Hair Care For Afro-textured Hair – For people with afro-textured and curly hair, the hot temperatures that go hand in hand with the summer months can be hellish.
But thanks to curls finally being given the attention they deserve in the beauty industry, the process of dealing with unruly coils in warmer climates is getting easier.
Hair Care For Afro-textured Hair
So much so that more and more women are choosing to ditch the relaxers and embrace their natural curls.
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Health and beauty retailer Superdrug has seen a surge in popularity for lid-enhancing products in recent months, with the category reporting a 40 per cent increase in sales and the introduction of 85 new products in the past year to keep up with demand.
In fact, the products have proved so popular that the company has now introduced dedicated ‘Kinks, Curls and Coils’ bays in 467 of its stores nationwide, containing products specifically designed for naturally curly and afro-textured hair.
Simon Comins, commercial director at Superdrug, said: “Whether it’s a soft wave or tight coils, we’ve definitely seen an increase in customer interest in our curly hair ranges and are listening to what they want in terms of regularly adding more on our shelves.”
Whether you’re new to natural hair or just need some tips to prepare for the warmer months ahead, we spoke to some of the industry’s top experts on how to get the most out of your beautiful mane.
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In general, natural hair tends to have more frizz than other hair types due to dryness in the hair shaft, making it more vulnerable to frizz, but multi-award-winning afro hairstylist Charlotte Mensah says this can be even more of a problem during the summer.
“Hair becomes more dehydrated for many reasons during the summer—you don’t condition often enough, you don’t sleep with a silk scarf, you don’t eat a balanced diet, and you don’t drink enough water,” Mensah tells
Lesley Buckle, a model and beauty influencer, agrees, adding that increased sun exposure on your hair can break down the keratin in your curls, making them weak and more prone to frizz.
Top left, Oribe Curl Gloss, £38, Space NK; bottom left, Charlotte Mensah, Manketti Oil Conditioner, £24, Net-a-Porter; middle, Shea Moisture Coconut Curl Enhancing Smoothie, £10.99, top right, Superdrug; Soothe Natural Scalp Oil, £15.99, Afrocenchix; bottom right, Bumble and Bumble, Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Protective Primer, £21, Look Fantastic
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One of the biggest benefits of having afro hair is that it doesn’t require as much washing as other hair types.
According to Mensah, one of the best ways to keep your hair in top condition during the warmer months is to keep shampooing to an absolute minimum.
“Wash your hair weekly with shampoo that has extra emollients,” says Mensah, adding that shampoos formulated for dry or damaged hair are likely to be the most nourishing.
Hot weather and humidity can mean dryness and frizz, but with the right care, your “afro hair will be free to shine in the sun,” says a representative from British beauty brand Afrocenchix
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Extreme heat is one of the biggest causes of frizz and breakage so Mensah recommends diffusing your locks on low heat and to avoid touching them as much as possible.
Model and beauty influencer Nia Pettitt agrees, explaining that it’s less about eliminating frizz and more about controlling it.
“I’m not too keen on using anti-frizz products because the frizz gives my hair that big shape that I love,” says Pettitt
“But when I see that some strands are a little more frizzy than others, I smooth them down with some sort of serum.”
Natural Hair Care Kit Black Hair Growth|type 4 Dry Afro|oil, Shampoo,conditioner
Moisture is hair’s best friend with afro-textured hair, so one of the best things you can do for your locks this summer is invest in some seriously hydrating products.
For the ultimate moisturizing hair care routine, an Afrocenchix representative recommends using the liquid, oil, cream (LOC) method, which involves wetting the hair with water or a water-based product, sealing in the moisture with an oil, and then applying a cream product to close the cuticle to prevent moisture loss.
Pettitt agrees, adding that one of her favorite ways to prevent dryness is to squeeze two or three drops of oil into her hair every morning.
Top left, Aveda, Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, £22.50, John Lewis; bottom left, Bumble and Bumble, Curl Anti-Humidity Gel Oil, £24, Look Fantastic; centre, Skimdo, Original Cream, £45, Antidote Street; top right, Shampoo for Afro Hair, £14.95, Afrocenchix; bottom right, As I Am, Moisture Milk Hair Revitaliser, £12.30, Look Fantastic
Understanding Your Natural Hair Texture
While there are a number of products on the market that promise to repair your hair from harmful UV damage and extreme humidity, the most effective solution is to protect it in the first place.
Buckle recommends wearing your hair in protective styles like braids, twists and faux locs because they require minimal maintenance.
“Just remember to add sunscreen to any areas of the hair and scalp that are exposed,” says the model.
Buckle also suggests styling with products that contain UV protection as this helps prevent further damage from the sun.
Afro Hair Types
When it comes to hair care while on vacation and in the sea or pool, there are a number of things you can do.
Mensah recommends wetting your locks before taking a dip as this will help protect your hair from discolouration, dryness and damage caused by chlorine.
“Wet hair tends to be less absorbent than dry hair, so wetting your hair before you step into the pool reduces the risk of your hair absorbing chlorine damage from the pool and drying from the ocean,” says Mensah.
Buckle agrees, adding that it’s also a good idea to coat your hair with a protective layer of thick conditioner before swimming because it prevents chlorine from entering the hair shaft.
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After being in the pool, you should also try to wash your hair as soon as you can before applying a moisturizing oil.
Refresh the page or navigate to another page on the website to be logged in automatically. Update your browser to sign in. The natural hair movement, which began to take off in the 2000s and was accelerated by millions of YouTube tutorials and thousands of targeted hair products, gave many black women and girls the space to explore their hair beyond the confines of relaxers. As the daughter of a West African braider, I grew up in the world of natural hair and have had my own complicated journey with it, so how black women treat their hair has always been a point of fascination for me.
For what it’s worth, the natural hair movement shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Nor should it. Natural hairstyles like locs, twists, braids, and afros have become synonymous with creativity, symbols of freedom, and marketing tools for a booming, billion-dollar haircare industry. Its popularity has led to important legislation such as the CROWN Act, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination in schools and the workplace.
For all the wonderful things the natural hair movement has brought us, the conversation has remained nuanced. Going “natural” often meant gathering an arsenal of new products and devoting hours to the art of styling hair. But what about those who don’t want to spend a small fortune on products and services in hopes of changing the way their hair looks?
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Case in point: A tweet from earlier this year by @TheRealChanee asked her followers about the “interesting” resurgence of relaxed hair. Cora Harrington, a writer and lingerie expert who goes by @lingerie_addict, responded with her answer. “The natural hair movement eventually created a lot of pressure around what natural hair ‘should’ look like,” she said, “instead of encouraging people to embrace their own textures and curl patterns.”
The thread that followed sparked a passionate conversation about the intentions of the natural hair movement. If you love your ‘unnatural’ hair – whether it’s straightened, colored or bald – is there anything wrong with that? Can you still be part of the community? Only by understanding the frustrations with it can we create a more inclusive movement.
Tamica found her way into the natural hair world during college. The Charlottesville, Virginia-based education reporter made the big cut in her sophomore year after sporting hairstyles that fluctuated over the years between braids, straightened hair and the occasional perm, starting in eighth grade. “Natural hair was one of the first ways I could express my blackness. So I did it to be excited. I was excited—I thought I’m going to have natural hair and have this really beautiful, Amara La Negra-like Afro and looks so good,” she says. “Then I realized I’m really bad at hair. Like, I’ve been trying to give myself waves, give myself braids. I’ve tried so many different hairstyles, and it always fails.”
Fernanda, who works in digital and marketing strategy, and is based in New Orleans, didn’t use relaxers growing up, but experimented with them for a while when she was older. “I was born in Ghana, so when I was young, natural hair was all I could do. My parents didn’t allow us to relax our hair or do anything chemical