Hair and Skincare Routine that an African-American Should Follow

 

Every person’s hair and skin is different in texture and appearance and therefore requires a different care and maintenance routine. The hair of the African Americans is delicate and could easily fall prey to damage and injury. They have a wide variety of texture and most of them come up with the common concern of dry hair and thus they apply a lot of greases to make it look shiny but there is more chance that you damage the hair with its application.  On the contrary, healthy and natural African hair can appear healthy and smooth.

 

Another concern that is the part of the everyday life of an African-American is that it is too curly and frizzy. Do not ever go for the chemical process to straighten them.  Treating these kinds of hair with the utmost care and as gently as possible.  As the structure of the hair is very complex therefore it is difficult for oil to make its way to the scalp and nourish it. This causes too much of tangles leading to their breakage.

Apart from that the skin of an African-American is too dry and so it should also be taken care of. It is good to apply a thick lotion on the skin to keep away the dryness and Cocoa butter can be a good option to explore.

There are some skin and hair care tips for African-American that should be kept in mind when it comes to taking care of them properly.

Tips to take care of African-American skin

1.    Cleanse and moisturize daily: After a good shower cleanse and moisturize your hair to make it supple and soft.

2.    Always wear sunscreen: Sun exposure can be a cause of dark spots and can aggravate the situation if you already have them. So it is always good to apply sunscreen

3.    Treat hyperpigmentation: Treatment for hyperpigmentation is really essential as it can darken your existing spots. Go for the specialized afro beauty products to get rid of it. 

4.    Treat acne as early as possible: Use oil-free products so that the condition of acne does not occur but in case you have it treat it early.

5.    Eat a balanced diet: Avoid processed and oily food and try to take fruits and vegetables, food rich in protein, healthy fats like nuts and olive oil and whole grains.

Tips to take care of African-American hair

1.    Wash your hair once a week or taking a week leap. This will prevent the hair from drying out with the excess use of chemicals.

2.    Use a mild conditioner. After every wash condition your hair till the ends as they are very fragile

3.    Use a good hot oil treatment two times in a month. For additional moisture and elasticity, good hot oil treatment is a must for your hair.

4.    Style your hair after using heat protecting product. Adding a heat protecting product to wet hair before styling can be of great help in minimizing heat damage.

5.    Be cautious while using relaxers. It is always good to minimize hair damage and to ensure that the relaxer is applied safely. Always go to a professional hairstylist if you are planning o go for a relaxer. Touch-ups should be applied to newly grown hair and not to the hair that has already been relaxed.

6.    Press your hair using ceramic combs or irons.  Straighten your hair by using a ceramic comb or iron only once a week. Never use a straightening device that is too hot rather go for lowest possible temperature for styling your hair.

7.    Braids, cornrows or weaves should not be too tight. Too tight a braid, cornrow or weave can cause Pain equals damage.

 

Tools for maintaining African American hair

Making sure you have the right tools for essential your hair. 

·         Wide-tooth comb or brush that is specially crafted for African American hair.

·         Moisturizing and cream conditioner that is good for hair

·         Knot No More is a must for removing tangles, braids, twists, etc. that doesn’t damage the hair.

·         Deep conditioning once a month along with the HydraCap can be really useful.

·         Use sleep cap and  pillowcases made of satin

·         A Spray in case you want to spray some water to comb

 

Tips for combing African-American hair

 

·         Never use a comb on kinky hair while it is dry.

·         A good moisturizer can work its way out to provide elasticity to the hair and to reduce friction.

·         Make use of a wide-tooth comb or a detangling comb as a comb with teeth farther apart is better.

·         Never use bristled brushes because they tend to tangle and grab the hair.

·         Be patient and gentle while combing kinky hair.

How to comb

·         Create sections in your hair

·         Tie off the section that you are not working on.

·         Gently grasp the hair near the scalp and then comb the hair

·         Start combing gently near the roots and move up until your hair is free from all kinks

·         You can repeat this with other sections when you are done with it.

·         Tie that part and start with the next section.

·         Repeat the process until you are done with your hair.

Washing and conditioning tips:

 It’s good to wash the hair once a week and it can be extended during winters. Never wash your hair frequently as it can dry out your hair and for further protection use a mild shampoo.

·         Thoroughly massage the scalp while washing but be gentle on your hair

·         Absorb water with a towel rather than rubbing your hair vigorously.

·         For drying avoid heating products as much as possible

·         Air-dry your hair or go for a conditioning cap before drying the hair with forced hot air.

·         Apply the conditioner after shampooing your hair till the tips of the hair.

·         You can also use a hydra cap for about 30 min that penetrates into the shaft of the hair and make it soft.