Shampooing hair

The biggest problem with afro/carribbean textured hair is the lack of washing the hair and keeping the scalp clean. Hair is prone to damage down to excessive treatment, even down to the way we dry our hair, this has an effect on the strands. What people don't know is that hair needs to be washed at least once a week to allow the scalp to be free from oil build up and free for healthy new growth to push through.

Treating the hair with care while washing and drying is essential and here are some tips:

If you have hair 1-5 inches long make sure to shampoo and condition the hair without manipulating the scalp too much (this can cause breakage). Make sure to towel blot the hair making sure not to harshly rub the hair as this also ruins the hair strands. To take out any knots use fingers and then along with a hair strengthener and your favourite oil product, comb the hair with a wide tooth comb. Air drying the hair is the best way to seal in moisture and is also the natural way decreasing the damaging effect from un-natural heat drying.

With hair longer than 5 inches the best way to tackle the hair without the hair shedding is to do chunky plaits in the hair prior to washing it. Mix about 2 cap-fulls of shampoo to a bowl of warm water and stir. In the shower or bath, pour the diluted shampoo on the plaits, shampoo the hair by squeezing the plaits and rinse the hair by pouring clean water and squeezing the plaits (make sure not to manipulate the scalp while washing as this leads to breakage). While the plaits are still in, apply a conditioner to the hair, this will untangle the hair leaving it easier to comb through. Take each plait out at a time and comb the hair through, rinse the hair making sure to re-do the hair after each individual plait. When all plaits have been taken out, combed, rinsed and re-plaited, take out all the plaits. Apply a hair strengthener along with your favourite oil product and then comb the hair with a wide tooth comb, Air drying the hair is the best way to seal in moisture and is also the natural way decreasing the damaging effect from un-natural heat drying.