Talk about contradictions and ethnic Afro hair is one of the few examples that would easily make the cut. Probably being the only hair-type in the world that can be tensile yet fragile, Afro manes can be a bit tricky to handle when it comes to daily care and maintenance.
Naturally glorified and lustrous that ethnic African hair looks, much of its smoothness is attributed to the efforts dedicated to its upkeep. Indeed it is one of a kind hair-type wherein proper attention can make all the difference in terms of a mane that rocks in good health or is dry, brittle, and prone to breakage, and that is where a hair-care regime comes in. All you need to do is to incorporate it into your daily routine to enjoy long-term benefits.
Vulnerable that ethnic African hair is, it is sure to suffer damage from the absence of proper care. To prevent such a situation, discussed as follows are guidelines that would ensure that your ethnic locks always look and feel good –
Shampooing & Conditioning
While the shampooing technique remains the same, namely applying it on your scalp and taking it along the shaft right down to the tips, what can truly make a difference is the type of shampoo you use. The objective is to identify a shampoo that would effectively cleanse without stripping the strands or the scalp of natural oils. So, if you have ethnic Afro hair, the ideal shampoo would be one which –
- Has moisture boosting properties;
- It is free of harmful sulfates, which are known to cleanse at the cost of causing excessive dryness;
- Can remove all the dirt and debris from the scalp, enabling the pores to breathe;
Word of caution, while shampooing, try avoiding tangling the hair while manipulating and lathering. Instead, focus on rinsing till all the soap has disappeared.
Make it a point to condition on the same day as your shampoo so that the impact is maximum as also long-lasting. After thoroughly rinsing your hair, apply a deep conditioner that is jam-packed with natural oils. You would begin by using the conditioner on the scalp so that the roots are duly covered and take it all the way down to the tips. Preferably re-apply the conditioner on the ends till they feel slippery to avoid dryness and splitting.
After about 5 minutes with cool water, Rinse off the conditioner and wrap your hair in a microfiber towel, after which you can style as per the occasion.
Moisturizing Ethnic Afro Hair
One of the best ways of keeping ethnic Afro hair supple and healthy is to moisturize it with soft natural hair creams. Choose a water-based moisturizer replete with natural ingredients to preserve the curls and render the strands smooth and supple. To ensure uniform moisturizing –
- Roughly divide your mane into multiple sections, preferably four or more, and secure each using a clip in such a way that it does not infringe on the other areas;
- Doing so would enable you to check what is going on with your hair while rendering it easier to reach out to even the remote corners of your scalp with relative ease;
- Takedown each section and apply the moisturizing conditioner, starting from the scalp and moving downward along the shaft till you reach the tip;
- Seal the moisture in by applying oil, once again starting at the scalp and finishing at the ends, which should be flush with oil;
- Standard options like coconut oil and olive oil notwithstanding, Amla oil is an alternative that you must consider owing to its inherent ability to strengthen the strands and nourish the scalp;
It is crucial to ascertain the optimum quantity of oil for your mane, wherein it should not be too little or too much. In case your hair feels excessively greased, rinse it with lukewarm water, wrap a towel for a few minutes, and let it air-dry.
Follow the LOC method – an acronym for Liquid-Oil-Cream – for moisturizing ethnic Afro hair either in-between washes or after shampooing. The liquid adds sheen to the strands, while the oil seals it in, and the cream adds a touch of smoothness.
Tucking Away Ends
Regardless of the hair type, prolonged exposure causes the ends to dry up, and the next stage is brittleness and breakage. Ethnic Afro hair is no exception, and although inherently tensile, it is sure to suffer damage and breakage if not granted timely and appropriate protection. To this effect, a timeless remedy entails adopting a protective hair-do wherein the ends are effectively tucked away, thus limiting exposure.
Twists, braids, and knots, and their variations are some protective hairstyles that are not just simple to achieve but are just as easy on the pocket. In addition to protecting your mane, they also facilitate efficient moisturizing and cleaning and have a long-term positive impact on hair health.
Final Thoughts
Of course, several other remedies can add suppleness to your mane if regularly observed, like drinking plenty of water every day. Maintain a sufficient intake of water daily and enjoy its positive impact on your hair.
If you harbor a bias towards natural ingredients, then try a blend of honey and amla oil for conditioning. Mix both ingredients in equal amounts, and warm it slightly in the microwave before applying it on the scalp and coating the strands with it. Wrap your mane in a warm towel to maximize impact, and shampoo after a while. Sticky though this solution might be, it contains the goodness of both honey and amla oil and hence benefits your mane in more ways than one.
Amla oil is indeed the dark horse for moisturizing and conditioning ethnic Afro hair, owing to being lesser-known despite its numerous benefits. Use it to seal your strands and experience other benefits like better scalp health and curtailing problems such as dandruff. So how about including it in your hair-care routine and check if it truly makes a difference to your ethnic Afro hair type?
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Throughout my seemingly diverse career, I’ve listened to what a large number of stylist have admitted that they’re struggling with. And that is giving their customer/client a precise hair cut. Just about every Hair Stylist, Cosmetologist or Barber knows that if you can’t give a precise hair cut, the customer can tell that their hair cut is JACKED UP! Will they come back to be serviced by you? Aw… NO! So you the stylist have just lost a potential long-term, high paying client.
How do you keep this from happening? Well, I have the answer! I have been cutting hair professionally for over 30 years. And cutting is my forte. For me being able to transform someone through a hair cut is most rewarding. Think about when you’ve got an awesome hair cut. You walk taller and you tend to hold your head higher and when the compliments are given it gives you a big boost of confidence.
When I teach stylist the art of hair cutting I make it as simple as possible. That’s why I’ve come up with a haircutting technique that does just about any hair cut with very simple modifications depending on what look the client is going for. The one basic fundamental when teaching this hair cut is to always make sure the haircut is balanced. The only time you would throw that out the window is when you’re giving a haircut that isn’t symmetrical.
So always remember that the majority of the hair cuts we as professionals do, must have symmetry. The video below is a long layered hair cut. If you’d like to get step by step instructions then drop your email below with the words “instructions please”. Following this technique will gain your client’s trust. Then and only then will they trust you enough to prebook a more costly service because you have gained their trust. ( click the link below to view the hair cut)
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She made everyone think, or she thought she did, that she had everything under control – especially after the divorce. Stuck in what she calls “marry mode.” You see, she’s mentally stuck in the mode of being married when it came to being with a man—literally treating him as if he were her husband—wanting the love of a man in flesh who was finically and most of all mentally a mere boy.
In today’s society, the love of a man is way overrated. I believe this truth because men claim to be faithful to their wives, girlfriends, or significant others. All too often, when the truth is blurred, perception becomes a reality, and then all is lost. She wished she would have listened to her conscience when it told her, “He’s lying!”
Listen up! Your conscience speaks to you. Fighting it will lead you to make decisions that will cause much disappointment and pain. So love YOU enough to say NO to the men you know will misguide you and are no good for you. You decide to hold his truths to a higher standard. Expecting more for and of yourself isn’t too much to ask.
Another “BAD” creation by yours truly! I don’t want to brag. I don’t want to boast, however, I will give myself a standing Ovation! Hair is my experience and I love what I do!
