Natural Hair Tips for Thick Hair
Thick hair can be both a blessing and a challenge. It often requires unique care and attention to keep your hair healthy, manageable and hydrated.
Here’s 12 natural hair tips specifically for thick hair:
Moisturize regularly: Thick hair can sometimes be prone to dryness due to the difficulty of natural scalp oils reaching the ends. Use a good-quality, moisturizing conditioner after each shampoo and consider using leave-in conditioners to keep your hair well-hydrated.
Choose sulfate-free shampoos: Sulfates can strip your hair of natural oils, leading to further dryness. Opt for sulfate-free or mild shampoos that won't cause excessive drying. If you decide to use shampoos with sulfate be sure to use moisturizing products after.
Detangle with care: Use a wide-toothed comb or your fingers to detangle your hair gently and slowly, starting from the ends of your hair and working your way up to the roots. Avoid combing or brushing aggressively, as it can lead to breakage.
Deep conditioning treatments: Regular deep conditioning treatments can work wonders for thick hair. Consider using products with ingredients like marshmallow root, slippery elm, aloe vera, mango butter, shea butter, or honey (among a few) to add moisture into your strands.
Trim regularly: Even though thick hair can hide split ends well, it's essential to trim your hair regularly to maintain its health and prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft.
Avoid excessive heat styling: Minimize the use of heat styling tools like flat irons, as excessive heat can damage your hair. Embrace your natural texture whenever possible.
Protect your hair while sleeping: Use a silk or satin pillowcase or wrap your hair in a silk/satin scarf to reduce friction and prevent tangling while you sleep.
Eat a balanced diet: Proper nutrition plays a significant role in the health of your hair. Make sure you consume a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins to promote strong and healthy hair growth. I’ll have a blog post on this topic soon!
Limit washing frequency: Washing your hair too often can strip it of its natural oils. Aim to wash your hair every 7-10 days, or as needed based on your hair's specific needs.
Use a clarifying shampoo: To remove product buildup and excess oils from you hair and scalp, use a clarifying shampoo once a month or as needed. However, follow up with a moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioning treatment to replenish moisture.
Protect from the sun: Prolonged exposure to the sun can damage hair, so wear a hat or use hair products with UV protection when spending time outdoors. Believe it or not, there are UV protection hair products.
Choose the right hairstyles: Opt for hairstyles that don't put excessive stress on your hair. Avoid tight ponytails or hairstyles that pull on your hair too tight, especially around the perimeter of your hair because that can lead to breakage and hair loss and we don’t want that.
Bonus tip: Water is not the enemy. Use water to moisturize your strands. This can be between washdays daily or whenever you feel your hair needs a little pick me up. This has been a game changer for me when returning natural.
Remember, everyone's hair is different, so feel free to experiment with these tips to find what works best for your specific hair type and needs. Patience and consistency are key to achieving healthy, beautiful, moisturized, happy hair.
xoxo Charrisse
