Care for Straight Hair
Do you find yourself not being able to care for your straight hair, even if it may seem easy for others? If you have straight hair, but don't know how to care for it, you're in the right place, so read on.
Contents
Steps
Regular Straight Hair
- Brush out your hair so it is tangle free before you get it wet, or else it will get even more knotty.
- Rinse your hair thoroughly.
- Pour a shampoo the size of a quarter into your hand, and foam it up by rubbing your hands together. Work the shampoo into your hair, scrubbing the scalp with your fingertips and being careful not to snarl the ends too much (i.e. piling it up on top of your head). Hair should not be shampooed daily. Twice a week if you can or every other day. If you have oily hair, try not to scrub the scalp. This causes an overproduction of oil.
- Condition your hair. A good conditioner will help keep your hair healthy and will make it easier to untangle after shampooing. If you have dry hair you will need to use a moisturizing conditioner. However, if you have oily hair you should use a basic conditioner on your ends only, to help prevent over conditioning.
- Keep a wide-toothed comb in the shower and comb through your hair before you rinse the conditioner out.
- Rinse the conditioner out completely; being extra careful to not snarl the ends.
- Blot the hair with a towel, and comb it out once more.
- Have a hair stylist cut your hair every four to six weeks to remove any split ends. Straight hair is probably the most prone to split ends and should be treated gently (see the Tips section).
Super Thick, Stiff Hair
- Wash it every other day. Since thick hair traps a lot of sweat and grime inside, it needs more attention than other types of hair. However, washing it every day will strip out its moisture immediately.
- Use a shampoo you trust. Make sure it helps you. If you don't have dandruff, buying dandruff shampoo would be a waste. Some cheap yet good brands are Herbal Essences, Clear, Head and Shoulders, Pantene, Loreal, and Tresemme.
- If your hair is dry, you would love any shampoo with argan oil.
- Use conditioner to keep your hair soft and luminous. Most shampoos have a matching conditioner, but if there isn't, buy one that helps your hair. Let the conditioner sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off to let it take full effect on your hair.
- Personalize your shampoo by adding natural substances to it. Natural honey can be mixed with your favorite shampoo for a healing, protecting shampoo.
- Comb it and brush it to keep it tangle free and shiny. Comb it first to free the tangles and undo the knots. Then you should brush it to give it shine and volume. Always carry a comb and/or brush with you in case your hair gets messed up.
- Protect your hair.
- Avoid getting sweaty or exposing your hair to direct sunlight. That will make it dry and frizzy and will give it additional grime.
- When swimming, put your hair in a swim cap to protect it from harmful chemicals such as chlorine.
- Get your hair trimmed every 3 or 4 months to prevent split ends. However, ONLY get it trimmed 1/2 or 1 inch. You don't want to lose your precious locks.
Tips
- Protect your hair from the sun by wearing a hat or looking for hair products that contain sunscreen.
- Try using a swim cap when you swim to prevent chlorine damage.
- Avoid hair altering chemicals as much as possible.
- Look for hair friendly hair ties- ones without metal connectors. Those sold by Goody are particularly well-made. Wear your hair in a braid if you want to decrease snarling.
- Blow dry your hair no more than two times a week. Blow drying and straightening are damaging to the hair. Try to use the coolest setting.
- Add a few drops of honey to your conditioner to make it extra moisturizing.
- Try not to brush your hair. Brushing the hair can cause split ends and damaged hair.
- If you have poker straight, stick hair, it is better to use combs because brushes will have no effect on your hair.
Warnings
- Never brush wet hair as it causes to much stress on the hair, use a wide tooth comb instead when 90% dry.
- Do not wring your wet hair with a towel. Only comb wet hair when it is slick with conditioner to prevent tangles. You may want to do this in the shower before you rinse the conditioner out, or right after the shower after applying a hair mousse or leave-in conditioner.
- While shampooing and conditioning your hair, do not ever rub your hair between your hands in a circular fashion. Unless you are trying to create dreadlocks, this is the easiest way to create tangles.
- Don't brush and comb too often or you will cause your hair to break and fall off. You will also make additional split ends.
Things You'll Need
- Wide tooth comb
- Brush
- Towel
- Conditioner
- Shampoo
- Hair ties
- Water
- Heat Protectant (If you blow-dry or flat iron your hair)
- A good memory: don't forget when in the shower!
