If I know something about us curly-haired girls, it’s this: we’re extremely protective of our hair. I also know that wash day is an absolute nightmare and that we hate comments like: “Your hair is so pretty and neat for an afro” (said by some middle-aged woman who straightens her own natural curls.) Us curly-haired girls have it hard out there, and it doesn’t help that our hair is already expensive to deal with.
Let’s be honest with ourselves: Type 4 Hair, in all its variations (A, B, and C), are hard to manage. They need more love and care than other hair types; with the shrinkage, dryness, porosity, and fragility alone it’s hard to handle. Just thinking about wash day, detangling and all the products required to achieve our end goal is frustrating. I know I’ve cried more than once before and during wash day.
That’s why I’ve created a step-by-step guide of my own hair care routine! My Type 4A Hair has gone through many products and detangling methods, so I could finally settle with this amazing routine; hair is left moisturized, soft, shiny and strong. You will fall in love with the results.
- Pick a day.
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In order to maintain healthy hair, you need to spend some time on it at least once a week. Select any day of the week, and on that same day every week, wash your hair. For example, mine is Sunday. Be sure to be completely free on the day you choose because your hair will need hours of your attention. The process of taking care of your hair should be practiced on a religiously strict schedule.
- Have Patience.
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Before going through your wash day nightmare, try some breathing exercises to relax (breathe in, breath out, and repeat.) You need to be mentally prepared to deal with those curls and coils. Patience really is key when it comes to Type 4 Hair.
The mere thought of detangling is enough to make us cry. If you fall into desperation instead of patience, odds are you’ll settle with just washing and conditioning (forgetting about the most important part: detangling.) “I can detangle my hair tomorrow,” you might say out of laziness. Don’t fall into that trap. You don’t believe yourself when you say this. This is a lot to ask, I know, but it must be achieved.
- Everything can be done in the shower… or not.
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This is pretty self-explanatory. Some people like to detangle and moisturize in the shower, while others don’t. The reason for the difference in preference, in my opinion, has to do with the many hours that are invested in our hair. It can be pretty uncomfortable to stand up for hours inside the shower, all while being wet. Some people think it’s convenient to go through the detangling and moisturizing process in the comfort of their rooms. When it comes to me, I prefer to do everything in the shower. It doesn’t matter if it takes me hours (2-3 hours, at least.)
The reason? It’s easier to detangle my hair when I have running water close by. If some tangled knot is being especially difficult, I can just put that bad boy under the water and brush with ease. As for the hair masque, it requires to be removed after several minutes. Hence, the benefits of running water and the showerhead.
You do you, though. This is about what makes you comfortable.
- Detangle your hair BEFORE shampooing.
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This, ladies (and curly-haired gentlemen,) is the best advice I can bestow upon you. Some of you must be reading this tip while thinking, well duh! Good for you if you already detangle before washing your hair. But—and I know this for a fact—we curly-haired girls absolutely hate detangling. I know that I hate it with a burning passion. So, I can imagine your surprise at reading that you have to go through this twice in one day. Yes, twice! Before and after washing your hair.
Are you currently asking yourself, why? It’s simple. Your hair is already tangled and knotted before washing, so shampooing it while in that state can create more knots and make your day even more difficult. Whereas, detangling before washing will make your second detangling session a breeze.
If you’re interested in the products I use to detangle and the way in which I do it, read along (tip #8).
- Start shampooing.
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After finally detangling your hair, do as the number of this tip tells you to and start shampooing! Washing your hair after a week can feel so refreshing and relaxing, wouldn’t you agree? For my hair, I use Cantu’s Shea Butter for Natural Hair shampoo and conditioner. Why are these products so great for natural hair? Well, unlike many other shampoos, it leaves my hair soft. This is a big deal for Type 4 Hair because, in most cases, shampoos leave our hair dry and frizzy. The great difference is that they don’t contain most of the chemicals that cause dryness, breakage, and frizziness (like, for example, sulfates, silicones, and parabens.)
- Apply hair masque.
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After shampooing (2-3 times), apply a masque on your hair. Unlike what many products indicate, having the audacity to tell you to apply a “dime-sized” amount to your hair, grab a generous amount and start massaging it on your hair. Be extra generous with your ends, as they’re more likely to get damaged. If you want, use a wide-tooth comb to distribute evenly from root to ends. The instructions on the container will tell you how long you should wait before rinsing. It can be anywhere from five to twenty minutes. I use this valuable time to shower.
For my hair, I use Shea Moisture’s Deep Treatment Masque. Why use a hair masque? Just think about all the benefits. First of all, it repairs dry and damaged hair. It also heals your hair, helps it grow and strengthens it. The masque I use doesn’t contain any damaging chemicals, so be sure to either get yourself this one or buy one without these chemicals (sulfates, parabens, silicones, etc.)
- Start conditioning.
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You know what to do! As mentioned before, I use Cantu’s Shea Butter for Natural Hair conditioner. Take your time and massage your scalp. Pay close attention to your ends. They get damaged easily, and no one likes split ends! After leaving the conditioner on your hair for a few minutes, rinse it off. Make sure that none of it gets left behind. Conditioners are an essential part of washing and nourishing your hair, but they can cause breakage if left as a substitute for styling lotions or leave-in conditioners.
- Detangle your hair AGAIN.
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The nightmare that looms over wash day. I start by dividing my hair into four sections, sometimes six. Just imagine four or six buns on my head. This makes detangling easier and less frustrating. Instead of taking your hair all at once, you have clean sections. Start by applying water (either by going under the showerhead or spraying it in the comfort of your room) and then cover the section you’re working on with your detangling cream. Choose a wide-tooth comb or a big brush to detangle each section. Go wild, like me, and use both!
Here’s what I do: I comb my ends first, and then stroke gently from the roots to the ends. That way, most of the knots will get easily untangled without tangling the other knots. After that, I comb through that section in search of any missing knots that were left behind. Since I mostly use leave-in conditioners for this, I don’t rinse the product off.
The products I use are these:
1. Shea Moisture’s Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner,
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7HZ_onpG0g/?igshid=msciz7mo3xf7
2. Afro Love’s Curling Puree (my favorite one),
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3mk9i7Ac27/?igshid=1ro9tcp43vz4a
3. Cantu’s Leave-In Conditioning Cream.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm_MjNmhQa_/?igshid=15vnsrjz6lqh3
- Style your hair!
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This is a matter of personal preference. You deserve to have healthy, shiny and defined curls! After all the trouble you went through to achieve such a flawless, disentangled result, you deserve to show them off. On top of the leave-in conditioners that I use, I also apply Shea Moisture’s Strengthen & Restore Styling Lotion for a perfect finish. Choose the lotion that best suits your Type 4 Hair.
Remember that detangling your hair is not exclusive to wash day. You should do it three to four times a week. My system consists of detangling one day, then leaving my hair as is the following day, and so forth. For example, if I do it on a Tuesday, I won’t do it on the following Wednesday. Thursday, yes. Friday, no. Here’s why: it’s not healthy to apply water to your hair every single day. If you know your hair well, then you must be conscious of the fact that Type 4 Hair, for the most part, can survive a day without brushing and will still look gorgeous.
Our love-hate relationship with our hair is inevitable, but make sure to give love to those beautiful curls, coils and afros. I hope these little tips of mine help you with your hair care routine and journey.