Four easy ways to keep your afro soft and easy to manage
There are many ways you can use to make your afro textured hair soft, but here four of the easiest ways to go about it.
POLOKWANE – Hairstylist on mostly natural hair, Molatelo Meso from Seshego Zone 1 says one of the most difficult aspects of managing hair textures, is making them softer.
“Afro textured hair is usually very dry and prone to breakage. With the wrong products, it can be even drier than expected.”
There are many ways you can use to make your afro textured hair soft, but here four of the easiest ways to go about it.
• Make sure your hair is detangled:
“Start at the ends and work up to the roots, grab a wide-toothed afro comb and start combing through your hair. Go over each section of hair several times, checking for tangles as you go. When you find a knot or two, gently pull them apart with your fingers and then use your comb to untangle them from the rest of your hair. Repeat this process until all of your knots have been removed.”
• “Use a moisturising shampoo to help soften your dry and frizzy afro textured hair as they contain ingredients that help repair damaged hair, making it look healthier and more manageable.” She added that these shampoos usually contain natural oils that moisturise the scalp and reduce breakage by increasing blood circulation to the scalp area. “You can also use conditioner after using the shampoo, which will leave your hair soft, shiny and smooth.”
• Apply a moisturising conditioner:
Moisturising conditioner can be used to make your textured hair softer and easier to manage. “Make sure you find a conditioner that is formulated for dry, damaged or coarse hair. These types of conditioners are designed to moisturise and soften your hair, making it easier to comb through and style,” said Meso.
You may also want to consider using a leave-in conditioner if you have curly or kinky hair. This type of product will help to add shine and reduce frizziness while protecting your strands from environmental damage that may have caused dryness in the first place.
• Seal in moisture with natural oils:
She explained that sealing means applying natural oils such as castor oil over moisturised hair. “The oil acts as a barrier for preventing water loss from your hair shaft, which prevents your hair from drying out. Sealing the moisture in your hair with an oil ensures that your hair stays moisturised for as long as possible.”
She concluded that if you have very porous hair, moisture may easily escape from the strands so you may want to further seal with a substance such as shea butter.
“Sealing with an oil and then a butter will definitely keep your hair soft and moisturised.”
