How to Moisturize Natural African American Hair

Follow a moisturizing regimen to protect your natural hair.

African-American hair tends to be dry, which contributes to damage. Hair fibers twist up and break off, making it difficult to manage. Moisturizing your hair gives the fibers the elasticity they need to stretch and move. "Relaxed and natural hair types require high quality, moisturizing and protein-rebuilding products to remain healthy, manageable, and free from hair breakage," according to the website for Audrey Davis-Sivasothy's book "The Science of Black Hair." A moisturizing regimen can help you achieve the soft, silky hair you desire.

Things You'll Need

• Shampoo (pH-balanced)
• Oil-based conditioner
• Penetrating conditioner
• Leave-in conditioner
• Absorbent towel
• Moisturizing styling product (mousse, gel or oil)

Instructions

1. Wet your hair. Squeeze out a dime-size amount of shampoo. Scrub your scalp, working the suds through your hair. Rinse with warm water.

2. Squeeze out a quarter size amount of moisturizing, oil-based conditioner and work it through your hair. Leave it on for two minutes. Rinse well with warm water.

3. Work a penetrating conditioner into your hair and scalp. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water.

4. Divide your hair into sections and spray on a leave-in conditioner. Do not rinse out.

5. Wrap an absorbent towel around your hair. Squeeze towel around hair gently to remove excess water.

6. Squirt a quarter-size amount of a moisturizing styling product into your hair.

7. Dry your hair in an open, airy location to retain protective oils.

Tips & Warnings

• Use warm or cool water on your hair to avoid the damaging effects of hot water.

References

• The Science of Black Hair: Black Hair Down to a Science
• Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program; Hair and Skin Care for African American and Biracial Children; Nicole M. Hewitt, MSW