A F R O C H I C K M A G A Z I N E | Vol. 1 (December 2013) | Page 9

AFROCHICK|MAGAZINE9

Natural Hair Tips
By Saleemah Cartwright @ www. Healthyhairjourney.com

Natural hair is hair that is in its most healthy state however; natural hair can be severely damaged. The
use of flawed hair care practices can wreak havoc on our beautiful natural tresses. Here are some natural
hair care tips that will keep your natural tresses looking fab!

1. Use minimal heat.
Stay away from pressing combs which can easily burn the hair. Opt for a tourmaline / ceramic iron to
straighten your hair. Natural hair wearers sometime misjudge how damaging heat can be.

2. Keep your natural hair ends trimmed.
You don’t have to trim as often as those who have chemically processed hair. This is only because the
cuticle portion of the hair strand has not been exposed to chemicals and will take longer to split. I would
suggest clipping your ends every 3-6 months. If you are natural and wearing color, I would definitely trim
a little more often to prevent breakage. An easy way to trim your own hair is to try the two strand twist
method. After twisting to the end, clip off 1/4th to ½ inch. Perform this on each twist until all of your hair is
clipped. It is harder to detect split ends on natural hair but they do exist.

3. Use an excellent water based moisturizer daily
(I.e. Hydratherma Naturals Daily Moisturizing Growth Lotion). Whether you are relaxed or natural, one of
the main causes of breakage is “thirsty hair”. Water is the ultimate form of moisture therefore; using a
water based moisturizer is an important step in keeping your hair moisturized. Staying away from mineral
oil and petrolatum is also very crucial. These ingredients coat the hair and do not penetrate the hair
strand. To get an enhanced moisturizing effect, (after moisturizing) seal in the moisture with the
Hydratherma Naturals Hair Growth Oil.

4. Avoid tangles while shampooing the hair.
Great tip to prevent tangles while shampooing natural hair. For medium length to longer lengths- it is a
great idea to put your hair in 4-5 loose braids prior to shampooing. Wet braids in shower then squeeze
shampoo into each hair braid while massaging your scalp. Rinse well and apply deep conditioning
treatment to each braided section (i.e. Hydratherma Naturals Amino Plus, Protein Deep Conditioning
Treatment or Moisture Boosting Deep Conditioning Treatment), cover with plastic cap and sit under the
dryer for about 15 minutes. When conditioning is complete, rinse hair, unbraid and comb your hair with a
large tooth comb. You should have no problems with tangles if you go this route. Remember to shampoo
and deep condition every 1-2 weeks.

5. Do not comb hair while it is dry.
I remember meeting a young lady who had beautiful waist length natural hair. I asked what her secret
was. She stated, “A comb doesn’t touch my hair when it is dry.” It sounded crazy to me but now I
completely understand. This may seem very extreme but you should only comb your hair while it is in its
wet state. This will remarkably cut don’t on any breakage that you may be experiencing and result in a
thicker head of hair. Always use a wide tooth comb. (The only exception to this rule is if you are wearing
your hair in a straight style which should be infrequent.) If you are wearing twist-outs, braid outs, bantu
knot sets, afro puffs etc., you should be finger combing your hair on a daily basis and not combing it.