One
of the more popular trends within the African American community is to be
natural, meaning discontinuing the use of chemicals that alter the hair's
natural texture. Although this is a great way to maintain a healthy hair
lifestyle it does take a lot of work (I've tried, and epic-ally failed).
And there is also the notion, more so a myth that unless you rock your natural
hair and resort to chemically processing your hair, then your hair isn't as
healthy as it should be, or not healthy at all...is this true? Well I am
here to say absolutely not and I will explain why.
First
and foremost there are pros and cons to being relaxed AND natural, but I
believe a lot of the myth, more so fears came after a popular movie among our
community, Good Hair by Chris Rock. This movie explored every dynamic of
"black hair" from weaves to beauty school, hair shows to the
perceived thought on why African American women even decided to straighten or
color their hair in the first place. And finally, the in depth look on
the process of "relaxing" one's hair by examining the chemicals that
are used and seeing firsthand the process. I will admit, this did scare
me too after hearing some testimonies on how some women are
"addicted" to it, and some women even experienced the breakage of
hair and acquiring scabs on their scalp from getting too many relaxers, but
that's the key phrase, TOO MANY RELAXERS. Getting a relaxer can be a
great thing, especially if you have hair that is very hard to manage in its
natural state and you just don't want to put in the effort to maintain it
yourself, you just have to make sure you do it in moderation, and here are the
steps on how:
Get
a PROFESSIONAL to apply your relaxer!
I
can't tell you how many times my hair has been so f’ed up because I was so
eager to get my hair relaxed, so I let my mom, or my cousin, or a friend
do it to avoid the cost. Even though they may think they know what they
are doing, unless they are a licensed hair stylist, they are probably missing
key elements that could help your hair. If you have to pay a little extra
for someone who is really good, and takes care of your hair the way they should
then it is worth the investment.
Relax
your hair in moderation!
You
don't need to relax your hair every time you see the first sign of "new
gro" on your head. That's too many chemicals within a short period
of time which causes breakage, the stripping of your hair's natural oils, and
not to mention the risk of acquiring lesions and scabs on your scalp, that sh*t
hurts! I suggest a time frame anywhere from 4-12 months in between each
relaxer, it gives your hair time to breathe, regain those oils, and a chance to
grow!
Find
protective hairstyles
If
you get a few protective hairstyles that are easy for you to maintain, you can
easily go without a relaxer for up to a year! For me I have a routine
where I rod my hair with cold rods, and then I end up doing a few sew ins and
then I save my braids for last. Once I leave my braids up for 4-6 months
and take them out it's been close to 11 months since I had my last relaxer.
By doing that, you make sure you have trained your hair to be able to
take the chemicals in the relaxer properly so you can see all of the benefits
with the finish product. Also make sure in between each protective style
(depending on the length you left it up for) get a professional to trim your
ends, this will ensure your hair is growing the way it should.
Reduce
the heat
Going
along with protective styles, it is important not to apply too much heat as
that can cause breakage. While you are
rocking your nice relaxed hair do, make sure to wrap your hair and hold it with
a silk scarf. This type of scarf won't cause your hair to dry out.
I also suggest getting a silk pillow case because if you're like me, you
sleep wild and that scarf is on the floor by the time you wake up. By
taking these simple steps you reduce your need to use heat. If you need
to use heat, get a bottle of heat protectant, which you can pick up at Walmart
or Walgreens, and apply to your hair before exposing it to the heat.
Wash
Your Hair!
Now
I know after you got your hair all nice and slicked back, you don't want to do
anything to mess it up, but at the same time we have to make sure our hair is
clean. It is recommended that you wash your hair once a week and use
moisturizing shampoo. This is especially important for anyone who is relaxed.
Any "sulfate" free shampoos are more geared towards are natural
friends, and from experience it leaves your hair hard, dry, and brittle which
can lead to breakage. Because of the relaxer, we have less of our natural
oils than someone who rocks their hair natural, so they have the luxury of
benefiting from a sulfate free shampoo.
Deep
conditioning is your best friend!
Deep
conditioning is the best thing you can do to your hair, especially when you are
relaxed. It simply promotes healthy hair by retaining the oils and
restoring the moisture to your hair. I suggest an overnight deep
conditioning about once a month, depending on your hair type. When you deep
condition you can add in oils such as olive oil or coconut oil since these are
natural oils that have great benefits, and smell good too. Wash your
hair, section your hair off, apply a generous amount of conditioner, de-tangle,
and let sit either overnight, or on a day where you can lounge around.
Then rinse in cool water and you will have the most soft and silky hair
ever!
What
if I want to add color?
If
you want to add color I suggest this. Start with a base color like a
black or brown permanent and then apply a semi-permanent (rinse) on top.
The reason I say this is because adding color to your hair is just like
adding an relaxer, it is a chemical and done excessively it can damage your
hair. And with coloring, it sometimes can be irreversible. By using
a base color and adding a rinse, you can change your color when you
want because the rinse is not permanent. For example, I will be
dying my hair back to all back, and then adding a semi-rinse of navy blue
streaks. This way I can still have my black but a pop of color that won't
damage my hair.
Vitamins +
Water = Healthy and Happy Hair
This is a tip anyone can use whether
relaxed or natural. Vitamins not only promote your body health, but can
be very beneficial to your hair as well. Biotin, which helps grow your
hair and fingernails is something I suggest taking on a daily basis, along with
your other daily vitamins recommended by your doctor. Another great thing
to do is to make sure to keep your body hydrated with water. When you
drink the recommended amount of water it helps your body keep in the proteins
and nutrients it needs in order to do what it needs to do, which means grow
your hair. I suggest getting the ever so famous VOSS Bottle, it's about
$2.50 at select retailers but it's worth the price. A glass bottle you
can re-use, and if you drink 2 and a half of those bottles, you would have
drank the amount of water you need in a day, and it's a great bottle for
detoxing!
Whether you choose to be natural or
relaxed is up to you! Please do not give into the trends if you're heart,
time, and money isn't into it, you're just putting your hair through a crazy
side chick type relationship. If you decide to go relaxed, or stay relaxed,
I hope these tips will help you achieve a healthier hair lifestyle while doing
so!
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