Tipsy Tuesday: Natural Hair Tings

Confession time: I’m not a natural hair guru but I can definitely round up some useful tips to have you caring for your hair like a pro!

There are millions of blog post, vlogs, you name it, about natural hair. So how do you know what’s right and wrong? Well, that’s the thing you really won’t know until you try it out yourself. It’s going on 2 years that I’ve been natural and I’m still learning. I went to the salon back in December and bleached my hair red, over the past 5 months I’ve had several inches of growth. Here are a few things that I find to be the most important in dealing with not only colored hair, but natural overall:

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Yes, just like you get thirsty, so does your hair. The best way to hydrate your hair is simple, stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. You also hydrate your hair by keeping it moisturized; grab those leave-in conditioners, wash and deep condition weekly.
• Make sure your hair agrees with the product Just because you agree with the product, doesn’t mean your hair will. Pay close attention to when your hair is rejecting certain things. If your hair is constantly dry, breaking off/shedding re-evaluate what you’re putting into it. Something can say it’s good for your hair but ends up being quite the opposite. You can’t always listen to “natural hair guru’s” on YouTube or Instagram, don’t be afraid to experiment and don’t settle.
• Oils matter Oils are an important part of keeping natural hair, especially African American hair, hydrated and moisturized. Not every oil will work for you so pick and choose wisely. Some great ones to choose  from are coconut, Jamaican castor oil (it’s thick so use lightly), jojoba, and olive. You might benefit greatly from the L-O-C method if you suffer from dry hair which is putting in your Leave-in conditioner first, then your oil, and cream of choice which usually is something moisturizing like “Cantu curling cream” for example. Place a lot of emphasis on your ends to protect them from getting damaged or breaking off. If you do twist or braid outs seal your ends with oil.
• Stay away from heat! Being a person who flat-ironed their hair for 7-8 years straight it was not easy to learn that my natural un-permed hair did not agree with heat whatsoever. Some textures of hair have to go to the extreme to be straightened, for my own I have to blow-dry, hot comb, and then flat-iron and that alone is a recipe for disaster and asking for heat damage. If you’re a person who can’t stay away from heat at least limit yourself or use heat protectants when styling your hair.
• Detangle with caution Detangling can be a hassle, if you have kinky hair do not attempt to comb your hair while it is dry or you will find yourself looking at a comb full of hair. It’s best to detangle on wet or damp hair and starting with your fingers then following through with a comb sometimes proves to be best. Also sleeping on a satin pillowcase or satin bonnet head scarf is a must!
• It’s okay to be lazy I’m a lazy natural, some days I don’t feel like doing anything, but don’t let that lead you to being neglectful. Take care of your hair and your hair will start showing the results that you wish. A lot of things aide hair growth like watching what you eat and exercising. As for me I just wash and moisturize regularly, try to drink lots of water, and watch the products I use. Taking care of natural hair is not as hard as it seems to be.
• Protective styling is important whether you’re doing a twist-out, braid-out, getting a weave or wearing a wig, protective styles will truly help your hair. I know your fingers get tired from time to time being natural so let them rest!

The best way to take care of your hair like a pro is to perfect your own daily regime and make sure you monitor your hair growth as well as your hairs reaction to the products you use. If you have colored hair please please please hydrate and moisturize your hair everyday, I learned the hard way. If you do not keep your hair moisturized I promise you will see it start to break off and shed like crazy. That’s all for now, check out some of my previous natural hair post:

1. Let’s Talk: Going Natural With Bae
2. What Is Natural Hair & Your View on Protective Styling?
3. What Are Your Go-To Products for Natural Hair?

Also, check out my latest post on my first two self-published books “Behind the Books“.

Thanks for reading, Be Blessed & Stay Humble.

P.S. We hit 12k views on the blog last month, thanks for the continuous support. Check out my YouTube channel if you have the time.