7 Very Important Things Your 4c Hair Needs

It takes a lot of time, effort and money to get that beautiful, healthy and radiant afro hair. Your hair needs as much care as you give to your health and skin and giving it little attention will eventually leave it looking untidy, unhealthy and more difficult to manage.

It is ideal to have a proper hair care regimen that fits your hair texture and will improve your hair’s health. Your hair, particularly 4c hair, needs extra attention and care because they get dry easily and without enough care, your hair can break. 

To avoid all the hair damage and breakage hassle, the following are the 7 things your 4c hair needs to be healthy, strong and radiant 

1. Moisturizing 

Moisturizing your 4c hair sounds like an understatement, you should live in an ocean and constantly have your hair drenched with water. Just kidding, that’s going overboard. But honestly, moisturizing your afro cannot be overemphasized. Your hair products should be hydrating, have a water spray bottle for your hair and spray constantly. You can also lock in the moisture by adding a sealant like coconut oil. Adding moisture to your hair frequently will reduce tangles, prevent possible breakage and dryness and enable easy combing. It also gives room for lush, soft  and shiny hair.

2. Deep conditioning 

Your 4c hair needs to be deep conditioned once a week. It is usually done after shampooing and is more effective than regular conditioning. Deep conditioners that contain mineral oils should be avoided, they are villains in the hair world and can damage your hair. The benefit of deep conditioning is to add moisture to your hair and keep it tangle free.

3. Sulfate-free shampoos

Next on the gems you should give your 4c hair are sulfate-free shampoos. Sulfates are bad guys that cause your shampoo to lather and dry up your scalp. Like your 4c doesn’t dry out often enough, washing your hair with shampoos that contain sulfates can further dry out your scalp and cause breakage. 

Conditioners are also not left out, they can contain sulfates too, so ignite your Sherlock senses, read that ingredient list and ditch shampoos and conditioners with sulfate. 

4. Protective hairstyles 

Protective hairstyles will not only help improve your appearance but it will protect your hair from possible damage. It keeps your hair tucked away and saves you all the combing snd detangling stress and at the same time aids your haur growth. Do not forget to make these hairstyles loose when you’re wearing them so  the hairstyles can serve their purpose.

5. Healthy diet

A healthy diet also makes the list of what your 4c hair needs. In fact, being deficient in the nutrients your hair needs can cause your hair to thin or break. Make sure you incorporate nutrients like vitamins, iron, zinc and proteins in your diet to aid your hair growth and improve you hair’s health.

Taking supplements containing these nutrients is also a good way to go

6. Trimming

Trimming your hair involves taking out all the split ends in your hair. If split ends aren’t taken out, the ends will continue to split and might affect your hair in a bad way. If you have afro-textured hair, don’t skip trimming your hair. A way to know if you have split ends is by running your fingers through your hair and checking if your hair is breaking.

7. Correct styling tools

Your 4c hair needs the correct styling tools for ease and to avoid damage. When taking out your tangles, you should never use a fine tooth comb. It will only tug or pull at your hair and might even make the tangles worse because the comb is not meant for your hair texture. A wide tooth comb should be used instead to take out tangles and to comb your hair. Always ensure to take out your tangles when your hair is damp. You can then use a fine-tooth comb to style your hair after detangling with a wide tooth comb

Final thoughts 

Your 4c hair should be treated like an egg to improve its health and growth. The above listed things are very important and should not be missed out on while caring for your 4c hair. There are a lot of other beneficial practices you can incorporate in your regimen. You can pre-poo before washing your hair. That’s the process of preparing your hair by adding several treatments before washing it.

Also, do not forget to wash your hair only occasionally, like one a week or every two weeks, so the sebum production in your scalp can be balanced. Washing frequently can dry out your scalp.

You can opt for a co-washing method,which is the use of washing your hair with a conditioner only, keeping the sebum in your scalp intact. Also be sure to make sure these hair ingredients are free of toxins that could harm your hair.

Wear a silk or satin bonnet or scarf  to sleep or use a silk or satin pillowcase. Cotton pillowcases will remove moisture from your hair due to friction. It can also lead to tangles and waking up with frizzy hair.

Lastly, always oil your hair. Totally avoid mineral oils if you can and use coconut oils instead. You can use these oils to moisturize your hair or as a sealant to lock in the moisture in your hair. A plus is coconut oils reduce the protein loss in your hair and minimizes the risk of possible hair breakage or damage.