How to keep your natural hair nourished

If you have just gone natural after having relaxed hair for a long time, get out of the mindset of dealing with relaxed hair.

The way you treat relaxed hair is not the way you treat natural hair. A good number of women are now wearing their hair natural. Unfortunately, many do not know that even in its natural state, the hair still needs to be nurtured.

what do you do to keep it healthy?

Feed your hair: Just like your body is a reflection of what you eat, your hair too, reflects the same. You should thus eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and drink a lot of water. What’s more, always apply oil to your hair half an hour before you wash it.

Be choosy: Always use reputable hair products. Even though it is natural, always use a conditioner after you shampoo your hair.

Avoid heat: You want your hair to stay natural, so do not blow dry it as this may damage it and heat damage is irreversible. Let your hair dry naturally. If, for some reason, you must straighten your hair, ensure you use a heat protectant.

Keep it moisturised: Your hair craves moisture in its natural state. The best source of moisture for your hair is water. Keep hair moisturised between washes by ensuring you wet it at least once a week. Mix some leave-in conditioner in a spray bottle with water and finish with some oil to seal in  the moisture (such as castor oil), shake the mixture well then spray on your hair daily, if possible. Oil is not moisture. Your hair can only get moisture from water or products that have water as the highest ingredient.

And talking of washing; this does not mean you always shampoo the hair. Some shampoos contain chemicals that strip the hair of its natural oils, leaving it brittle and dry. Ask your hair stylist to help you choose the right shampoo when you have to do it.

Conditioning: Deep condition your hair once a week or every two weeks. A deep conditioner is a product that gives your hair more solid conditioning foundation than what regular conditioners can provide.

For better results with deep conditioning, add honey, shea butter, olive oil or any other natural oil you fancy to your conditioner. Once you apply this to your hair, cover it with a shower cap for 20 minutes under a dryer. You could also sit under the sun with the cap for an hour with a towel wrapped around your head on the cap.

When going to bed, wear a satin scarf or sleep on a satin pillowcase. Cotton is known to draw moisture from the hair.