African American Hair Care Advice That Works

Great African American hair care begins with an effective regime. A schedule where you wash, condition, massage, and moisturize your hair on a regular basis.

Back in the day, we were told not to wash our hair too much and to grease our scalp. This was because our elders believed that washing our hair would strip it of natural oils and that the grease would condition it.

While I'm sure that their intentions were good, these ideas have turned out to be false. It is true that harsh shampoos can strip away natural oil but if you are putting in a lot of African American hair products, you need to wash your hair at least weekly to prevent build up. These products, especially grease, can clog your follicles and prevent growth. They also tend to coat the cuticle and prevent it from opening. If it can't open, your natural oils will not be released and you will have dry scalp.

Applying conditioner, instead of grease will repair the damage caused by the shampoo. In fact, some people only co-wash their hair. This means that they only wash their hair with conditioners. You can add essential oils for hair to conditioners or directly on your hair for more moisture and protection.

Hot oil treatments are heat activated conditioning oil formulas that penetrate the cuticle. (The cuticle is clear layer that covers the hair shaft.) Black hair thrives on natural oils and they can be effective in any healthy hair regime.

Grease and pomades should not be a part of any African American hair care regime. They work against you for the reasons stated earlier and they are hard to wash out. Instead, select a great moisturizer and MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, and MOISTURIZE some more.

Use caution when you are reading black hare care tips on the web and read the ingredients on all products before you purchase them. Learn which ingredients help your hair and which ones cause damage. Play close attention to the products that are made for relaxed hair and those that are made for natural black hair care.

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