Are you toying with the idea of rocking your own natural hair instead of relaxing it? Maybe these tips can nudge you in the right direction.
By Zethu Zulu
Patience
Natural hair, at the beginning, is very hard to maintain. You need to change your whole styling regime, treat your hair with extra care and let nature do the rest. So you need to give yourself time. Growth can be slow at the beginning.
Moisturise. Moisturise. Moisturise
Natural hair is very thirsty and dries up quickly. So you need to invest in good moisturising creams for your hair. Opt for any cream that contains coconut or avocado oils. Castor oil is also very good for the hairline. And, you must try to treat your hair with a very good conditioner once a week.
No more harsh heat
Heat strips away moisture from your hair. Stop using tongs, blow-dryers and curlers – over time you will find that your hair dries up pretty quickly. Just pat it lightly with a towel (an old T-shirt is also very good).
Protective styling
Your hair, once you’ve stopped relaxing it, needs to be protected. There are a number of cool styles to try. Opt for twist outs, box braids, weaves (yes, weaves) and Bantu knots. The important point to remember is to never pull your hair too tightly. If you’re not doing your own hair, tell your stylist that you don’t want your hair too tight.
Split ends
So once your natural hair starts growing – what we know as growth – you can start cutting off the split ends every six weeks. That hair is dead anyways, so it’s good to let it go to make way for the new growth.
