This question comes to us from @curiouscoils (how appropriate!) on Instagram. Our resident natural hair care professional Simeko Watkins-Hartley answers… How do I soften my ends? Answer: Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize! Usually, when the ends tend to be harder or rougher than the rest of your hair, it may be due to lack of moisture. The ends are the oldest part of the hair and tend to hang out furthest away from the scalp, so they may dry out faster, leaving a hard, brittle feel. Here are some steps you can take to whip those ends back into shape: 1. When cleansing your hair, use a moisturizing shampoo and luke-warm or cool water to rinse Moisturizing shampoos are usually pH balanced and generally have ingredients that will lubricate the hair, making it soft. Cool water helps to seal the cuticles which aids in making the hair smoother and shinier. 2. Treat your hair to an…
Our resident natural hair care professional Simeko Watkins-Hartley answers… Do you have any advice on shedding? Remember the adage, “out with the old in with the new”?! Well, that pretty much sums up the process of shedding. Old hairs fall out so new hairs can come through. In technical terms, this process is the telogen stage in the hair growth cycle and lasts about 1 to 4 months. When should you be concerned about shedding and what can you do about it? Generally, hair sheds about 50 to 100 strands per day and anything in excess of this may potentially be a cause for concern. Excessive shedding can be the result of a number of things such as stress, hormonal imbalance, crash dieting, deficiency of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and protein, certain medications, anemia, thyroid disorders and the list can go on and on. In essence, when the body goes through…
So, you’re thinking of or decided to go natural. Now what? The hardest part of going natural is changing your mindset. Once you've got that straight, there are three important steps to a smooth transition: Moisture, Strengthening & Protection.
This question comes to us from @phemonawoman on Instagram. Our resident natural hair care professional Simeko Watkins-Hartley answers… When you wash and condition, should you blow dry and style or let it air dry then style? Answer: It all depends on the style/look you are trying to achieve, as well as the condition of your hair. As we all may know by now, natural hair tends to be dry so the less heat we use on our hair the better. However, blow-drying the hair on a low/medium temperature, once in a while, to accomplish a style/look should not cause any major damage to the hair if it is relatively healthy. When the hair is blown out it appears to be longer and less frizzy. So when styling the hair in a set style (rod, roller, bantu knots, twist/braid out, etc.), blowing it out prior, will aid in achieving a more smoother, elongated…
Our resident natural hair care professional Simeko Watkins-Hartley answers… Should you sleep with conditioner in your hair? Answer: You shouldn’t, as this can be potentially harmful by having an adverse effect on the hair. Let me explain but first let me ask you this… If you were experiencing symptoms of some sort and the doctor prescribes medication, would you follow the instructions given by the doctor or would you take more than what was prescribed in hopes that the symptoms go away faster? Would you not agree that by doing the latter, you may cause more harm than good?! Well, likewise with deep conditioning your hair. If the manufacturer states to leave the product on the hair for a certain period of time, it’s most likely because through tests and trails, they were able to determine the amount of time it takes for the product to absorb and penetrate into…
