Natural Hair News

• Make BIG CHUNKY braids or twists: I used about 8 twists on each side. 

• Smooth the hair out before braiding or twisting: I use a denman brush for this. Make sure your hair is properly detangled prior to smoothing with a brush. 

• Use a leave-in conditioner: Preferably a stellar one, you want something that is going to leave your hair uber soft. 

• Leave the braids/twists in until 85-90% DRY. You want it slightly damp, because as it dries, the hair will S W E L L. Trust. So finger style gently, and allow your hair to naturally do it's thing! 

How to Win Those Thinning Edges Back: Tips for Braids and Natural Hairstyles

Quit the Braids, Pony Tails and Harsh Hairstyles in Order to Grow Those Thinning Edges

In my previous post, the natural hairstyles that I’m all about are afros, curls and big hair.  But there have been times when I’ve wanted to use extensions as a great protective natural hairstyle.  I do, however, remember a time when I’ve tried other natural hairstyles in my youth.  My mother-in-law remembers when I wanted to try weave for the first time at 19 (Yes, she was my Mother-in-Law back then!).  We went to a hair salon in Detroit and my mother-in-law, being the weave expert, asked the hairstylist to create a “quick weave”.  I was then asked if I wanted to use “glue” to hold the quick weave.  I politely declined, although at the time I had no idea what hair glue could potentially do to my edges (I was just thinking I was too lazy to try to wash it out).

“I’ve never had a problem with my hair re-tangling after a detangling session. So, when I initially read about the technique of twisting for washing, conditioning and deep conditioning, I didn’t think it was necessary or relevant for my curl pattern/texture.

However, several months ago, I started to twist my hair into four sections after applying a Deep Conditioner. Then, when I started pre-pooing and dry finger detangling, I started to twist my hair as I applied my pre-poo of choice.

Next, I started to twist my hair after I co-washed and detangled each section. Now, I use twists throughout my wash day routines. The reason I’ve done so is that I’ve found that the twists seem to prep my hair to retain TnC and twist out sets. I have about 4 different textures on my head (who doesn’t, right?) and this process of setting the twists seems to create a “memory” for my hair to follow that wave pattern.

See My Article on How To Deep Conditioner Properly Here:

However, I believe my TnC and twist-out sets have greatly improved in consistency of pattern, definition and hold from using twists throughout my wash session.”

What is your wash day routine?  Please share... 

1. Follow the product directions.

If the instructions say to leave on for 15-20 minutes, then an all-night deep condition is not needed and the maximum benefit of the product to be reached.

2.Shampoo first.

Shampoo is made to rid your hair of dirt and oils, in other words, it takes away. While conditioners “add on” nutrients to your hair. Although shampoos do not cleanse the inside of your hair shaft, they do or should rinse most things off the outside of your hair shaft. So, if you shampoo after your deep condition, you are rinsing off all of the oils, butter and other ingredients right down the drain.

3. Follow directions for heat usage.

Some deep conditioners work better with heat and some don’t so be sure to read the directions on the package.

4. Damp or dry hair is best.

Hair is like a sponge and can only absorb so much. If you deep condition on soaking wet hair, odds are you won’t get much of the deep conditioner inside the hair strand.

Deep Conditioner with Bentonite Clay

Also Read:

Bentonite Clay: Natural Hair Secret Weapon, What is it and How to use it? (Read Time: 3 min)

Hair typing for African American hair tends to be such a mystery for most of us.  I can't tell you the number of times that we have had someone ask our team "What do you think my hair type is?"  Now we want to demystify the hair typing system most used for African American hair as it is a good start to understanding your hair and therefore providing proper care.

 Andre Walker Hair Typing System

Celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker introduced his typing system in his 1998 book Andre Talks Hair. Now it’s the unofficial standard within the Curly and Natural communities.

That’s because it’s solely based on hair texture. And that’s important to women with curly and textured hair who are battle-weary from personal and social pressures to manage their woolly, cottony and billowy manes in a society biased toward straight hair.

This hair typing system that best represents African American hair is the typing system using 4 main categories. 

Types 1-4  with each type having its own level of a type from A B or C.  

So what does this mean? It actually means the following:

Hair is divided into 4 main types: 

Type 1 Straight

Type 2. Wavy

Type 3. Curly

Type 4. Coily or Kinky

Then, he adds subcategories — A, B, and C — to identify various curl patterns.

So fully straight hair (typically European, or Asian) may be defined has a Type 1A with the 1 representing that the hair is straight while the "A" represents how straight or the pattern found within the hair (if any).

 If you were to take a strand of hair out of your head and view its texture you would be able to simply compare it to the following chart.

When African American hair is cared for the hair type can tend to change which is why you can get an African American male that has type 4 hair to brush his new growth and achieve a wave pattern.  

You will also find the same result of women that care for there hair and keep it moisturized and ph balanced with products that help to maintain moisture.

 

Discovering Your Hair Type

Most women aren’t just one hair type.  Through experience and observation, you may find sections of your hair differ in texture than others. For example, using Walker’s Hair Typing as a reference, a 3-inch wide section of my hair encircling my skull from my temples to my nape is 3c.  My bangs — from both temples just before my crown — are 4b. My entire crown — the majority of my hair — is 4a.

So, don’t be rattled if you have weird hair. Most of us do. It’s what gives your hair its unique character.

Some of us who’ve lived a lifetime hiding our natural hair texture needs to be reintroduced to it. We must shake hands with our hair and have a conversation with it rather than dictate what we think it should do. So, take your time with this process.

It’s the beginning of a journey with your true hair … and yourself.

 Sources:

“Andre Says,”  http://andresays.andrewalkerhair.com/

“Decoding Hair Texture: Hair Typing Systems 101,” http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/08/decoding-hair-texture-hair-typing.html

“What is My Hair Type? The Andre Walker Typing System,”  Black Hair Media, http://blackhairmedia.com/natural-hair/what-is-my-hair-type-the-andre-walker-typing-system/

http://www.loreal.com/research-innovation/when-the-diversity-of-types-of-beauty-inspires-science/expert-in-skin-and-hair-types-around-the-world.aspx

“Hair Types: Hair Classification Systems,” http://healthyhairdimensions.com/?page_id=71