How to Protect Your Natural Hair This Fall
We've got 5 MUST KNOW Tips and Tricks to keep your hair
healthy and thriving during the Autumn months.
Colder air and windy days have approached. Now you're faced with the question, how do you keep your hair protected during this time? We've got some suggestions! With over 20 years of combined trial and error experience with Natural Hair Care and 3 children that have completely different Hair Types, We've experienced a thing or two. What works for one person, is almost sure not to work for another. That's why it's important to understand your hair's needs. General tip: stay away from trends and stick to proven methods. Trends tend to focus on a "Wow" factor that can otherwise be achieved with proper hair care.
Now, let's get into the good stuff!
Tip #1 - Put Down the Flat Iron
As tempting as it is to whip out your straightener and see how much your hair has grown over the summer, don't! While less than Summer, there is still too much moisture in the air that will work over-time to revert your straight hair back to curls. This will cause you to use additional heat just to maintain it, which will be accompanied by a side of heat damage. Instead, use heat-less stretching methods like banding with Satin Scrunchies, braids, twists, or bantu knots to protect your natural hair.
Tip #2 - Wash Scalp, Condition Ends
First, choose shampoo and conditioner specific to your hair situation. Do you have colored hair ? Thin hair ? Damaged hair ? Whatever the case, there is absolutely a combination made for you. Second, make sure you are concentrating your shampoo on the scalp and not putting it all over your hair like they do in movies. This is because shampoo is made to clean the scalp and it can cause breakage if pulled down the entire hair shaft. Lastly, apply conditioner only to hair, NOT scalp. Conditioners can clog the pores in your scalp so you don't want to put any there. Apply it to your ends, up to the middle of the hair shaft.
"Concentrate on cleaning primarily the scalp, rather than washing the entire length of hair." – American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD)
Tip #3 - Change up Your Products
It is important to adjust your hair products with different seasons because you need to add more moisture to your hair when there is less in the air and vice versa. In the fall, that means deep conditioning more often (1-2x/ month). It could also mean adding additional creams and/or oils to your regimen to maintain optimal moisture. Have you tried a hair porosity test? The types and heaviness of products you should be using depend on the porosity of your hair.
Porosity Test: Grab, from the root, one strand of clean hair. Place it in a clear glass of water. See where it lands.
Low Porosity - Closed cuticle. Hair does not easily absorb moisture so products tend to sit on top and can often weigh hair down. It can be hard for water to saturate hair and also take a long time for hair to dry. Steam is a great way to penetrate the hair shaft in low porosity hair.
Medium Porosity - Partially open cuticle, not closed. Hair products absorb easily into hair and stay there. Hair tends to look shiny or glossy. Daily maintenance is required to keep hair strong.
High Porosity - Very open cuticle. Hair absorbs moisture but also loses it very quickly. Breakage is common as well as dryness and frizz. Needs to be washed less often but deep conditioning should occur every other wash.
Tip #4 - Protective Styling
Autumn is a great time for a protective style. While we start to wear thicker fabrics like Canvas, Denim, Flannel, Suede, etc.. Hair will tend to get caught due to friction. A protective style is exactly what it reads, a style that keeps your natural hair protected. They will allow you to retain length and can contribute to growth if moisturized daily. Keeping your precious ends protected during the Fall should leave you with little to no breakage. A few examples are Braids, Wigs, Locs, and Twists.
Remember: Styles should not be too tight or pull on hair at the scalp.
Tip #5 - Accessorize like a Pro
Protecting your natural hair is all about choosing products that are made for it. Opt for Satin Scrunchies, Scarves, and Lined Hats. Believe it or not, there are accessories made with the health of your hair in mind. Hair tends to get caught in hat fibers due to friction of everyday movement. Satin Lined Accessories prevent this by allowing hair to glide across the surface. This can also reduce and eliminate frizz as the satin will smooth hair strands.
If you show love to your hair, it will love you back!
When it comes to hair care, you get what you give. Our hair may not be the most important thing in our lives but it deserves time, caring, & attention.
Protecting your natural hair during the fall months is not a one size fits all situation so hopefully you're able to pick and choose which tips work for you.
For Satin Lined Beanies and other Hair Protecting Accessories: Click Here.
Join the conversation! Comment below with how you protect your natural hair during the colder months.
