Beauty and the Pen: How to Care for Natural Hair

Dear Pennies & Pens, 

In this post, I am going to talk about how to care for your natural hair. I have been wanting to write this post for forever but just kept putting it off. But recently, quite a few people have been telling me how much my hair has grown and it’s because I created my own natural hair routine. So now I’m ready to share tips and tricks on natural hair care to help others. 

First, I want to make it clear that I’m not officially a natural hair care professional. However, I have been natural for over 15 years and so I have learned a thing or two from trial and error. That said, in this post Beauty and the Pen: How to Care for Natural Hair, I’ll be sharing natural hair care advice. 

1. Get educated – One of the biggest reasons why people damage their natural hair is they don’t know how to care for it. This is usually because of ignorance and lack of education. No offense, but so many Black, biracial and multicultural women have no idea how to take care of their natural hair.

Oftentimes, we spend so much time straightening our hair with relaxers, blow dryers, straightening combs or flat irons that we never learn how to actually work with our natural curly hair. Many women say their hair is thick and unmanageable but this is because they’re trying to do things styling wise that they aren’t actually supposed to be doing. 

Prime example is combing their hair. You are not supposed to comb natural hair unless wet with conditioner in it or if you’re doing a hot oil treatment and wet your hair first. Do not ever comb or brush curly natural hair while dry! All you’re going to do is pull out your hair and it’ll hurt. Then you’ll be mad and frustrated and next thing you know you’re relaxing your hair again or straightening it with a flat iron “so you can get a comb through it” but again, I repeat you were dead wrong in the first place sis. #SorryNotSorry 

For those worried about your hair being tangled, note that natural curly hair especially if it’s thick and spiraly like cotton (my hair texture) or coarse like wool will almost always have tangles no matter how or when you comb and brush it. That’s because the curls are so thick that as soon as you comb or brush your hair, the curls re-combine creating a brand new “tangle”. I’ve seriously noticed this with my own hair, it’s impossible to keep it tangle free. 

I do believe that you should comb and brush your natural hair but again only when wet with conditioner in it or wet with a hot oil treatment. And on a day to day basis, just tease it with your fingers to create a style. Also use essential and carrier oils to keep it moisturized. Moisture is crucial to helping natural hair grow and stay healthy. 

Last, read as many books as possible on natural hair care. I understand that there’s plenty of YouTube videos but I’m old school. To me there’s nothing like reading a good book and educating yourself. 

My first book recommendation is Textured Tresses by Diane Da Costa. In this book, Diane offers an amazing breakdown of natural hair textures and types. She also gives advice on how to care for and style your natural hair. It’s an amazing book and my go to resource!

My next recommendation is No Lye! The African American Guide to Natural Hair by Tulani Kinard. It’s also an excellent book filled with plenty of information on natural hair care. I especially like the chapters that offer advice on what types of foods to eat and essential oils to use. There’s also an amazing chapter dedicated to caring for a child’s hair. It’s a must have book! 

2. Determine your hair type and texture – In the first point, I talked about getting educated. Now at this point, I’m saying that you should determine your hair type and texture. After you read books and do research, you’ll find that people discuss different types of hair textures. So in order to care for your hair properly, you need to first figure out what type you have. Do you have wavy, loose curly, spirally like cotton or tightly coiled like wool hair? 

3. Get products for your hair type + texture – Once you have determined your hair type and texture, you should get products that match it. Basically, you should get products made for your hair type and texture. This way, your hair grows and is maintained properly. 

4. Create a routine – Develop a hair care routine. Meaning decide what day you will wash and condition your hair, when and how you’ll style it and how you’ll wear it at night (wearing a scarf or bonnet). Note it is a must to wrap your hair at night. 

5. Execute – Now that you’ve got the right products and routine, start executing for the next few months and see how things go. You may need to make adjustments along the way but at least you’ll be off to a good start.

6. Measure results – Once you find the right products and routine, measure your results by checking to see if your hair has grown, gotten thicker or fuller, looks healthier, etc. If you’re starting to receive compliments and people are noticing how good your hair looks, then you’re on the right track. 

I hope this post was helpful, Pennies & Pens! I know I went in but it’s because I’m so passionate about proper natural hair care. I want everyone to have beautiful hair and healthy hair is the way to achieve that. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 

And there it is. de la Pen…All Pen Everything. With us, keeping it real never goes wrong.