How to Care for & Style Natural African American Hair
- 1). Before styling natural hair, it is important to have a good shampoo and conditioner that will help seal in shine and moisture. Hair that can be naturally dry is not going to benefit from heavily alcohol-based products. For this reason, it is best to find products that are moisture-rich and alcohol-light. Some excellent conditioners to choose from are Motions conditioner, Pantene Conditioner for Natural or Relaxed Hair, and Creme of Nature conditioner. All of these brands have a complementary shampoo.
- 2). Once the right conditioner and shampoo have been chosen, it is important to know how to use the products. Comp.eting the cycle of lather, rinse and repeat twice with a quarter-sized drop of shampoo should be enough to get the hair clean. The conditioning of the hair should follow. Apply conditioner evenly throughout the hair, paying special attention to the ends. Make sure to leave the conditioner on long enough to become active, but not so long that it is hard to wash out. Between three to five minutes is a good amount of time.
- 3). For natural hair, it is best to let the hair air dry or use a low setting on a hair dryer. Additional drying out of the hair should be avoided. Towel blotting the hair or gently picking out the hair with a comb may also be helpful to get rid of some of the moisture.
- 4). It is always best to follow up conditioning and drying with a leave-in conditioner or a good moisiturizing product. Carol's Daughter has some wonderful products that can be used for this. Tui Leave-in Conditioner is an ideal product to use on natural hair.
- 5). Once the hair is dried and conditioned properly, it can be styled into many natural hairdos. Consulting a local beauty salon for styling tips or subscribing to African-American hairstyle magazines like Sophisticates might be a source of inspiration.
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