Managing thick curly hair is a wild experience, but many do not know the process, the variety of textures, and how diverse hair types can be down to each individual strand. This series will dive into the life of afro-textured hair. We are going to talk about porosity levels, natural concoctions, and break down the spectrum of hair types. Today I will share the process behind my hair care journey.
When my hair has reached its breaking point and it is time to revitalize those curls, I go in for a wash day. Yes, I said wash day because the entire process is extremely time consuming and should not be rushed. I use mostly organic and natural products. Instead of washing with a typical shampoo that dries out my hair and causes a lot of breakage, I mix Premium Nature’s bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, and Nature’s Truth tea tree oil. The bentonite clay clarifies my hair and gently removes product build, the apple cider vinegar moisturizes my strands while leveling out the pH of my scalp, and the tea tree oil doubles as essential oil and an antibacterial so it purifies my scalp and gives it a fresh, clean slate. Shampooing is no longer a hassle because after using this mask my hair is soft, bouncy, and revitalized.
After shampooing, I condition my hair with Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus conditioner. This is an area that I have experimented with to find the perfect product because all products react differently with your hair. This conditioner provides amazing slip* and it makes my detangling process ten times easier. The tool I use to detangle is a wide tooth comb or my Denman brush, you could also finger detangle. It is important for girls with thicker hair to detangle in sections to ensure that they do not rip through your curls and cause breakage.
Next step in the process is deep conditioning. This step is my favorite step because I can feel the product working through my stands and providing intense moisture. I use TGINs’ (Thank God It’s Natural) Honey Miracle Hair Mask and place my shower caps on for about an hour. The shower caps allow heat to accumulate and the steam opens your hair cuticles, allowing the hair to soak up maximum moisture. Hair loves moisture and I love soft, vibrant curls so it’s a win-win.
The final step in the wash day process is styling. I use the LCO* or LOC method when it comes to styling my hair throughout the week. The acronym stands for the sequence you apply your liquid, cream, and oil into your hair. First, I make my spray bottle which typically consists of a mixture of water and my detangler gel. Second, after I have spritzed my hair, I apply my Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil leave in conditioner. Then finally I seal the moisture in with oil, which is usually coconut oil or something light like avocado or olive oil.
Many of the products can be purchased at Target or Sally’s Beauty (apple cider vinegar, the oils, shea moisture products). For the organic products like the clay mask and tea tree oil, I purchased the tea tree oil from Walgreens and the clay from Amazon.com. Overall, the products are inexpensive which is perfect for the bank account of a working college student. In the next installment of this curl-friendly series, I will break down the meaning of hair porosity levels and how that affects specific hair types and textures. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
*Slip: the elasticity of your hair
*LCO: Liquid Cream and Oil method