Natural hair can be unpredictable in that you never know what you will get. This can be good and bad. In addition to the routine hair therapy, i.e., regular trims, deep conditioning, and henna treatments, these are the day to day tips to having a good hair day every day.
1. Always start out on detangled hair
Freshly shampooed and thoroughly detangled hair will always give you the best results. Twisting or braiding hair that is already matted and tangled will only produce more knots and tangles.
2. More product, more problems!
This is one time when less is more. Excessive amounts of product will only lead to weighing down your tresses and ultimately product build up. You can always apply additional product if necessary but applying too much initially can only be rectified by re-shampooing.
Quick application tips:
- Start off with a quarter size portion – adjust based on texture and desired style
- Apply in sections – sections are easier to deal with
3. Placement strategy
I always receive my best results when my twists or braids are calculated. They do not need to be carefully parted or measured as if you were laying tile floor, however, merely throwing them in haphazardly will result in a less polished look. Even when you want a sexy, messy look, placement makes a huge difference.
4. Seal those ends
Skipping this step will give your ends cause to fray and only make more work for you later. Healthy ends will yield an overall healthy appearance and hair will be more manageable.
*Oils add shine not moisture, however, they do a great job at trapping the existing moisture in. I seal with shea butter and coconut oil.
5. Tie your hair up for a smooth finish
Aside from the obvious damage caused by friction between your hair and cotton pillowcases, the satin scarf will keep things in place. It is not just to achieve smooth edges, it also keeps your mane in check. It reduces friction causing dryness and reduces frizz when you release your twists or braids.
The cardinal sin when it comes to styling is to unravel hair prior to it being 95-98% dry.
6. Pineapple
If you are unable or unwilling ☺ to retwist or rebraid at night, the pineapple will do the trick. By gently placing the hair high on top of the head, you will be able to preserves the curl pattern and maintain your look.
*Secure the hair with a satin scrunchie or loose band.
7. Don’t over separate
After releasing your twists or braids (with oils on your fingers”>, unravel the areas that you want more volume the most. Too much separation will lead to excessive frizz.
*If you are rocking a wash and go, resist the urge to touch your hair after styling.
8. Retwist or Rebraid
If pineappling is not your thing, retwisting or rebraiding at night is a good way to rejuvenate and restore your look, as well as providing more definition.
9. Let twists or braids dry completely
The cardinal sin when it comes to styling is to unravel hair prior to it being 95-98% dry. Hair needs time to set and interrupting the process will result in a bad day all day.
This post was written by CurlyChics for CurlyNikki.
