7 Tips for Natural or Relaxed Hair.

We are women of every colour on the outside but what goes in is always the same.

Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, but many women suffer from various conditions that rob them of optimum hair performance.

You are what you eat..

Experience Hair&Beauty Stylists and also Miss Congo UK Beauty Pageant Director Nadege Tshiobi offers us tips on how to care for your natural or relaxed hair for the sisters.

Natural Afro Hair

Chemical Processed Hair

 1. Leave the Chemicals to Professionals.
Have your hair relaxed in a salon or by a hair expert; the stylist will determine whether it’s healthy and strong enough to handle the chemicals in a perm.

If you dont know, leave it to the professional experts

Always seek professional advice before applying perm for the first time

Coloured, under-conditioned, or over-processed hair may not be ready for straightening and you will alleviate hair breakage from a “bad” or untimely relaxer. Professional/salon perms also offer various types and strengths of chemicals used to straighten the natural curl of African or Caribbean hair, that is not ofetn available in home perm kits.

Avoid over-processing you hair 

Examples of home kit perms

2. Invest on Organic Products.
Natural oils are a wonderful tool for making curly hair soft and shiny and enable you to avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals. Eating and applying the right diet can help promote strong growth and healthy hair. When it comes to healthy hair, it is not just what you put on your tresses that counts - it is what you put in your body too! Here are a few examples on what to take to promote healthy growth and skin (you can purchase them all at many leading food supermarkets, food markets and hair/beauty stores, just make sure they are *organic*):

Avocado/Avocado Oil

Coconut/ Coconut Oil

Grape/ Grape Seed Oil

Olives/ Olive Oil

Walnuts/ Walnut Oil

Salmon/ High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids

3. Sleep on Satin. Why? 
Cotton pillowcases have a rougher texture than their silk sisters, creating friction between the pillow and hair, which can cause hair breakage and cotton can absorb oil from the scalp which leads to drier hair. Silk or satin pillowcases and hair wraps (“wrap caps” or “head wraps”) retain moisture. For women with perms or pressed hair, wearing a satin or silk head wrap also helps flatten hair and keep your style neater for a longer time. Wrapping hair around the head alleviates unkempt edges and ends. Plus, satin pillowcases are hypoallergenic.

Satin head wrap

Natural hair ends keep its moisture

Example of satin head wrap

Choose to sleep on Satin Pillowcases

Results whilst sleeping on Satin Pillowcases, hair ends looking healthy.

4. Minimize Heat.
Limit the amount of heat from curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers as well as styling products. Heat removes essential moisture and can “fry” and damage hair. 

Avoid heat on processed hair

Examples of heated styling products

Avoid heavy heat on your hair

Avoid over heating/ *fry* hair, may cause hair to shred and damage ends.

 Instead, air dry hair,towel dry, use rollers, straw sets, or different braiding/twisting techniques to achieve desired curls.

Use hair rollers

Straw roller sets

Towel dry hair

5. Styling Can Be Stressful!!!

Not only is styling stressful for you, it can be stressful on your hair. Wear and tear is normal, but you can minimize damage by practicing protective styling. Dare to be adventurous, but be cautious when you suspect that the trendy look you love will damage your tresses over time.

Natural cornrows

Natural Fro'

Weave

Braided and Styled

Micro Cornrows

Relaxed and long

Twist-rows

Long box braids

Fringe/ Wavy weave

Daring cornrows

Maxi-Long Box Braids

Short and Cropped

6. Good Diet = Good Hair.

Hair follicles need nutrients to grow strong and healthy. Meals high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12 promote healthy hair growth. Drink plenty of water and take a multi-vitamin to supplement the nutrients you may be missing.

Natural oils

Balanced diet is the way forward to a healthy living

Eat lots of vegs/fruits

Dairy products is a good source of calcium, and also provide nutrients vital for your health to also promote health hair growth

 Protein, Dairy and Omega 3 foods are good for health hair growth.

 

Avoid purchasing cheap hair products as chemicals used to produce these products may be deadly against your hair/skin.

Do not forget to drink plenty of water and take a multi-vitamin to supplement the nutrients you may be missing.

Water is Good For You!!

Vitamins/Minerals

7. Rest.
Instead of regularly applying heat, chemicals, and other products to your hair, let your hair rest through protective styling – or a loose bun a few days a week.

Of course, there's more to your hair than what you eat. Smoking, hormonal imbalances, and not enough sleep can also affect how your hair looks and feels. No magic nutrient can make up for those concerns.
Still, you have a lot more leverage than you might think. If you eat a balanced, varied, protein-rich diet that focuses on the above 7 tips, you will be giving your hair the TLC it needs and deserves.
  
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