It is essential for you to understand the true meaning of 4C hair type. It is recognized as very tightly curled hair, with curl definition in some people, while no definition in others. People with 4C hair are bound to have different hair patterns & range of delicacy.
The tightly coiled and curly hair texture with different hair patterns, must have many questions surrounding how to care for them in the best way possible.
Here is a complete guide on how to take best care of your 4C hair type. Check it out!
Taking Care of 4C Hair Type
Here are a few tips to follow in order to take best care of 4C hair.
Choose Your Hair Products Wisely
While you must be aware every hair type requires a special type of shampoo, conditioner and other hair products depending on the texture, volume and delicacy of the hair. When you look at choosing the best products for 4C hair, you must avoid products with sulfate, silicone, parabens and alcohol. Adopt products with essential oils and mineral oils.
Many naturalists believe that using natural ingredients have been a success in maintaining this hair type. Natural ingredients such as shea butter, rose water, chebe powder and natural oils such as castor oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil can do wonders for your tightly coiled hair.
Wash 4C Hair with Care
Even though it is important to keep your scalp clean and healthy, you should avoid washing your hair with shampoo too often. It is perfectly normal to leave 2 to 4 weeks between every wash. Use a shampoo without sulphate, alcohol and rather opt for conditioner to wash your hair in small sections in order to avoid tangling.
Next, once you coat your hair with natural oils or a conditioner, start to detangle your hair gently using your fingers, before you jump into the shower. It helps in preventing unnecessary breakage.
Condition Deeeeply!
To maintain and grow 4C hair type, deep conditioning is a must. Deep conditioning these tightly curled hair weekly with a thick deep conditioner or treating the hair with hot oil such as Jamaican Black Castor Oil keeps your hair healthy, shiny and improves growth.
You need to heat the oil to a decent temperature before pouring it onto your hair and massaging it. Wrap your hair with a hotel towel or a shower cap and let it sit for at least 1 to 2 hours before you wash them.
Moisturize to Survive
If you want your hair to survive all the pollution, dust and dirt outside, you must moisture your 4C hair properly. It is a fact that 4C hair do not retain moisture for a long time, yet ironically it is the hair type which requires the most moisture as compared to any other hair type.
The tight coils and kinks in the 4C hair prevent the smooth flow of sebum throughout the hair and therefore, you require good moisturizers or gels to cater specifically to the kinky hair type. These moisturizers are often thicker than regular moisturizers you find in the market.
Follow the LCO
Following the LCO or LOC method is the best way to retain moisture in 4C hair. As mentioned above, 4C hair loses moisture the fastest and requires it the most. However, if you add right amount of moisturizer, you will get best results.
LOC method refers to following the initials in order, that is, add a Leave-in Conditioner, then an Oil, and lastly the Cream. The cream acts as a sealant. In the LCO method, you just switch the last two steps, that is, Leave-in conditioner, then adding the Cream, and lastly, the Oil. In LCO method, the oil acts as a sealant.
Detangle Gently and Regularly
It might seem like a tedious task, but detangling 4C hair is very important. Due to its tight curl pattern, it tends to get tangled very quickly as compared to other textures, and if you do not take this seriously, you might lose a lot of your healthy hair.
Begin detangling in a very gentle manner. The best way is to run your fingers softly through the damp hair. Putting in a lot of conditioner makes the process easier. Once you are done with detangling your hair using your fingers, now use a wide-tooth comb to run through your hair one more time.
Don’t Skip the Night Routine
Follow your night routine every night. Begin with wrapping your hair in a silk bonnet or scarf and sleeping on a silk pillow case. Avoid sleeping on cotton pillow covers as they remove all the moisture from your hair strands, when you rub your hair against the case while you sleep.
The friction caused at night can also cause your hair to detangle pretty quick, become dry and matted. If you do not want to perform some heavy-duty detangling labor on your 4C hair in the morning, do not skip the night routine.
Say Bye-Bye to Spilt Ends
Split ends happen over time by heat or other factors. As much as you try to grow your hair longer, you begin having dead hair at the end, which at some point, begin to break off. When you start ignoring this, you might lose a lot of hair without noticing.
Do not sleep on those split ends. If you know how to get rid of them at home, what else do you need? Otherwise, visit a professional hair dresser to get your hair back to normal. Remember to give special attention to your hair tips regularly and keep the split-end minimum.
Conclusion
The key to taking care of 4C hair type is to fall in love with them and understanding that you do not need it to be something else. Being confident in your hair type encourages you to take utmost care in the most protective way possible.
Try these tips and let us know if they worked for you!
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