Going on a healthy hair journey means taking care of your hair by using the very best techniques and products you can find and choosing to settle for nothing less than the best. African-American/ black hair has a different texture and can sometimes have a mind of its own (trust me I know). Some of the most common problems with this type of hair include extreme dryness, weakened strands, shrinkage due to extreme curls, unmanageable tangles, brittle ends, etc.

Many women with curly-kinky hair also opt for hair relaxing treatments, hair braiding and hair coloring all which are fine if done in moderation, however, if done in excess, relaxers, flat irons, tight braids and hair dyes can cause more damage than good to your already fragile hair type. Using shampoos, conditioners, serums and oils made from natural ingredients on both your scalp and your strands is very important because you want to avoid damaging your hair and other side effects of chemicals such as alcohol, parabens, petroleum etc.

Below is a description of some of the products you can use on your healthy hair journey:

Shampoos

Before you choose a shampoo, make sure you consider a few things first. First of all, you want to stay far away from any hair shampoo that has alcohol as part of its ingredient list since this one ingredient will really dry out your strands. You want to ultimately select and use a shampoo that's both moisturizing and one that also contains gentle natural ingredients.

Conditioners

Conditioner will be your friend for many days to come, there are two kinds of conditioners you can use: daily conditioner and a deep leave in conditioner. It's best to alternate between the two. If your hair feels super dry or you experience heat damage, you can use the deep conditioner once a week (its best to leave it on your hair for 20-30 minutes before rinsing). If you just need to co-wash your hair, its best to use a daily conditioner that's lighter in consistency and leave it on your hair for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. Avoid conditioners with sulfates and keep one protein based conditioner at hand whenever you experience excessive shedding, breakage and lost moisture

Hair Oils

Curly, dry hair needs to be properly moisturized in order to stay healthy, strong and vibrant. For you to accomplish this, you can apply a light oil to your hair (not your scalp) prior to co-washing or shampooing it. A scalp massage is also great for stimulating blood circulation and in turn promoting hair growth. Oils that work well with moisturizing the hair include jojoba oil, almond oil and castor oil. You can also add a few drops of essential oils such as peppermint oil, rosemary oil, lavender oil etc. since these oils have been known to further stimulate long hair growth.

Natural Hair Journey Tips

Further tips for your natural hair journey that are crucial to follow for healthy strands:

-Definitely remember to oil your hair at least twice a week or you can do a hot oil treatment to moisturize your hair further.

-Massage your scalp every week as this will help with circulation to your scalp and healthier growth.

-Avoid washing your hair more than twice a week since the more you wash it, the more dry it will be and the dryer your hair is, the more prone it is to split ends, excessive shedding and breakage (gasp!)

-Be very very gentle when detangling your hair. Always tangle your hair when you've put conditioner in it, remember to use a wide tooth comb to remove tangles, if you have an impossible tangle, use your fingers and be GENTLE!

-Use a bit of leave-in conditioner after you've washed your hair in order to properly moisturize your hair.

-Remember to always use a heat protectant if you ever use heating tools such as a flat iron, curlers, hot combs etc.

-Section off your hair, braid it or wear it in a loose bun before bed, this helps to minimize the chances of breakage and lowers the number of tangles you might have to deal with the next day

-You can minimize the chances of developing split ends by wearing a satin scarf around your hair or sleeping on a sating pillowcase. When your hair constantly rubs against a cotton pillow, chances of split ends are high.

Last but not least, your diet is a major and essential part of your healthy hair journey. You need to eat the right kinds of foods in order to see the results you want. The harder you work and fight with your hair texture and type, the less you'll enjoy your journey and the more stressed you and your strands will be. Fighting against your hair can result in female pattern hair loss and additional hair breakage. Its important that you get enough protein, vitamins and minerals while eating a healthy, balanced diet. A consistent schedule of products and care is also essential for healthy, beautiful and lustrous strands full of life!