Natural Hair Rules You Should Break

Some people say rules are made to be broken...I'm not sure how true that is but, when I first decided to wear my natural hair, it felt like there were a list of rules I had to follow. To be quite honest it was overwhelming. From the ingredients in my products, to how often I trimmed, to which oils I should use. As important as all these are, I also learned that there are a few rules you Should break.

Rule: STAY AWAY FROM PRODUCTS CONTAINING ALCOHOL

Did you know? Not all alcohol is bad when it comes to hair care? The alcohols that curlier hair types should to stay away from in their products(or use very rarely) are:

Ethanol alcohol

Ethyl alcohol

Propanol alcohol

Alcohol denat.

Isopropyl alcohol

Isopropanol alcohol

and Benzyl alcohol

These alcohols are generally used in products to help mix oil and water and sometimes are antiseptic. They can also assist in spreading the products onto the hair. These are considered to be small chain alcohols and can penetrate the hair shaft. They are often the cause of frizz.

The good alcohols are sometimes called "fatty alcohols" or long-chain alcohols and they usually come from the fat of coconut oil or palm oil. They include:

Lauryl alcohol

Cetearyl alcohol

Stearyl alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

They are known for adding moisture to the hair by acting as a humectant(drawing moisture to the hair, add "slip" for detangling, and thickening products. They also aid in mixing oil and water in conditioner; allow it to become easy to spread over the hair.

Rule: ALWAYS SLEEP WITH A SATIN CAP

Imagine just washing your hair and getting into the bed for a good nights rest... your hair is detangled, braided and you grab your satin cap because, well you want to protect your curls. Right? In this case, I don't. Here's why: Covering your hair while wet in combination with your body heat could encourage bacterial and/or fungal growth. Yes, it's just over night but have you smelled wet laundry after it sits overnight in the washer. Gross! Instead, I use a satin pillow case without a satin cap or if you don't own a satin pillow case, you can loosely cover your hair with a satin scarf. Make sure you leave the scarf open in the back to allow your hair to air dry overnight.

Rule: LEAVE YOUR PROTECTIVE STYLE IN LONGER FOR LENGTH RETENTION

I believe this rule is more subjective. It really depends on the type of protective style and the condition of your scalp and hair. I know this may not need to be said but if a protective style (or any style) causes discomfort of any kind it should be taken down. Leaving a high tension style in for a long period of time may be tempting, maybe because of the time it took, the cost,or even how great it looks.

Having the hair pulled back tightly can cause the hair to break away from the root and over time it could cause hair loss or even a condition called traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is a form of gradual hair loss and can show up initially as white bumps or pimples on the scalp. In some cases, it can be reversible but if the hair is under trauma for too long hair may not be able to recover and grow again. It's always better to take down a style that's tight and/or uncomfortable. The damage just isn't worth risking.

Rule: STAY AWAY FROM HEAT

I think what should be said is... if you must use heat, try to use a little a possible. This should go without saying but, if you are going to use heat, make sure to invest in a good heat protectant. There are many great low-to no heat alternatives to achieving a desired style. When it comes to stretching your curls, you could use braiding, twisting, or threading just to name a few. Remember not all heat is bad, it's how it's used.

Take for instance, steaming or deep conditioning with heat. Both of these methods are very effective in rehydrating your curls. Overall, the intensity of the heat you use and how often you use it makes a big difference. If you prefer to use heat, 350 degrees is a good baseline to work with. Just keep in mind that the finer your hair the more susceptible it is to heat damage and even though thicker hair types are able to withstand higher temperatures it's best to be extremely cautious.

These are just a few exceptions to the rules of natural hair. As you know, it's about learning and making the right choices for your natural hair situations.

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