Natural Hair Care Basics

NATURAL HAIR CARE BASICS


Basic Steps How To Care For Natural Hair

So you've decided to go natural but where to begin, this will be your simple guide to get you started.

Transition or Big Chop

Now that you've made the choice to go natural you have to decide how you will do that, more than likely your hair is relaxed. So you have two choices transition to natural or do the big chop.

Transitioning is simply letting your natural hair grow out without cutting your relaxed hair. The Big Chop is when you cut all of your relaxed hair of. So then you need to know how to care for your hair at either of these stages.

Transitioning Hair Care

Transitioning will give you the option to still keep your length with out cutting all of your hair of. You may not be comfortable with a short style. Transitioning will also prepare you for caring for your natural hair especially when it becomes longer. The only downfall is the longer you hold on to the relaxed ends is that after awhile the relaxed ends will not match the new growth and your ends will appear thin. You also run into your hair becoming damaged where the natural and relax hair meets. So your transition hair needs special care.

Transitioning Hair Styles

You can wear several different styles while transitioning.

Twists: After awhile your hair will appear more textured and especially thicker at the roots where the new hair is growing in, so when you twist your hair it may blend. Depending on your hair type or how damage your hair is, the twist out may not come out the way you like.

Twist outs: After awhile because your hair is more textured you will be able to create beautiful waves with a twist out. Again your results me vary.

Braid Out: A braid out should come out even better than a twist out, because the hair is tightly gathered together and will create even more beautiful waves than a twist out.

Hair Weaves: At some point you may decide to weave your hair to give it a break and allow the natural hair to grow out.

Wigs: Wigs provide a quick alternative.

Half Wig: A half wig is another great option, the hair only needs to be straighten in the front to match the hair piece, this can be a cheap and quick alternative.

Braids/Extension: Braiding your own hair or even adding extensions gives your hair a break from being handled a lot and if the hair isn't braided to tight at the scalp will prevent hair loss.

Ponytail: You can simply put your hair in a ponytail if your natural hair hasn't grown out to much and use leave-ins and gels to lay the hair flat.

Now that you have some styles to choose from you will need to know what tools and simple instructions on how to care for your hair.

Hair Tools For the Transition

Most of the tools we will discuss can and will be used when you become completely natural and can even be used to maintain healthy relaxed hair.

Hair Combs

Shower Combs: These types of Combs have large teeth so it won't rip through the hair, you still will have to comb your hair in sections, but there is a video below showing you how to detangle black hair.

Regular Combs: You may still have some regular combs that you can still use, but once you learn how to properly comb your hair you will better know how to use them. I used a rat tail comb a lot and it didn't pull out my hair because I knew how to use it properly and I only used it in small sections of my hair to get all the tangles out. I also used it to section my hair when creating certain hair styles.

Detangling Brushes


Denman Brush: Their are several types of Denman Brushes, they have different rows of teeth, you can even take out some of the rows to customize the brush. Instead of using a Shower Comb/Comb to detangle you can use a detangling brush, or simply use both to make sure your hair is completely detangled.

The Tangle Teezer: The Tangle Teezer is a brush, that not only helps work all knots and tangles out of your hair it also smooths the hair. Another thing it does really well is remove shedded hair which can also cause the hair to tangle.

Other Tools:


Hair Clips: You may only be familiar with hair clips to be used to section hair of when doing a roller set or you might have seen your hairdresser use them from time to time to section the hair out the way when styling or cutting the hair. But they are an excellent tool to section the hair when detangling to keep the hair out of the way.

Hair Scissors: You may be afraid of getting your hair trimmed because you visited your stylist trying to explain that you didn't want that much cut of, but she said that your hair was damaged and several inches needed to be cut of. You will have a new appreciation for your scissors. You won't be cutting large amounts of length of your hair when on a healthy hair regimen, but just giving yourself maintenance trims to keep the hair from splitting at the ends.
 
Satin Sleep Cap: So most black women already have this in their possession, let me just say please don't go out the house with the Satin Sleep Cap on. If you must cover up your head, wear a Silk Scarf or Knit Cap. The sleep cap not only keeps your hair looking great, back it keeps the hair from losing moisture, as our hair tends to dry out quickly. Instead of using the Satin Sleep Cap you can use a Satin Pillow.

Hair Products For the Transition

You may already have a lot of products laying around that you may want to try, however caring for natural black hair is so popular now. That their are products designed specifically for the needs of caring for our hair without the use of synthetic chemicals, so that our hair can thrive even more and better. I've tried a lot of products, and read a lot of product reviews. The products that I'm listing below results may vary depending on hair type and hair needs. The basic types of products that you will need for your Hair Regimen will be Shampoo, Conditioner, Detangler, Leave In, Hair Treatment, Moisturizer, Gel, Hair Butters, and Oil. Some products can be used to do several jobs, saving you money, time and cabinet space.

Recommended Product List To Get You Started

Shampoo: Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo

Conditioner: Giovanni Smooth As Silk Conditioner

Detangler: Giovanni Deeper Moisture Direct Leave In

Kinky Curly Knot Today

Leave In: Giovanni Deeper Moisture Direct Leave In

Kinky Curly Knot Today

Hair Treatment: Hair Mayo Treatment (make at home)

Moisturizer: Kinky Curly Knot Today

Gel: EcoStyler Gel

Hair Butters: Shea Butter

Hair Oils: Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (buy at local food store or health food store), Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil

You can use these products to get you started on your new journey, you may find that you don't like the results the product gives you and will have to try something else. I've had products that I really like, but wanted to try other products to see if I could find something better. I've even had to switch from products because the company stopped selling them.

So now that you have an idea of what styles, products and tools you can use to care for your transition hair you will need to know how to detangle, shampoo, condition, treat, moisturize and seal, and style.

Check the videos below .  In these videos my hair is completely natural.  The videos will still give you an idea on how to gently treat your hair.  They will show you how to make your own hair treatment, shampoo, detangle, twist, twist out and flat iron natural hair (no matter what hair type you have these videos will give you an idea on how to care for your hair).











How I Transitioned


I went through a transition stage when I first went natural, because I didn't want to cut all of my hair of.

Simple Steps That I Did When I Transitioned

1) I did a lot of research about how to detangle black hair, notice I didn't say transitioning, natural or any hair type, but black hair.

2) After I did the research and knew how to properly detangle my hair I found products that had the least amount of chemicals in it.

3) I decided that I would wear hair weaves during my transition, and I also wore my hair in ponytails. And a few times I was brave enough to leave all my hair out as it got more full and thicker. Later on I braided my hair a few times. Then lastly although my hair wasn't that long yet after I did the big chop I wore it short and switch between the short fro, braids and hair weaves until my hair had grown so much I didn't need extensions.

Hair Weave transition, hair left out at top

My short fro I wore after the big chop

Braids I wore after big chop until my hair got long enough to twist and twist out

      
I found that several factors helped me to retain length, protective hair styles, products that didn't dry my hair or break it of. And the number one thing detangling my hair properly which also causes the hair to break of. Another thing I did little of because my hair didn't seem to need it as much was less trimming.

The Big Chop

Now that we've covered transitioning, guess what the big chop should be easy, if you transitioned and gained enough length that you feel comfortable wearing your hair as is, then go for it do the big chop. If your hair is very long than you will need to follow the steps above to maintain your new natural hair.

If you just cut of all your hair or you don't have much new growth then your hair will be easy to maintain, however as it grows out and becomes more tangle you will need to care for it with the above steps. If your hair is very short this is your time to enjoy shampooing, conditioner washing, or rinsing with water as often as you like. You don't have as much length so less tangling.

A Easy Regimen For Short Hair Recently Big Chopped

1) Simply shampoo your hair with shampoo, if you find that shampoo dry's your hair out then only use a clarifying shampoo once a month or when you think your hair has alot of product buildup on your scalp or hair.  You will be able to either see, or feel the product buildup, your hair may also become limp.  If you want to shampoo your hair more often then just apply some light Conditioner on your hair when you want or once a week as if you where applying shampoo. This process is called conditioner washing then rinse it out. Conditioner washing keeps the hair from becoming dry and tangled. You can try Hair One Cleansing Conditioner For Dry Hair. Or check out the different cleansing conditioners at Curlmart.

2) After you wash your hair with shampoo this would be a good time to do a Hair Treatment, only if you think your hair needs it.  Is your hair breaking of, or feels brittle and dry) You will have to determine when your hair needs to and doesn't need to be treated.  When you go natural you will find that your hair may not need to be treated as much, you can try treating it every month and then determine from there how often to do it.  Let the treatment stay on your hair for about 15 to 45 minutes, you can opt to use a heating cap or sit under a dryer if you like so that the conditioner can penetrate the hair shaft even more, then rinse.

3) Then follow up with a Moisturizing Conditioner, the moisturizing conditioner will replenish the moisture you lost after treating your hair.  Ever notice that the treatment not only leaves your hair strong but a little dry, then the Moisturizing Conditioner will fix that problem.  Leave on hair for the amount of time that the product your using recommends.  Then rinse out.

4) Now apply a leave in or just apply eco styler gel, or use both starting with the leave in first then the eco styler gel.  You will have to determine how much leave in or eco styler gel you will need until you find the right balance your hair needs or amount.  You don't want to end up with a white film on you hair.  The eco styler gel will give your new curly hair a defined and beautiful curl.  If you are worried that the eco styler gel will dry your hair out then check out Curl Mart Styler's Section and see what product you would like to try to achieve your look.  There are natural gel's and curling creams that can give you a define look without drying your hair out.

Finally

I'm doing the big chop for the second time, instead of transitioning this time I just cut of as much relaxed hair that I can, so It looks like I only have about 1 1/2 inch new growth with a few relaxed hair left at the ends. I had to try a technique to detangle my hair because it is to short to be put in sections to detangle. I simply blow dryed it out and found that that was much easier, I will be doing this once a month to make sure my hair has all the tangles out.  You can check my Youtube Channel, for updates on what I'm doing with my hair

I hope this was basic and not confusing, if you need help leave a comment and I'll try to assist. 

The information provided above is information I gathered from doing my own hair, reading books, watching tons of Youtube videos, doing some cosmetology classes and reading other people's blog's and Journey's.  This is a beginners guide to point you in the right direction, you still will have to try different methods out and find what works for you.

Natural Joyanne