We have all heard different myths regarding hair care, ranging from the relationship between the frequency of washing and how bad it is for hair to how the hair will grow faster if you cut it. Myths arise from a lack of information regarding a topic or situation. Well, we are here to debunk all these myths and tell you what you should really believe about your hair care.
MYTH 1: Natural hair is difficult to manage.
This is so untrue! Your natural hair needs to be understood. Natural hair cannot be treated the same way relaxed hair is and be expected to conform. Just like you, your natural hair is full of character and spunk. You need to understand what your hair needs at every given point in time. More moisture? More/less protein? To be put away? Less manipulation?
Leave-in conditioner as against a wash away conditioner? Once you are able to answer these questions, you will find that your hair would be very easy to manage. In addition to these, nourish your hair properly and watch your mane become the center of attraction.To help soften tough hair, try the African Naturalistas Deep Conditioning Mayonnaise and the African Naturalistas Leave-in Conditioner for daily use.
MYTH 2: Natural hair is strong.
Research has shown that the tighter the curls in the hair are, the weaker and dryer hair can be due to the delicate hair structure. Black hair is quite fragile, however, it tends to be treated roughly because it looks strong. The tighter your curls and coils are, the easier it is to break. Natural hair is even more fragile when wet. Care should be taken when handling natural hair to reduce unnecessary manipulation which can lead to breakage.
MYTH 3: You need more grease for your natural hair
No, you don’t. in the past, we were sold on adverts for products rich in petroleum or mineral oil as the primary hair growth accelerator. That was such a farce. In actual fact, products with a petroleum or mineral oil base will clog your scalp, smother your hair shaft stunting hair growth and cause a build-up of dirt on your hair and scalp. Your scalp produces its own natural oils.
To boost your hair growth routine, try out any of the African Naturalistas natural oils such as castor oil or coconut oil. See more essential oils here and carrier oils here.
MYTH 4: Natural hair does not grow
Are you mixing up shrinkage with hair not growing? All hair grows an average of half an inch every month. You may not be retaining length because of a number of factors including bad hair care, dryness, excessive heat styling, and overuse of chemicals. Your hair length, volume, and texture are largely determined by genetics. However, with proper hair care and nourishment, your hair can grow to as long as it is destined to grow. Know what products are good for your hair, eat food rich in nutrients, stay hydrated, and keep your hair moisturized and you can be sure your hair will grow and blossom.
You can also use any of the African Naturalistas Hair Regimen for best results.
MYTH 5: Dandruff means you have a dry scalp
This would mean that once you see dandruff flakes, you load up your scalp with oils and creams. Or stop washing regularly because maybe you heard that regular washing causes the hair and scalp to dry out. On the contrary, dandruff is actually caused by a yeast that thrives in an oily environment. Instead, use an anti-dandruff shampoo or the African Naturalistas Anti-dandruff Herbal Spray.
MYTH 6: You cannot naturally straighten natural hair
I hate to break it to you, but there is no way to straighten natural hair permanently without the use of chemicals. While we are at it, texturizers are not natural. They are chemical straighteners just like relaxers.
You can, however, straighten hair with a straightener or stretch it out using the threading method or even your good old twists. Note that excessive heat on your hair can cause some damage.
MYTH 7: You cannot exercise with natural hair
Ha! Just like you can with relaxed hair, you can absolutely workout with your natural hair. Of course, you may need to wash or cleanse your hair more often to wash out sweat. One great tip is to wrap your hair with a cotton scarf or headband to absorb the sweat while you workout.
MYTH 8: Maintaining natural hair is expensive
Absolutely not. Unless you are buying a ton of expensive commercial products, maintaining natural hair has been found to be less expensive. Especially as there are quite a number of natural products you can use to DIY. Since we are not massive advocates of DIYs, you can give the African Naturalistas range a go for affordable and absolutely fantastic products that work.
MYTH 9: You must know your natural hair type
No, you don’t have to know your hair type. It does, however, help to know your hair porosity. This helps you to choose the right products for your hair. Knowing your hair type and copying someone else with the same hair type does not guarantee that your hair will behave the same way as theirs. You have to understand your hair and how it wants to be treated for it to grow.
MYTH 10: Natural hair is difficult to style and not versatile
This is absolutely not true. Natural hair can be done up in up-dos, afro puffs, and finger coils. Don’t forget cornrows, two-strand twists, flat twists, Bantu knots, and locs. All of these, in addition to all the many other styles, can be done in a variety of beautiful ways.
MYTH 11: You can repair damaged natural hair with products
Damaged hair can never be fully repaired using products. They can help to some extent however, they can never fully reverse the damage. Most times, the best solution for severely damaged hair is to cut it off and allow the hair to grow back healthily while avoiding all the things that damaged it in the first place.
MYTH 12: You don’t need to wash natural hair often
On the contrary, you need to wash your hair regularly. Not washing your hair regularly will lead to a build-up of dirt and products. This will in turn cause hair to look dull and dry. It is also much better styling clean hair. Imagine all that gunk on your hair while trying to style it. Not a good look.
Misinformation and a lack of understanding lead to myths. Hopefully, we have been able to debunk these myths. Keep learning about and understanding your natural hair so that you can always have a glorious mane of beautiful hair.
Which of these myths have you believed before now? Don't be shy, tell us in the comments section 👇
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