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Going natural is a process, from not knowing what to do, not knowing what products to buy, to not knowing how to take care of your tresses.  Here are a few helpful tips to help you on your natural hair care journey.

HairAfare Tips for Natural Healthy Hair

• Choose hair products wisely. Always make sure to read the ingredients, so you know what you are putting in your hair.
• Lay off the heat as much as you can. Remember, heat is NOT your friend!
• Sleep with a silk scarf, bonnet, or pillowcase. This will minimize the damage done to your hair.
• Trim ends regularly. Depending on how fast your hair grows, every 2-3 months is a good start.
• Develop a healthy hair routine that includes shampooing, conditioning, deep conditioning, treatments, and masks. (Masks are optional depending on the condition of your hair)
• Deep condition regularly. Whether you choose to use masks and treatments is optional, but deep conditioning should definitely be a part of your routine.
• Scalp massages help with the blood flow circulation to your scalp and are also a good way to assist in hair growth.
• Taking hair vitamins can assist in growing your hair strong and healthy.
• Comb your hair starting from the ends and work your way up to the roots. This will help prevent breakage.
• Use product “cocktailing” to moisturize and hydrate hair.
• Use a diffuser when drying hair to even out your curl pattern and add body.
• Use elastic bands to secure hair instead of rubber bands to reduce breakage.
• Remember transitioning to natural hair does not happen overnight. Take your time, be patient, and don’t get frustrated. Learn to love your tresses.

I hope these diffusing tips help you on your journey.  I hope to see you again soon

Kayrie

There is a lot of “fake news” in the air about going natural, and I’m here to give you some clarification and set the record straight.

•  Myth: Knowing your hair pattern determines how you care for your hair.
  • Truthfully, there is some truth to this myth. The keyword is some. Sure, knowing your hair pattern is important, and it will be explained more in-depth later on in this book. Whether you have hair pattern 2,3,4, or a combination of a few, the key thing to remember is that   everybody’s hair pattern is different. However knowing your hair pattern is just part of the battle.  There are also other factors to consider when caring for your hair such as strand size, density, and porosity to start. That doesn’t mean that you don’t need to know what your hair pattern is. Knowing your hair pattern is one of the many steps to selecting the best products and regimens to help you on your hair journey. So, find which pattern most resembles your hair, keep that in mind, and let’s move forward! 

• Myth: Going natural will magically make your hair grow longer, thicker, or even prevent hair loss.
  • The fact that someone said “magically” should be your first red flag. Like the previous myth, there is some truth to this statement, however, going natural is not going to automatically solve all of your hair problems. While it won’t solve allof them, there are several noticeable benefits.  Removing chemicals and relaxers will definitely improve the health of your hair. Still, you also have to consider genetics and know key factors to healthy, long, and even thick hair. Be sure to include a consistent regimen that keeps your hair moisturized and nourished. We’ll go over that more later.

• Myth: Natural hair is easier to keep up with than permed hair.
  • While natural hair can be easier to “keep up with,” it can take more time to develop a regimen and maintain than permed hair.  I wouldn’t recommend going natural if you don’t have the time and patience to commit to maintaining your tresses.

• Myth: You don’t have to wash kinky, curly, or natural hair.
  • This myth is absolutely false. It actually makes me chuckle just in writing it. There is no such thing as not needing to wash your hair because of your hair type. What is true is that natural hair doesn’t require a harsh cleansing method where oils are stripped from the hair. Nevertheless ALL hair should be washed regularly. Not washing hair regularly can lead to buildup on your hair and scalp, which can leave your hair feeling and looking dry and dull over time. Not to mention that it won’t smell too great.

• Myth: Oils moisturize natural hair.
  • A common misconception that is easy to see why it’s misconstrued. What oils can do is seal and lock moisture into your hair, but oils don’t actually provide the moisture you need for your tresses. On the contrary, oils actually repel moisture, which is why it keeps the moisture in your hair. Applying oils without moisturizing first, can lead to dry, crunchy hair. Trust me, you do not want to deal with excess dryness while you’re going natural.

Now that we got a few myths and misconceptions about natural hair out of the way, stay tuned neext week for some hair basics!

Kayrie

Giving you all the hair tips that you need. For more hair tips on natural hair check out our HairAfare Care Manual

Once you have your curly hair set, one of the most popular ways to dry it is diffusing.  If your new to curly hair or just transitioned, you may be wondering, What is a diffuser?

A diffuser is an attachment for your blow dryer that changes air flow from a direct stream to a “wide circle of air”.  Drying your hair with a diffuser, if done correctly helps minimize frizz, and gives you gorgeous, amazing curls.  If your blow dryer doesn’t come with a diffusing attachment, you can buy a universal one that attaches to the nozzle of most blow dryers.

Once you have your hair set and are ready to diffuse here are a few tips to help get your amazing curls in no time.

• Set your blow dryer to medium, low or no heat – this helps reduce frizz.If you have the time try no heat, but if you need to dry and go aim for low heat, no more than medium heat.  If the blow dry gets too hot, don’t be scared to use the cool shot setting on your blow dryer

• Start with the roots- You want to focus on drying your roots first before drying the ends of your hair

• Once your roots are dry, focus on the ends of your hair

• Once you start diffusing your hair, Hands off! - Unless using them to cups your hair while drying.Be sure not to disturb your curls until your hair is completely dry

• Flip your head to the side, to help roots and ends dry faster

• Flip your hair upside down for added volume when diffusing your hair

• ONCE YOUR HAIR IS COMPLETELY DRY- then you can proceed to pick out your curls and style hair as desired.You may want to use butter cream to moisturize curls, or holding spray to hold them in place

• Drying time varies depending on the blow dryer and thickness of your hair

• Take your time don’t rush, beautiful curls take time and patience.

• Enjoy your amazing curls!

I hope these diffusing tips help you on your journey.  I hope to see you again soon

Kayrie

Here to give your all the hair tips that you need

Ingredients to AVOID in hair products

Here are a few ingredients that you should try to avoid when choosing your hair products and why.

 Parabens

Parabens are man-made chemicals created to preserve the formula of different hair products to last longer.  They are of sufficiently high molecular weight to prevent evaporation and can lead to water loss from the hair, which can lead to frizziness and dry hair.

 Alcohols

 Isopropyl alcohol & other certain alcohols have been known to cause excessive dryness to the hair. This alcohol is found in household cleaners, including antifreeze. Additionally, this hair product ingredient can also dissolve oils, which is a necessity for natural hair

Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde Releasers

Formaldehydes are preservatives placed into your cosmetics and hair products meant to prevent the growth of bacteria. A formaldehyde-releaser will typically be one of the last ingredients on the label.

 Sulfates

Sulfates are a salt formed from sulfuric acid. They are typically found in shampoos and are used to completely remove the hair of build-up and other elements.  Sulfates can cleanse the hair entirely, including the oils your hair naturally produces. Sulfates stripping the hair of their natural oils can lead to more dryness, and dull looking hair.

 Silicones

Be aware of any ingredients that end in “-cone” on your natural hair products. Silicones, like sulfates, aren’t entirely terrible for your hair. These ingredients can cause build-up overtime, creating dull look hair and brittleness in your natural hair. 

 Mineral Oil

Mineral oil is an oil produced from petroleum, and is used for many things outside of cosmetics this oil can in turn cause more buildup due to its blocking and clogging effect on the hair follicles.

Synthetic Fragrance / Perfumes

A lot of the time, these synthetic scents are formulated with chemicals and preservatives. They can cause allergic irritations and breakouts on the skin. If you wish to find a product that contains a smell-good scent, try products that are “naturally” scented with essential oils and/or natural extracts.

Polyethylene Glycol (PGE) & Proplyne Glycol (PG)

Polyethylene Glycol & Proplyne Glycol are water-soluble compounds found in hair products.  PG in found in some foods, and antifreeze can also contain this ingredient.  Both of these compounds have been found to make it easier for other ingredients to penetrate the skin and be absorbed into the bloodstream when used in higher concentrations.   

 Ingredients that are GOOD for your hair

The following ingredients are good for your hair, look for these ingredients when choosing your hair products. 

Water

Make sure its listed as one of the first 2 ingredients.  To provide moisture, there needs to be water there whether to provide, absorb, or retain it. Specifically, water should be listed as the first ingredient or at least the very top, showing that it is most prevalent. Water being listed as an ingredient is ensuring that your strands are going to receive as much moisture as possible.

 Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive Oil

 All of these oils are moisturizing oils. Most natural oils for hair serve as sealants, meaning they help to seal in moisture and provide moisturizing properties. They are able to penetrate the hair shaft with the help of water. These are good ingredients to look for in your natural hair products that will retain softness, shine, and moisture. 

Glycerin / Vegetable Glycerin

You have probably seen glycerin on the label of a few of your natural hair products. It is another one of the good ingredients to look for in natural hair products. Glycerin and vegetable glycerin are essentially the same thing. They are humectants, meaning they draw in moisture.

 Honey

Honey is another healthful choice to add to the list of good ingredients to look for in natural hair products. When used on natural hair, it leaves your hair feeling smooth just like it. Honey is a natural humectant, helping to absorb and retain moisture. There are nourishing benefits, including antibacterial properties which help to alleviate certain scalp conditions

 Shea Butter

 Shea butter is a common yet good ingredient to look for in your natural hair products. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, including omega fatty acids that give it its moisturizing properties. These nutrients help it to penetrate the hair shaft, serving as both a moisturizer and a sealant. 

 Natural Extracts

You may notice multiple ingredients ending in "extract" on your hair product labels.  Natural extracts are additional good ingredients to look for in natural hair products.  The majority of these extracts are derivatives from natural sources including plants, seeds, fruits, and more.  It will typically list in parentheses the source it is extracted from.  The benefits of these natural extracts reange from shine to anti-aging properties to reduce shedding. 

Biotin

Our hair strands are comprised of a protien called keratin.  Keratin helps to keep your hair strands strong and in-tact. The amino acids derived from biotin aid in the composition of keratin, contributing to hair health and growth. 

Castor Seed Oil

Not only is this vegetable oil a humectant, castor oil also has anti-fungal properties. This will ensure a clean scalp, with the hair follicles clear and prepared for better hair growth.

AVOCADO/AVOCADO OIL

Many natural hair products use avocado since it's packed with vitamins A, D, E, and contains more potassium than bananas. Easily absorbed into the skin, avocado oil is a quick way to get multiple nutrients onto your scalp for improved hair growth.

So now that you know some of the good and the bad ingredients in hair products, be sure to pay attention to the label the next time you are picking your next products. Hope to see you again soon!

Kayrie

Here to give your all the hair tips that you need! For more hair tips check out our HairAfare Care Manual