Hair Care During Harmattan
Hi guys. Today it’s all about harmattan and our hair. So we all know that the season is, dry and dusty. Cold too. This is not good for our natural hair. It tends to dry out our hair much faster and makes our hair look like straw or feel like sponges. Also it causes breakage and makes it difficult to maintain moisture because of how it dries out our hair so fast. So I’m gonna talk about how to take care of our hair during Harmattan and how to avoid excess breakage in this weather.
Cleaning/Washing: I advise we all stay away from shampoos this period. Cowashing should be your best friend. Do not shampoo hair cos it dries it out, instead cowash. Cowash helps retain moisture and will still give you a clean head of hair and still condition it and keep it soft. Cowash with warm water not cold because obviously weather is not nice. So cowash everyone.
Deep Conditioning: This is also important. As long as hair isn’t in any protective style, please and please deep condition once a week. This helps curb breakage and also keeps your hair healthy and away from the dangers of harmattan. You don’t have to do deep conditioning. If you don’t want to use store bought deep conditioners, you can make yours. Here are a few I learnt that are easy and fast.
1. Aloe DC: Aloe vera juice helps prevent and reduce breakage. Its best to use juice straight from the plant. Mix it with your favourite conditioner and olive oil. Mix, massage into hair, wear a shower cap, leave for 30 minutes and rinse out. Afterwards you pat dry and seal hair with your carrier oil, shea butter or a mixture of both.
2. Coconut milk DC: You can buy coconut milk (milk not oil). Or you can can make yours. Blend the edible part of the coconut with water, separate the chaff from the milky part and keep for a day. The next the milky part would be below and the water on top, pour the water out and use as a DC. Massage into hair, cover and let it sit for maybe an hour then rinse out and seal. Helps reduce drying out of hair and retains moisture.
3. Conditioner DC: Mix your conditioner with olive or coconut oil and a few drops of an essential oil (peppermint for example). Apply in hair, leave for 30 mins or an hour, rinse, seal and style.
Those are DC methods that help during these periods. And there are more of course.
Moisturizing and Sealing in Hair: After cowashing hair, use your leave in and then seal with mixture of olive oil and shea butter. I say olive oil because I noticed coconut oil dries out faster than olive oil, but you can use coconut oil if you please. Olive oil is more long lasting. Coconut, olive and jojoba are great for oiling the scalp. Also oils and butter are not moisturisers! They just make sure your moisturiser (store bought moisturiser, water, leave in) stay in your hair, that’s why they are called sealants. They are very important so you do not lose moisture because moisture is the foundation of what keeps our hair healthy and strong. Water is the best moisturiser by the way.
Spray Bottle: You should have a spray bottle with you. A spray bottle is where you have your water – oil – leave in – glycerin mixture. Its very essential in a Nathead’s life. You can have a small spray bottle so you take it with you wherever and you can spritz from time to time to re-moisturise your hair.
Head wraps: If you are feeling very lazy, head wraps are a great go-to. They prevent your hair from the harsh weather and retain your moisture. And at night, keep on your satin bonnet or scarf to prevent moisture loss while asleep.
Protective styles: This is was what I opted for because I am lazy. I don’t like stress. You can put on a weave, make box braids or faux locs or kinky twists or even have a wig on! I think a wig should fall under head wraps, what do you think? Or you can even do Ekaete style, make cornrows.
Weaves, make it hard to moisturise your hair properly so what I do is hot oil/prepoo treatment, detangle, wash, DC and moisturise hair properly a day before I install them in. That way there’s enough moisture for the 2/3 weeks I’d have them in. Occasionally I use my spray bottle to remoisturise (this should be a word).
For braids, you can always use your spray bottle and seal but just your roots, you can also clean the hair. You should also hot oil/prepoo treatment, detangle, wash, DC and moisturise properly and twist hair a day before you make the hair to protect it and also to make it easier for the hairstylist and yourself. Same with faux locs and kinky twists. Don’t wash your kinky twists if you’re keeping it for say 2/3 months, they can cause your hair to matte/mat but you can clean your scalp. Don’t even keep it on that long.
With wigs, you treat your hair the way you should in this weather, wear a satin cap and put on your wig. Don’t wear wig directly on hair. Cornrows make it easy to moisturise hair.
Always moisturise and seal hair. As frequently as possible. Don’t let your hair dry out. Take care of yourself and your hair more. Best to use butters to seal the moisture in.
If you have any questions please use the comments section below and also follow us on Twitter @kinkyparadiseng. I hope this post has been helpful. Until next time, peace love and beautiful hair!
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1 Comments
Great Info 🙂
We will review and take appropriate action.