Hey there kinky krew!

Growing natural hair isn’t difficult – that’s what hair does, it grows! The tricky part is retaining that length. I’m going to take you guys through 5 tips I’ve used during my 3 years of being natural on how I’ve been able to grow AND RETAIN length.

 

• Be Gentle

You must be gentle with your hair! Anytime I’m handling or styling my hair I’m extremely cautious and make sure my hands are not dry when handling my curls. I may not necessarily need to apply product, but I will at least rub some leave-in on my hands so I’m not manipulating through my hair with dry hands. Along with moisturized hands, I make sure I don’t have any fingers with jagged or broken nails because this can snag and rip healthy strands of hair out causing unnecessary breakage.

 

 

When it comes to styling, please be sure you are using the proper tools to handle your hair. If you know demnan brushes pull your hair out – do not use them! I personally use my same wide tooth comb I’ve been using since my relaxed hair days because it still works. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Just because you see Jane using a tangle teezer doesn’t mean you have to!

 

 

• Wear a Satin or Silk Scarf

I never speak on this tip because I assume we have all been wearing silk or satin scarves for years, but there are some of us who aren’t! A silk scarf is one thing you do not want to slack on because any other material can suck the moisture right out of your hair. So get on amazon today and get one for the low!

Here’s a link to the scarf I use:

https://amzn.to/2wLKkYD

 

• Keep Ends Moisturized

You cannot expect to retain length without moisturizing your ends! There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t put some type of moisturizer in my hair. If i’m slicking my hair into a puff or bun I’m spritzing my ends, nape, and edges with a light leave-in to maintain those delicate parts of my hair. Also, wearing the hair up and off your shoulders prevents your ends from being exposed to the elements and from rubbing against clothing. Thus, keeping them moisturized longer. On those days I’m wearing my hair out, I will either do a light mist with spray leave-in or apply a serum or light oil to my ends.

 

 

• Moisture/Protein Balance

Although we are not relaxing our hair anymore, this balance is very important. Curly hair feeds off of moisture, as well as protein, so be sure to incorporate both into your routine. If you’re protein sensitive like me, be sure not to overload your hair with protein and on your protein wash days be sure to follow up with a moisturizing deep conditioner. It does make for a drawn-out wash day but your curls will thank you.

 

 

• Don’t Overmanipulate

Last but not least, don’t do too much! You’re going to have bad hair days and that’s ok! Don’t overmanipulate to force your hair into doing things it doesn’t want or can’t do. Also, try to keep styling to a minimum and your hands out of your hair when possible. I’ve gotten myself into the habit of putting on my satin scarf as soon as I get home from work to prevent my “hand in hair” syndrome from acting up. If your hair is out of sight, you more than likely won’t be tempted to touch. Try to make a habit of only touching your hair when styling to prevent any unnecessary hair fall.