Grow Healthy Type 4 Hair
This past week was my second nappiversary -- the anniversary of my big chop! Two years of being fully natural. While 2015 was the year of the Crochet Braids, 2016 was the year of the Marley Twists. I'm hoping this summer to have some box braids installed at my local salon. If you've been following my journey the past few years you know that it's been a liberating and challenging decision to go natural that I have no regrets about. As my type 4 hair has grown longer, it's expanded the amount of styles I can rock.
If you are going natural and wondering what products work for curly hair, it pays to experiment a bit with different product combinations to retain length. Some brands such as Shea Moisture will send you a sample in the mail based on your hair type, while others like Carol's Daughter sell travel-size bottles at drugstores if you want to try something without breaking the bank. Here are a few hair tips I've learned in this past year that help me survive the week.BEST PRODUCTS FOR LOC METHODIn the past few months, I've found a stellar combination that keeps my hair moisturized and soft during the cold winter months. It's Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler, Olive or Coconut Oil and Cantu Shea Butter Conditioning Creamy Hair Lotion in that order. This follows the LOC method of applying a leave-in conditioner, oil and cream or hair butter to "loc" in moisture.The olive oil I'm using here is a great stand-in for when I'm low on my extra virgin olive oil, and it's only a couple of dollars at the grocery or drug store. I LOVE coconut oil, as most naturalistas do (it's almost exclusively what I use in the summer months), but in the winter I alternate between coconut and olive oil. This combination (along with a Denman brush for detangling) leaves my twists soft and juicy! It may work for you too.
If you are going natural and wondering what products work for curly hair, it pays to experiment a bit with different product combinations to retain length. Some brands such as Shea Moisture will send you a sample in the mail based on your hair type, while others like Carol's Daughter sell travel-size bottles at drugstores if you want to try something without breaking the bank. Here are a few hair tips I've learned in this past year that help me survive the week.BEST PRODUCTS FOR LOC METHODIn the past few months, I've found a stellar combination that keeps my hair moisturized and soft during the cold winter months. It's Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler, Olive or Coconut Oil and Cantu Shea Butter Conditioning Creamy Hair Lotion in that order. This follows the LOC method of applying a leave-in conditioner, oil and cream or hair butter to "loc" in moisture.The olive oil I'm using here is a great stand-in for when I'm low on my extra virgin olive oil, and it's only a couple of dollars at the grocery or drug store. I LOVE coconut oil, as most naturalistas do (it's almost exclusively what I use in the summer months), but in the winter I alternate between coconut and olive oil. This combination (along with a Denman brush for detangling) leaves my twists soft and juicy! It may work for you too.
Hope these tips were helpful to you. Follow my journey on Twitter @candacehowze or Instagram @aceisjoy. Leave a comment below, what other hair topics would you like to see on the blog?