Shutterstock
Hair salons and barbershops are essential businesses that keep people groomed and feeling good, but this pandemic has many people crying to get their hair done. I know you’re tired of quarantine and being stuck in the house, but while you’re stuck inside you should take advantage of letting your natural hair flourish. This is the best time to learn your hair and show love to your fro.
Maintain Moisture
Shutterstock
The most important rule of natural hair care is maintaining moisture. Moisturized hair is the key to a healthy hair journey. One of the main ways to maintain moisture is by deep conditioning regularly; at least once a week. To get the most efficient results from deep conditioning, I recommend sitting under a hairdryer with a shower cap on for about 30 minutes. Your hair should feel soft and hydrated after. You can also try hot oil treatments before you wash your hair. That can help with moisture, strength, and shine. You should use natural oils and place them inside an oil applicator bottle. Do not put the oil in the microwave because that can take away some nutrients. Instead, boil water in a bowl or mug and place the applicator bottle in it for about 3-5 minutes, then apply to the scalp. Besides the hot oil treatment, you can and should regularly oil your scalp to prevent your hair from becoming dry. Whenever you add moisture to your hair make sure you seal it in with an oil or butter. Shea butter is a good option because it is very thick and has beneficial nutrients.
Protective Styles
Shutterstock
You can better your healthy hair journey by not frequently touching your hair. Instead of letting your hair just sit there during quarantine, you should find styles to protect it. After you add moisture to your hair you can simply twist or braid it and let them stay in for a week or more. You can do cornrows or even look up YouTube videos on how to do your own box braids, passion twist, faux locs, faux bun/ponytail, and many more. Having a protective style keeps your ends tucked away and promotes hair growth since you will not be manipulating it constantly. And you also get more free time since you would not have to worry about spending time on your hair daily.
Even though your hair is in a protective style and doesn’t need major work to it daily, that does not mean to stop giving it attention. Having your hair in a protective style can make it easier for you to oil your scalp and keep it moisturized. You can keep your protective styles in for about 4-8 weeks, but it would still be good to clean your scalp to free it from any product build-up. And most importantly, cover your hair at night with a scarf or satin bonnet.
DIY Hair Masks
Shutterstock
During this time you can rummage through your refrigerator and cabinets to find some natural items to help your hair flourish. These do it yourself hair masks contain natural products, which creates different benefits towards your hair. For example, if you are trying to heal your dry damaged hair you can mix together avocado, honey, and olive oil or egg and mayonnaise. For deep cleaning, you can do an ACV mask with yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and lemon. For protein, you can do egg yolk, olive oil, and strawberries, or bananas. My favorite is honey, olive oil, and bananas or avocado. Each item contains different nutrients so you can research the benefits of the different ingredients before you decide which ones you want to mix together. Different masks can bring different results, so take this time to create various masks and observe what your hair likes the most.
I hope quarantine helps you and your fro flourish and build a better relationship. Good luck with your healthy hair journey!
