When it comes to tending to your natural hair, sister!!! the struggle is real.
The good news is, you are not alone! If you are just starting out on your natural hair journey or are long into it, there’s someone out there with some experience who would be willing to show you the way!
One of the biggest challenges I have had in my natural hair journey, is knowing the best hairpieces for men and women and Best Products for 4c hair type and knowing exactly what hair care regimen to follow.
Questions like, how often do I need to wash my 4c natural hair? what are the best products for 4c hair growth? etc all plagued my mind. As a beginner the whole natural hair thing just seemed so overwhelming and expensive, but as I progressed in my journey I started to understand that I didn’t need a truck-load of products to make it work, I just needed to stick to a good hair care regimen and get a few products that worked for me, Of course that was after I had spent nearly a fortune on different products and come to the realization that I Don’t need to have it all, to achieve my natural hair dreams ad goals.
One of the first things you need to do while on your natural hair journey is to know your hair type! It took me forever to really understand the different hair types that exist and which group I belong to.
One of the major advantages of equipping yourself with the right information is that the whole process of managing your hair finding the right products and getting the right hairstyles becomes a lot easier!
Interestingly, some people have different types of hair on different parts of their head. So, its important to keep this in mind as well, because you might have to experiment with the products you use and play around with your hair care routine before you figure out what works best for you!
Type 1,2,3 and 4
Type 2,3 and 4 are also sub divided into A,B and C
Type 1 is basically straight hair, this hair type has no curls at all and is quite difficult to create curls on. Straight hair is the most resilient of all of the hair types.
Type 2 hair is wavy hair and it’s subdivided into a, b and c.
Wavy hair has a texture and sheen between straight and curly hair and is likely to become fizzy. Fine wavy hair can be tamed and easily styled, however, medium and coarse hair can be hard to style.
Type 3 hair is curly hair, this hair type is also divided into a, b and c! Each strand of the type 3 hair has an s pattern and there is a definite curl pattern in place, with or without products.
Then we have the type 4 hair, this hair type is also divided into a, b and c. This hair type is often referred to as kinky hair, it is the driest of all the hair types and so requires a lot of care and pampering so it stays healthy and grows out well.
Each strand usually has a zig zag pattern. Kinky hair is the driest hair type, thus it is more prone to breakage.
So what are the best products for 4c hair type in 2022? And what are the best products for 4c natural hair growth? Well, before we delve into that, let’s talk about the best hair care routine for your 4c natural hair.
Having the right hair care routine for your natural 4c hair is so important! 4c hair is pretty hard to mange and quite fragile too. Doing the wrong things, can lead to breakage, stunted growth and unhealthy hair.
Shampooing: how often, do you need to wash your hair, and what kind of shampoo do you need to use? You really do not need to wash your hair everyday, once a week or once in two weeks is fine! Some hair professionals even suggest that 4c natural hair ought to be washed once or twice in a month!
In order to avoid product build-up I would advice you wash your hair at least once a week. Secondly, how do you know the right shampoo to use?
washing your hair with the right shampoo can never be overemphasized, using the wrong product can strip your hair of its natural oils.
one of the products I use and particularly love is the cantu shea butter for natural hair sulphate-free cleansing cream shampoo. You could try out this product or find another one that could work for you, the major thing to look out for when shopping for a shampoo for your natural hair, is to ensure that it’s creamy, sulfate free and a moisturizing cleanser. You can also co-wash your hair instead,co-washing means, washing your hair with conditioner, instead of shampoo, this can been done weekly while a shampoo wash is done monthly or twice a month.
After washing your hair endeavour to follow suit with a super hydrating conditioner, ensure that the conditioner you are using is sulphate free, full of natural oils and has rich butters. Avoid products that contain minerals, alcohol, chemicals of any sort, petrolatum oil and heavy waxes.
Deep conditioning: its no news that you need to deep condition your natural hair, this is because 4c natural hair dries out so quickly! And dry hair leads to lots and lots of breakage.
Deep conditioning your hair at least once every two weeks is a great way to moisturize it and make it way less difficult to manage. After deep conditioning your hair you need to ensure that the moisture is retained, this can be done by carrying protective hairstyles and using the “LOC” method to lock in moisture.
De-tangle your hair when its wet or damp:
Always avoid the temptation to de-tangle your hair when its dry! When your hair is wet use a wide tooth comb, a denman brush or even your hands to gently de-tangle it.
Moisturize your hair: the last thing you want is dry hair! Because dry hair breaks easily. So moisturize your hair daily by spraying water, adding a little bit of oil and cream.
Start off by spritzing your hair with water. Then apply coconut oil or olive oil to lock in the moisture. Finish off with a leave-in conditioner or a cream, I use Cantu coconut curling cream and Aunt Jackie’s Curl La La Defining Curl Custard to keep my hair hydrated and moisturized. This is called the “LOC” method and it means liquid, oil and cream. This method is very effective when it comes to moisturizing your 4c hair and it’s also pretty simple.
Night time hair regimen: have you ever wondered why most natural hair enthusiast always have to wear a
satin/silk bonnet before going to sleep? As silly as it may sound, this night time regimen is important because
you tend to shed a lot of hair at night due to friction between your hair and pillowcase. Your pillowcase could also rob your 4c hair of its moisture
this is why it is advisable to either use a satin pillowcase, if you Don’t like the bonnet option, you could also tie your hair in a loose ponytail or pineapple before going to sleep. If you don’t want to tie your hair in a bonnet, then a satin pillowcase is also a good alternative.
So now that you know how to properly take care of your 4c hair,
let’s look at some of the best 4c natural hair products!
1. Water: yes! Water is and will forever remain the best moisturizer for your hair. As a matter of fact most good products have water as their number one ingredient, and that’s something to look out for when buying your hair products. This doesn’t also mean you have to wash your hair all the time, simply Get a spray bottle that you can use to spritz water on your hair daily.
Coconut oil: these essential oils are so important for your hair they help to lock in moisture for longer periods. I use coconut oil and it’s been great so far.
Cantu leave-in conditioner: when I started out on my natural hair journey I saw lots of positive reviews on this product and I decided to try it out. The results have been great so far. I love how this product because it moisturizes and softens my hair, making it so much easier to detangle and manage.
cantu shea butter for natural hair sulphate-free cleansing cream shampoo: when it comes to washing my hair I do not have a specific product I use. what’s important is that it’s sulfate-free and contains natural oils. So always look out for that. However, I have tried out this cantu product and it also works pretty well so I can recommend it to anyone who is confused about what shampoo to opt for.
Cantu coconut curling cream: I would downright say this is my favorite hair cream. I love everything about this product, the smell, the feel..the consistency, it’s just perfect and most importantly it moisturizes my hair perfectly.
Shea moisture curl enhancing cream: there’s much fuss about this product in the market, so I believe there must be something good about it, but I haven’t tried it out myself. But I have seen a lot of good reviews on this product especially for wash and go’s, you can check this one here.
Eco styler gel: this gel comes in so many varieties, I use the one that contains olive oil. I recommend this gel instead of any other although it hasn’t worked for me for wash and go’s, my hair just doesn’t respond to those kind of fancy stuff but its the best for my edges. You can get it shipped to you for free.
Deman brush for natural hair: there are numerous options available in the market, so knowing which one to buy can be a tough Choice. Deman brush is one of the most popular brushes for detangling natural hair becaus It removes tangles easily.
1. Trim your hair at least once in 6 months! This is a very delicate and yet essential process because having damaged hair at the tip of your hair prevents the entire growth process. So its good to Get rid of split ends. This will help to maintain the health of your hair.
2. Protective styling: protective hairstyles help your hair grow, prevents breakage and helps your hair retain moisture that’s why it is so preached! Protective Styles are twists, cornrows, weaves, box braids, crochet braids, bantu knots to mention a few, holding your hair down in any of these styles offers your hair some protection and prevents damage.
3. Avoid product build-up: this is one reason why you should wash your hair at least once a week. Wether its a co-wash or a shampoo wash, just avoid product build-up! Avoid pilling products on your hair, this can lead to hair damage and ultimately hair loss. As someone who is starting out ,you will be faced with the temptation to try every curl activating cream to give your hair some definition. Don’t fall for it, most of these things are not what they seem to be at all. So just stick to what works for you. The fewer the better. There’s no problem in trying out a couple of products to find out what works for you.
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