How to Keep Afro Hair in Place
Maintaining afro hair can be difficult, but it is essential to avoiding hair damage. Since afro hair is more prone to dryness and breakage, extra care must be taken when attempting to keep it in place. Properly maintained afro hair has a soft bouncy appearance and can be styled with relative ease. Hair doesn't have to be chemically altered to be fashionable. Learning how to keep your afro hair in place can give you greater styling options and polish your look. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Shampoo
- Natural-oil conditioner
- Hair accessories
- Hair spray
- Hair gel
- Hair spritz
- Brush
Instructions
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Keep the hair clean and conditioned. Wash afro hair at least once a week to remove sweat and hair products. Apply liberal amounts of natural oil conditioners such as jojoba and coconut to keep afro hair vibrant and bouncy. Afro hair that isn't properly cleaned and conditioned takes on a frizzy limp appearance and becomes difficult to style.
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Use hair accessories. Items such as barrettes, headbands and hair clips can be worn to help keep afro hair in place. Attach metal-clasped barrettes to the ends of ponytails and braids to prevent unraveling. Don a headband to keep afro hair in place during athletic activity. Add hair clips and bobby pins to updos to prevent flyaway strands. Applying a thin layer of oil sheen to hair accessories before use can help prevent hair breakage in dryness prone to afro hair.
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Apply hair products. Using small amounts of gels, holding spritz and hairspray, can help keep afro hair in place. Use gel or spritz to tame new growth around the hairline. This is especially important when wearing styles such as buns or finger waves, as these styles heavily emphasize a slick hair appearance. Spray liberal amounts of hairspray to control larger sections of hair.
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Braid the hair. Braiding afro hair helps keep it in place and makes it easier to moisturize and condition the hair and scalp. Choose between cornrows and box-braided styles depending on the length and thickness of the hair. Undo the braids when the hair becomes frizzy to prevent damage.
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Brush the hair regularly. This helps detangle and revitalize the natural wave pattern of afro hair. It also distributes natural oils and encourages hair to conform to your styling wishes. Tailor the amount of brushing to reflect factors including the hair texture and weather conditions.
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Tips & Warnings
Trim afro hair every six to eight weeks to help keep it in place. Trimming gets rid of uneven and damaged ends, allowing afro hair to maintain its shape. Letting hair products build up in afro hair can cause hair conditions such as dandruff, split ends and breakage. Wearing a headscarf or doo-rag while sleeping can help keep afro hair in place. It also protects against breakage.
Avoid using hair products that contain alcohol as these products can easily damage fragile afro hair.
