Style African Hair

While everyone should take good care of their hair, African hair requires extra care and attention. African hair tends to grow slowly, and since it has low water content, it also breaks easily. Whether you have natural or chemically-treated hair, properly care for and style your hair so that it is healthy and always looks its best!

Steps

Preparing Your Hair for Styling

1. Get the right hair products. Use products formulated for your hair’s texture. African hair can be straight, wavy, curly, or kinky. The products you use should contain natural moisturizers, such as olive oil or shea butter.
   • Avoid shampoos and conditioners that contain parabens, phthalates, or petrochemicals. Beware common ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate as these are basically detergents that will strip moisture from your hair.
   • When washing a child’s hair, use age-appropriate products. Use gentle shampoos and conditioners that are moisturizing and tear-free.
2. Wash your hair. It is important to wash your hair every 7 to 14 days.First, wet your hair under the facet or with a spray bottle. Squirt or pour a dime to a quarter-sized drop of moisturizing shampoo into your hand. Lather and apply directly to your scalp. Rinse your hair with warm water. Always follow shampoo with a rinse-out-conditioner. Massage a generous amount of conditioner into the shafts of your hair--avoiding the roots and scalp. Allow the product to soak before rinsing with cold water. Squeeze out excess water.
   • If your hair is excessively dry, just condition it instead. This is known as “co-washing” or “no-pooing.” It is ideal for curly and straight hair types. When co-washing, select a cleansing conditioner specifically formulated for no-pooing.
3. Prevent frizz. After you wash and condition your hair, gently pat the hair with a towel to stop the dripping. Microfiber towels work best. Never rub a towel against your hair, this will result in frizz and damage.
4. Apply a leave-in-conditioner. Squeeze the leave-in-conditioner into your hand and coat your hair in a nourishing and moisturizing product. This will help to seal the moisture into your hair and leave it feeling soft. Leave-in-conditioners help to detangle your hair, while allowing you to manage frizz or flyaways.
   • Look for products with natural moisturizers, like avocado oil and shea butter.
   • Skip this step if your hair is very fine or excessively oily.
5. Deep condition your hair. Applying a deep conditioner will improve the look and feel of dry or damaged hair. Before stepping out of the shower, rinse your hair with hot water. Squeeze out excess water. Apply the product to your damp hair. Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up the shaft. Avoid applying the product to your scalp. When your hair is saturated, cover your head with a plastic cap. Activate the product with a heated plastic cap, a blow-dryer set on low, or a hood dryer set on low. Apply heat for 10 to 30 minutes. Remove the cap and rinse your hair in cold water to close the cuticles.
   • You may deep condition your hair anywhere from twice a week to two times a month.
   • There are two types of deep conditioning treatments, a moisturizing treatment and a protein-based treatment.
   • Always search for a product with a high pH, which will help open your cuticles.
6. Detangle your hair. Starting at the nape of the neck and working your way toward the forehead, part your hair using the end of a "rat-tail" comb or your fingers. Separate your hair into 2-inch by 2-inch square sections. Gently comb each section to detangle it. Apply a very small amount of your favorite hair oil to each section as you comb it.
   • Be careful--when hair is damp, it is very fragile. If needed, use a spray bottle filled with water to re-wet hair, as dry hair is more difficult to manage and detangle.
7. Dry your hair. When drying your hair, choose from one of three methods. If you have natural hair, hair that is not relaxed, and do not intend to straighten your hair, air-drying is the ideal method. If you have relaxed hair, dry your hair with a soft bonnet or hood dryer--air-drying will leave your hair shapeless and without a healthy sheen. Blow drying your natural hair will leave your locks looking smooth and shiny. Before subjecting your hair to the heat of your blow dryer, always apply a heat protectant.
8. Straighten your hair. After bonnet drying or blow drying your hair, straighten your hair with a flat iron. All types of hair maybe straightened--from wavy to kinky. You can even use a flat iron to add sheen to relaxed hair! Apply a heat protectant spray that moisturizes your hair. Starting from the back of hair and working forward, gently part the hair into {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} thick parts. Use the straightener on each section. Move the wand in smooth, quick motions. Spritz shine spray on your straightened hair to finish the process.
   • Use a high-quality ceramic flat iron. Make sure you use a tool that lists its temperature--this will allow you to monitor and control the heat.
   • When using a straightener on relaxed or color treated hair, heat the wand to a temperature between 280°F to 320°F.
   • When straightening wavy, curly, and kinky hair, set the flat iron to a temperature between 300°F to 350°F.

Relaxing Your Hair

1. Prep your hair for the treatment. Three to 5 days before using a relaxer, clarify your hair. Shampoo your hair to get rid of products built up on your scalp. You may use a shampoo with sulfates, which will leave the hair extremely dry, or a shampoo without sulfates. Follow the shampoo with a rinse-out-conditioner and a protein based deep conditioning treatment.
   • For hair that has minimal breakage, use a light protein based treatment. A reconstructive hair mask is a great option. For hair with moderate breakage, apply a product that contains a lot of protein--look for keratin and amino acids on the ingredients list.
2. Base your scalp. Divide your hair into four equal sections, parting your hair in the center and then from ear to ear. Keep each section separate with four hair clips. Put on rubber gloves. Part one of the sections into thin sub-sections. Place the nozzle of the scalp basing gel bottle directly on your scalp. Apply thin strips of the product to each little part. Continue until you have completed all of the sections. Trace the tip of the base gel nozzle around your hairline, applying thin strips of gel. Don’t forget to cover the nape of your neck and behind your ears! Squeeze some of the gel into your gloved hand. Massage the product into each section.
3. Apply the relaxer. Place a towel around your shoulders. Beginning with one of the back sections, divide the hair into 1 inch horizontal sub-sections. Put on rubber gloves. Dip the applicator brush into the relaxer. Start at the scalp and coat each side of the 1 inch sub-sections with the product. Do not apply the product past the line of demarcation--the point at which new growth meets previously relaxed hair. Repeat until each section is complete.
   • Apply the product quickly--do not spend more than 5 minutes per section.
4. Massage in the product. With your gloved hands. comb through the hair coated in the product with your fingers--do not pass the line of demarcation. Comb and smooth the product into your hair until the line of demarcation vanishes. This may take up to 10 minutes.
5. Rinse your hair with warm water. This should remove the majority of the chemical product. Apply the neutralizing shampoo and conditioner supplied in your kit. Rinse out the neutralizer and repeat. Remove the excess water from your hair with a fresh towel. Deep condition your hair, letting the product soak in for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse your hair and apply a leave-in-conditioner.

Coloring Your Hair

1. Prep your hair for the treatment. One to two weeks before dyeing your hair, apply a protein based treatment. Do not wash your hair the day before or the day of your treatment. This will result in the removal of your natural hair oils. Your hair will be left dry and prone to damage.
   • For hair that has minimal breakage, use a light protein based treatment. A reconstructive hair mask is a great option.
   • For hair with moderate breakage, apply a product that contains a lot of protein--look for keratin and amino acids on the ingredients list.
2. Choose the right product for you. There are five types of hair dyes to choose from. If you are looking for short-term color, try a color rinse or a temporary coloring product. Semi-permanent coloring products are a great chemical free option--the color will last longer than a color rinse or a temporary coloring product. Demi-permanent products have a small amount of peroxide, which sustains the color through 24 washes. Permanent hair dyes contain ammonia and peroxide. The strong chemicals allow the color to last for a long time!
3. Dye your hair. You may either have a professional color your hair at the salon or you may do it yourself at home. Either way, always follow the instructions!

Styling Your Hair

1. Dreadlock your hair. Dreadlocks are fashionable and work well for both men and women. There are several different types of dreadlocks to choose from including finger twists and freeform dreadlocks. Finger twists are achieved by sectioning the hair into equal 1 to 2 inch parts, twisting each section with beeswax or gel on your fingertips, and clipping sections together to prevent unraveling. Freeform dreadlocks are created through neglect--do not wash, moisturize, or comb your hair for 2 to 3 weeks to allow your hair to lock on its own.
   • When caring for dreads, shampoo and condition your hair every three weeks using products designed for dreadlocks. To combat growth of bacteria between washings, wipe dreads and scalp with an astringent-soaked cotton ball or pad.
   • Moisturize locks using natural oils or oil-based products. Wrap your locks in a satin cloth while you sleep to maintain moisture.
   • Short dreads are easier to maintain than long dreads.
2. Don a well-coiffed afro for a natural look! Because afros are subject to dryness and damage, shampoo and condition your hair once a week with moisturizing products. Once your hair has dried, comb it with a wide-toothed comb, pick, or use a brush with natural bristles. Gently comb your afro into tufts--one in the front, two on each side, one on top, and a few in the back. Combing and brushing will help spread the natural oils secreted by your scalp through your hair. If needed, apply oil to your hair.
   • Add pretty and decorative combs, hair clips, and artificial flowers to accentuate your style.
3. Try a weave or extensions. When getting a weave or extensions, artificial hair is added to natural hair to improve natural hair’s appearance and combat hair loss in certain areas. While you should always have a professional put in a weave, you and your friends can experiment with putting extensions in each other’s hair. There are several different techniques to choose from:
   • For a natural look, put in the extensions strand by strand. This time consuming method requires between 50 to 100 strands. Extensions may be attached using bonding, clamping, shrink tubing, or micro tubing.
   • Weft extensions are long tracks of hair. The hair is attached together at the top and freely hanging at the ends. They may be attached by several different methods including micro rings or glue. They may also be sewn into your hair.
   • Taped weft extensions are newer. At the top of the extension, a piece of double sided polyurethane tape holds the hair together. To attach it, one side of the tape is placed on the scalp. The extensions and your hair are then pulled up and another taped weft is placed underneath.
   • If you are looking for a temporary change, try clip on extensions. Simply clip the extension in place and unclip them when your day is done.
4. Try a box braid. If you are transitioning from processed to natural hair, try a box braid. After washing and detangling hair, part your hair 1 inch above the nape of your neck. Clip the hair above the part up and out of the way. Divide the hair below the part into 1 inch square sections. Braid each section from the roots to the end. Secure the ends with a snap-free rubber band or a clip. Continue parting your hair into 1 inch sections until all of your hair is braided.
5. Cornrow your hair. Cornrows are a great choice for men or women. Detangle your hair. Determine how large you would like your cornrows and divide your hair into even sections accordingly. Small sections will result in smaller cornrows. Choose a section, divide it into 3 parts, and begin braiding it at your hairline. As your proceed towards the end of your hair, gradually add more hair to each part. This will attach the braid to your scalp. After adding all remaining hair to the 3 parts, continue to braid the hair as normal. Secure the ends with a snap-free rubber band or a clip. Repeat this process until each section is complete.
6. Try a twist. Depending on the texture of the hair and the amount of time you have, you can twist your hair. Clip or pin the ends of your locks while wet; dry hair under a hood dryer or leave overnight. Take your twists out to create small, spiral curls. Some twists will hold for about two weeks. Twists can also be left in and worn out. However, do not leave twists in the hair for more than two weeks or twists may become dreadlocks.
7. Try a close shave or total shave. The close or total shave is a great hairstyle for men and women. It can be both laid-back and sophisticated. It is extremely low maintenance too! If your hair is very damaged or over-processed, start fresh with a cleanly shaven head. For a close shave, use a pair of electric clippers with a guard. Determine your desired length, select the appropriate guard, and evenly shave the excess hair from your head. When shaving your head completely, use an electric clippers without a guard or a razor to remove your hair.
8. Try heated curlers. Heated curlers are an excellent way to style your hair. They come in a variety of sizes and lengths and can be purchased at your local beauty supply store. Heated curlers take about 20 minutes to use. Put them in your hair before starting the day. Part the hair using the tail of a rat-tail comb, and apply the curler in a pattern that is pleasing to you.
   • For longer hair, you can put the curlers around the edges of the hair only, or use them to create bangs.
   • For shorter hair, it is best to use the curlers throughout the entire hair. Place curlers in straight lines from back to front. Once the curlers cool, remove them, and use a pick to gently move the hair into a pleasing style.
   • Experiment with heated curlers until you find the best and most pleasing look.

Tips

• Use coconut oil to strengthen and moisturize hair.
• Using Argan oil is a great way to strengthen and add shine to your hair.
• Wash your hair every once in awhile, and be sure to use oil after.
• Textured hair can be fragile, so be gentle when styling it.
• When sleeping, make sure that you put on a satin cap on the hair so that it doesn't frizz or loosen curls. Leave the cap on overnight. If the satin cap causes excess perspiration, use a satin pillowcase instead. These are usually available in an array of colors in the bedding sections of department stores or at beauty supply stores.
• Use hair cream to add shine.
• Avoid using gel. If needed get one suited for YOUR hair and not any cheap one since that will lead to hair loss and breakage.
• Adding color such as browns, reds, or blondes to the ends of the hair can give any style a playful boost.
• Do not over-treat your hair. Perms, hair relaxers, and hair color products are a great way to enhance your style, but remember that chemicals weaken your hair.
• If you color and relax your hair, never do both on the same day. After relaxing your hair, you must wait two weeks and one hair wash before coloring your hair.

Warnings

• If you have chemically-treated hair, always consult with your hairstylist before trying different products or hair-styling tools.
• Always get chemical treatments at a salon, and always follow your hairstylists advice.

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• Nourish and Manage African American Hair
• Dye African American Hair

Sources and Citations

• Videos provided by Healthy Afro Hair

See also

• Do Ghana Cornrows
• Detangle African Hair
• Grow African American Hair
• Take Care of Black Girls' Hair
• Care for Damaged African Hair
• Take Care of Relaxed African Hair
• Grow African Hair Faster and Longer
• Maintain African Hair
• Moisturize African Hair
• Grow Long Hair if You Are a Black Female

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