Picture by Sheamoisture
Our hair coil tells us a lot about our hair from how it will react to certain conditions and also what kind of care it needs to flourish. If your hair regime hasn’t changed since high school, you’re not paying enough attention to your hair. So let’s talk about how to care for different hair types.
Below is a table to help you identify your hair type:
Source: Greatist
Pro Tip: Some products have the listed numbers on them to indicate which hair type they’re most suitable for.
Some of the common hair concerns include things like growth, heat damage, volume and even frizz. Naturally, to solve such issues one would just google remedies to these issues and apply them, but to truly remedy hair damage, you need to know how best your hair absorbs and stores moisture.
Let’s look at caring for different hair types:
1. Straight
Straight hair is arguably the easiest hair to care for because it's the hair type most brands prioritized so haircare for this hair type is abundant. Mainstream media prioritised this hair type so long that processes on caring for this hair type have been refined over time. If you have straight hair, keep your hair care simple. Wash, condition, air dry and repeat. You don’t need to wash daily but when your hair starts looking sticky, that’s a sign of product buildup and means you’re due for a wash. Use a mild shampoo and stay away from sulphates. Lastly, manage your ends. Straight hair is very prone to split ends and split ends have a nasty way of really weakening your hair shaft so get them trimmed every four to six weeks.
2. Wavy
Wavy hair is a beautiful medium between straight and curly so it is dynamic. Wavy hair can be easily weighed down so less is more. When caring for wavy hair, look for styling products that are light and made for wavy hair. To avoid product buildup, wash and condition your hair every 2-3 days. Adding deep conditioning every 1-2 times a week will keep your moisturised and frizz under control.
3. Curly
The curlier the hair, the more susceptible it is to dry out, so focusing on products that add moisture is most important. Because curly hair is more prone to dryness, washing your hair with hot water should be avoided. By using cold water, you lock in moisture to keep hair looking and feeling healthier.
When it comes to curly hair, tools matter. A wide-tooth comb is essential for combing. When it comes to drying curly hair, let it air-dry. Excessive use of heat leads to dryness which leads to breakage.
What about washing? Washing your hair every 1 - 2 weeks is enough. Remember to always follow with a paraben and sulphate free shampoo and conditioner.
4. Coiled
Coiled hair is the most fragile and behaves much like curly hair. Coiled hair is often misdiagnosed as tough because of its natural thickness however this is a myth. Coiled hair needs more moisture, less manipulation, less heat and water!
Water is important for coiled hair. Healthy natural hair tightens up when in contact with water. This phenomenon known as shrinkage might make you want to stay away from water but you shouldn’t. Coiled hair loves water so before combing it, spray some water on it. Never comb it dry.
If you want to ensure that your coiled mane is nourished and healthy then your two big tips are deep conditioning and protective styling. Deep condition your tresses every 2 weeks when you have your hair out and all the other times, keep it in a protective style. Coiled hair needs patience so allow it to grow at its pace and protective hairstyles will help with that.
Finally, no matter your hair type, you need to eat well, stay hydrated and use a heat protectant! What you put into your body is important for your hair’s health but also, protective products like a heat protector go the extra mile.
We hope these hair tips will help you take your hair care to the next level!
Love MPL.