Ever wondered why your natural afro hair can get so dry? Well, afro hair is very porous by nature. These open cuticles allow moisture to escape, leaving you with dry, fragile hair. Highly textured hair (known as afro coils) is also full of curls and bends, making it difficult for natural oils to reach each strand’s end. So, if you’ve chosen to wear your hair au naturel, it’s important to do everything you can to retain moisture. We’ve gathered 5 easy tips for keeping your afro hair feeling soft, supple, and super moisturized!
Protective Afro Styling
One little secret about protective afro styling: it helps to retain your hair’s natural moisture! A protective style is when the hair is secured with twists, braids, or buns. This method gives your hair a break, while also looking amazing. So, it’s a win-win! Just remember to continue moisturizing throughout. As a final note, your protective style should never put strain on your edges. For an easy and gorgeous flat twist tutorial, check out Chronic Curls’ vlog:
Pre-Poo Your Afro Hair
Never try rubbing shampoo into afro hair that hasn’t been pre-poo’d! A pre-poo, as it’s called, is when you massage natural oil into your scalp before shampooing. Coconut oil is a popular choice, but other hair-friendly oils work great too. The pre-poo helps to keep the shampoo from stripping away your hair’s moistures. It also promotes hair growth by stimulating the follicles. Shawnta from the popular YouTube channel Shawnta’s Way will show you how to perfect the technique below:
Try a Co-Wash
If your hair is feeling dry between wash days, why not try a co-wash? Co-washing is when you wash your afro hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. This method helps give your natural hair a boost of moisture, since fully soaking dry and damaged hair is ideal for prompting a total revival. Find out more about the importance of co-washing curly and afro from vlogger Alba Garcia of SunKissAlba:
Amp Up the Afro Moisturizing
Once-a-day moisturizing isn’t enough for everyone. If your curls feel dry and brittle by midday, then you need to amp up your game. We recommend using your cream-based moisturizer in the morning, then switching to a curl hydrating spray for lunchtime and bedtime. This improved regime should combat dryness without making your hair feel heavy or greasy.
Check out this all natural Afro Moisture haircare recipe by Vlogger The Natural Sistas. You can make this at home in 5 minutes!
Drink More Water
If all else fails, your afrohair could feel dry because you’re under-hydrated yourself! So, invest in one of those 1 L water bottles and start drinking in that H2O. Water doesn’t have to be boring either. Cucumber slices, fresh berries, and mint leaves can be added for a flavour boost.
Hear about how water affected GlamFun's natural afro hair.
Remember, it’s important to find what works best for your unique hair. Everyone’s afro hair reacts differently. We’re all on separate hair journeys, coming together to share our wisdom and experiences with each other. Do you have any fail-proof tips? Leave them in the comments section below! Don’t forget to sign up for Grass-fields’ super stylish newsletter and why not follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube. So we can share our top tips with us on hair, beauty and African fashion.
Want more tips for Afro curly hair? Check out 7 Natural Ingredients for Afro Hair Care That Can Be Eaten!