A lot of people don't think Nigerian hair can grow long and soft unless they are mixed or their hair is relaxed...that isn't true. Meet the girl who has the secret to making your natural hair long.
Nigerians can have soft and long hair too whether relaxed or natural.The problem is that we don't really know how to care for our hair type.
The Indians know how to care for their coarse straight hair (coarse being that their hair strands are thick ...people confuse coarse with 'the feel of the hair' not the strand thickness...your hair can be coarse and feel soft).
The Brazilians, the Chinese, the Caucasians all know how to care for their hair type but unfortunately many Africans don't know how to care for their hair.
They'll use products and methods suited for the hairtypes of other races ....and when their hair revolts by being hard, dry, break and such....they blame the hair....not the products or methods!
The key to growing soft, long Nigerian hair is this "NOURISH THE SCALP, STRENGTHEN THE HAIR".
Avoid products and methods that clog or dry out the scalp.
Avoid products and methods that damage the hair strands.
Most Nigerians have hair (in it's natural state) that is
-very coily
-fine stranded
-porous
which make it prone to dryness (reason for the hard to touch) and breakage (reason we don't have long hair).
Even if your hair is relaxed, it can't change the fact that our strands are much thinner and flatter than the straight hair of other races and the chemicals make our hair even more fragile.
Here are simple tips to grow Nigerian hair long and soft.
1.Nourish the scalp
-Natural oils and butters contains nutrients that nourish the scalp.
The scalp is the soil from which hair grows.
-Scalp massages with oils know to stimulate hair growth is beneficial not only to growing hair but also to growing stronger, healthier hair that can withstand styling and be less prone to breakage (which is the reason why one is stuck with one length forever!!!!)..
- Washing the scalp with harsh products dry it out leading to scalp problems and poor hair growth. So use good quality products.
The Indians know it. The Brazilians know it!
2. Strengthen and protect the hair:
- The hair that grows out of your scalp is relatively is not living tissue.Healthy, soft hair starts from the scalp.
- Because our hair is super coily, the natural oils on our scalp cannot flow down to the ends of our hair. (same thing even when you're relaxed. You can't get all the kinks out without damaging the hair).
So a light coating of natural oil daily helps lubricate and protect the strands and retain moisture.
- Speaking of moisture, dryness is the reason our hair feels hard to touch and the reason it breaks.
It's important to use hair products that draw moisture to the cortex of the hair strands keeping it supple, flexible, soft and less prone to breakage. (meaning more visible growth).
- Also don't rip through tangles with a comb (never use those blue rat tailed comb!)
Use a wide tooth comb and detangle from bottom to top as carefully as you would detangled your treasured Brazilian/Peruvian/Indian weave.
- If you're relaxed, make sure your hair is completely dry and oiled (I love coconut oil) before detangling. If you're natural, damp or wet detangling with slippery conditioner will save your length.
Here's a picture of my hair using the right methods and products for my Afro textured hair and I hope to grow it even longer!
My current products are
Shampoo : Keracare Cleansing Cream. It contains shikakai,neem seed oil,amla oil and argan oil. It's really gentle and doesn't strip your scalp or hair. I got this from Twentysix85.com
You can substitute with Creme of Nature sulfate free shampoo or Organics root stimulator creamy aloe shampoo..use diluted and on scalp only.
Conditioner: VO5 Strawberry and Cream conditioner or Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship or ORS Replenishing conditioner (love the fragrance)
Leave In Conditioner: Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream
Oil : Coconut oil, castor oil and palm kernel oil
Seal and styler: NappyGirl Pudding
Hair regimen
I'm currently following the Indian method of haircare to maintain the length of my hair and it's working really well.
Everyday, I apply a light coating of coconut oil to my hair after misting it with water (since I'm natural). If you're relaxed, apply to dry hair.
Then every three days I give my scalp amd edges a light massage with castor oil.
The night before wash day, I'll coat my hair with coconut and palmkernel oil completely saturating it. Then cover with a showercap and a scarf for bed.
On wash day, I'll shampoo with Keracare massaging my scalp then rinse.
Then I'll pour a 1:3 solution of ACV to my hair, wait for 5 mins then apply conditioner and rinse with cold water.
Blot dry with a microfibre towel or T shirt (prevents breakage).
Then I apply coconut oil, then Cantu , then NappyGirl Pudding in that order. If you're relaxed coconut oil to damp hair is fine.
That's it.
Don't do any tight style and always wrap your hair before bed to protect it at night.
If you feel your ends are dry, apply Cantu lightly and seal with coconut oil.
...culled from Nairaland
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