeping heat-styling tools on low. A drop of silicone serum can help smooth down the cuticle and add a bit of shine. This can be found at http://www.realsalonproducts.com
I have limp, flat and lifeless hair. How can I make it look fuller? If your hair is lifeless and dull, your problem might be excess weight from styling products or buildup. Try using a clarifying shampoo to remove stuck-on conditioners and styling products, and be sure to rinse well. Avoid all products containing oils or lanolin, as well as heavy gels and pomades. Also consider a short cut -- less hair equals less weight.
Do you have any tips for styling African-American Hair? Texture is always a big consideration when choosing a style for your hair type, which can be dry and is also naturally curly. Going natural, without relaxing the hair, is an option, but hair straightening is also a popular trend. Letting hair curl naturally, whether long or short, is a fashionable look that lets you avoid the process of relaxing. If you use a relaxer, which chemically breaks down the natural bond of the hair to straighten it, you can achieve almost any style. We suggest Mizani Hair Products
African-American hair tends to be brittle, so it needs to be treated delicately. Moisturize your hair to keep it healthy, but avoid over-layering conditioners that build up on the hair and clog the scalp. Hair products should be lighter than the hair itself. Avoid ingredients like mineral oil and lanolin, using light oil instead to keep hair from being weighed down and to make it easy to comb. If hair is coarse or dry at the ends, concentrate conditioner from the middle of the hair shaft to the ends.
I'm looking to color my hair. Is it safe to do it at home? Dark brown and black hair is somewhat resistant to permanent coloring and bleaching, which is problematic for fragile African American hair. If you want to change your color by more than three shades in either direction, it's best to have it done at a salon. Coarse hair is often porous and soaks up dyes quickly, so if you color at home, do a strand test first to get the timing right. Check out http://www.realsalonproducts.com
I recently had my hair colored. How can I keep the color fresh and prevent fading? All hair dyes fade, whether permanent or not. The culprits are oxidation (unavoidable) and the sun, so your first line of defense is to cover up. (Products that contain sunscreen can help a bit, but they're not enough.) Use a gentle shampoo, then condition as much as possible permanent and some semipermanent dyes cause at least a little cuticle damage, and some cause a lot. Dyes are particularly harsh on African American hair, so do an occasional deep conditioning. If you've colored your hair so much that it's seriously damaged, see the section on damaged hair. Between colorings, remember that shampoos containing a colorant can help freshen up your look.
African American Hair Dos
African American hair comes in an almost infinite variety of textures, from curly to woolly, from kinky to wavy, from natural and thick to straight and sleek. But whatever its texture, Black African American hair is a gift that reflects both our beauty and our ancestry. Unfortunately, though, it's often next to impossible to feel good about our hair. Why? Because it feels like we're constantly at war with it.
The Basics
At some point in her life (or many times throughout her life!) virtually every woman wrestles with the question of natural versus relaxed/permed. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but whatever the choice, it's crucial to take care of your locks.
Good hair care starts from the inside out. That means eating a balanced diet to give your body all the nutrients it needs in order to grow the healthiest hair possible. It also means drinking plenty of water, to give your hair (and skin) much-needed moisture.
The Comb/Brush
The next critical element of hair care - regardless of your hair's texture - is using the proper comb/brush. The truth is, the vast majority of combs and brushes are made for non-African American hair. The ideal tool for our hair is a combination comb/brush that is designed so that the teeth easily slide under our coiled hair texture. It's like a detangler that works by rolling out the hair instead of pulling it out. In the process, it naturally conditions and relaxes hair, making it soft and easy to style or braid. This kind of comb/brush also keeps our hair healthy and helps prevent breakage.
Next Steps
In addition to having the proper comb/brush, there are several other things you can do to help prevent breakage. First, use heat sparingly, especially if your hair is permed. Second, don't wash your hair too often - every seven to ten days is ideal. When you do wash it, use a leave-in conditioner. In between, rinse your hair once or twice a week (and especially after a workout), and use a conditioner every day. And, don't neglect your monthly deep conditioning treatment.
Embrace Your Texture
The hairstyles you choose will change over the course of your lifetime, but the best hair care advice is to embrace your natural texture and work with it. Hair that is naturally curly will act very differently than hair that is naturally woolly. Similarly, super-kinky hair will respond in a different way to treatments than naturally wavy hair.
When you work with the texture you have, you can still have a variety of style choices available to you. But the key is that you won't be constantly fighting nature; instead, you'll be working with the African American texture you were born with and maximizing its beauty. In the process, you'll have less breakage and healthier hair. The result? You'll feel more beautiful and project that self-confidence to the world. What could be better?
Both African Stylists Experts & Chris Robertson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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