10 Ways To Maintain Your Afro
Nowadays women are ditching the weave and perm, and they are keeping their hair all natural. Afros have become quite trendy in recent times- giving those with natural hair something to be proud of! However, growing and maintaining an afro is not always an easy task. It requires quite a lot of work and patience as an afro has a fragile texture.
1. Don’t Wash Your Hair Every Day.
Try cutting down the number of times you shampoo per week to three of four, instead of every day. Even moisturizing shampoos with beneficial oils will rob hair of its natural moisture because this is how it cleans. Just rinse your hair thoroughly a couple of times a week during your daily shower and avoid relying on products that rob you of your natural hair oils.
2. Change Out Your Pillowcase.
Trade your coarse cotton pillowcase in for a soft satin one, or some non-absorbing fabric with a high thread count. Not only can rougher fabrics damage your hair through friction while you sleep, they can actually soak up a considerable amount of the oils in your hair, leaving it feeling like cotton the next morning.
3. Cover Your Hair In Harsh Weather Conditions.
Put on a hat or headscarf if there’s a chance of precipitation. Weather can be wearing to hair if there’s a lot of direct exposure; wind whips, heat fries and rain displaces moisture, making it frizzy and unmanageable. If you know you’ve got to be out in it, make sure you pack a protective layer for your hair.
4. Braid Your Hair Before Sleeping.
One way to lock in moisture overnight is to braid your hair before going to bed. By keeping your hair contained in the braids, the strands will be held closely together, sharing their moisture and keeping them from coming loose and rubbing against the pillow. Just plait a few braids (not too tight) in the evening and you won’t have to worry about the pillow chafing and leaching oil from your hair while you sleep.
5. Trim Split Ends Regularly.
Split ends are the most obvious symptom of damage, and if left unchecked can continue splitting and destroy the healthiness of your hair. Inspect your hair for split ends every couple of weeks and either get your hairstylist to touch them up or trim them yourself.
6. Keep Your Afro Moisturized.
African hair is generally very prone to drying out and becoming brittle, so it is very important to keep those curly locks ultra moisturized! When growing and maintaining your afro, a good product to use is the Oil Sheen Comb Out Conditioner Spray. It will nourish and moisturize your afro hair, keeping it looking great.
7. Detangling Afro.
Once that afro starts growing tall, you may find it getting a little tangled. After all, that is what tends to happen with so many curls! You can use a pick to detangle your hair, so it doesn’t become messy. Fingers are your best tools for detangling your hair, but if you must use a comb, go for a wide tooth comb.
8. Beware Of Too Much Heat On Your Hair.
Heat damage is real. Using a flat iron or a blow dryer on it every day can really fry your hair, making it brittle and causing some serious breakage. Limit your use of heat on your hair and make sure that you use heat protecting spray
9. Consider A Protective Style.
Protective styles are hair styles that will give your hair a break from daily wear and tear and the elements. Anything from too much styling to dry weather can lead to damage and breakage and we really don’t want that, do we? They’re also great if you’re super low maintenance about your hair. Consider getting braids, rocking a high buns or even wearing a weave for a little bit.
10. Listen To Your Hair.
Just because you’ve read amazing reviews for a product or your friend has a great technique that she swears by, that doesn’t mean that it is right for your locks. If you just bought a new product and aren’t happy with the results, continuing to use it and hoping for the results you want is a waste of time. Listen to your hair! It knows what it likes and when it knows what it likes you’ll know it, too!
