Avoid Common Hair Care Mistakes
Related Resources Elsewhere on the Web Part 1
Common Mistakes Made When Caring for Ethnic Hair - Over-shampooing – Black hair should not be shampooed every day, or every other day for that matter. Instead, shampoo your child's hair every 5-7 days. I know this may confuse those who shampoo daily; however, you must remember that Black hair needs oil, and because it distributes less sebum, frequent shampooing can dry out the hair and scalp. Product recommendation: Try our Curly Qs Hydrating Shampoo. It gently cleanses the hair without stripping away essential oils and nutrients.
Tip for getting through "shampoo-less" days: Rinse hair with warm water, apply our Quenched conditioner, and rinse well. This will give you a clean start and provide added conditioning and moisture without stripping away protective oils.
- Under-conditioning - Proper conditioning is one of the most important steps for healthy hair. Unfortunately, most do not take the time to adequately do so. I recommend giving your daughter a deep conditioning (with heat) once a month, especially during the winter season. Product recommendation: Our Quenched conditioner works great... with or without heat.
- Using the wrong products – We've discussed the need for natural oils for Black hair; however, you must know that not all oil is good oil. One misconception that plagues African Americans concerning hair care is the use of grease. Grease (thick pomade-like product that usually contains mineral oil and/or petrolatum) is commonly used to moisturize dry hair and scalp. Do not use products that contain mineral oil or petrolatum. Both of these cheap oils clog pores, rob the hair's moisture, and can retard hair growth. Natural oils are the best bet. Jojoba and coconut oil are great conditioning oils. Shea butter is an excellent moisturizer. Avocado oil is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, potassium, and scalp-soothing sulfur. Curls and Curly Qs products contain all of these!
- Combing, detangling, and styling faux pas - To avoid pain, tears, and massive hair loss when combing out kinky hair, part the hair into four sections. Get a tight grip on the hair (not to hurt your child) and start combing at the bottom and work your way up to the top, section by section. If her hair is extremely thick and coarse, secure the combed out section with a pony tail holder to avoid further tangling. You should always use a moisturizer when combing her out hair, doing so will help to soften the hair and ease combability. Never use water to "wet" the hair! Product recommendation: Our Moist Curls moisturizer is a great choice!
Ponytails and Pigtails Girls and ponytails/pigtails seem to go hand and hand. Here are a few tips to avoid pigtail disaster:
- Do not use rubber bands to secure her ponytails, instead use elastics and covered bands. Rubber bands can cause undue breakage and damage.
- Remember to always remove the ponytail holders before bed time.
- Make sure you braid (or twist) the hair completely... all the way to the ends. Exposing the ends to environmental elements will guarantee split ends.
- I recommend adding a coat of leave-in conditioner to the ends before braiding for extra protection. Remember, the ends are the oldest and most fragile part of the hair. They require extra attention.
For futher information, Mahisha can be reached at mdellinger@curls.biz.
~Mahisha Dellinger
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