Whether your hair type is 4a natural or 3c/4a blended, maintaining healthy curls requires the appropriate products and protective styles in your routine.
Silk or Satin Pillowcase for Moisture Protection
Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to protect the moisture levels in your locks from being sapped away by cotton, giving your coils full of life and bounce!
Identify Your hair Type
Afro-textured (or type 4) hair can be challenging due to its coily coils and dense texture. Maintaining definition and managing frizz, shrinkage, dryness, and breakage may prove difficult; however, with an effective routine incorporating leave-in conditioners, moisturizing gels, edge control creams, and plopping techniques, you can achieve the hair of your dreams!
Discovering your hair type is easy – all it takes is holding one strand between the thumb and index finger to determine its texture: fine, medium, or thick. The classification system divides your kinky hair into four categories: type 1 (straight), 2 (wavy), 3 (curly), and 4 (coil). Within type 4 hair, there are sub-types A, B, and C to differentiate looser curls/waves from tighter coils/coils; type 4A has an S-shaped pattern closer to pencil than types B or C and requires additional moisture than other forms of 4 hair.
Prevent Damage
Like all hair types, type 4a is susceptible to damage and dryness, making it essential to limit over-manipulation – meaning less washing, detangling, and styling for maximum carefree locks! To minimize dryness in type 4a hair, it’s vital to do what is necessary when styling, thus limiting how often you detangle, wash, or style. Suave Professionals Sulfate-Free Cleansing Shampoo can also be an invaluable aid to keeping hair moisturized, providing added hydration. Furthermore, leave-in conditioners containing ingredients such as jojoba and tea tree oil can add further hydration. As you sleep, it is also vital that you use a satin cap or scarf to protect your hair from friction and frizz caused by friction, which may lead to tangles and breakage of strands. Regular trims are another critical way to prevent dryness and breakage; experts advise getting one every 10-12 weeks. Furthermore, heat styling should be limited as much as possible, as this can damage hair follicles.
Moisturize
If you have 4a hair, your curls must receive regular moisturization to keep them supple and reduce breakage or tangling. Doing so helps your locks remain hydrated and soft while decreasing their likelihood of breakage and tangling. Curly hair requires more moisture than straight locks due to its unique structure, preventing natural oils from traveling down each strand quickly. With enough water, your coily locks may retain their shine and develop knots of single-strand knots and become dry and knotted up quickly. For optimal moisture balance, Gibson recommends washing your strands weekly and deep conditioning at least once every seven days. You should also spritz your hair throughout the day with water mixed with hair oil to hydrate it throughout its follicles, use heat protective products when styling, and seek products containing moisturizing ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, panthenol, and glycerine that seal in moisture into every curl and lock it into its core – these ingredients help attract and seal in moisture for healthy curls! To maximize hydration, try incorporating leave-in conditioner and hair oil products tailored specifically to your texture for ultimate hydration!
Detangle
Detangling is a necessary component of haircare, yet it can be time-consuming and frustrating. It’s best to go slowly and carefully to avoid breakage while detangling your locks. Use either your fingers or a detangling brush to gently work through each section of hair. Start from the ends and move towards the roots; when finished, either cut the team out of your way or loosely braid it to prevent further tangling. Detangling hair when wet can be more accessible, so try doing it in the shower or bathtub. Comb conditioner through your strands for added moisture and to aid with detangling. Detangle your hair before and following shampooing to help avoid matting. After detangling, spray with slip so your strands comb easily again.
