This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link.
This post is all about the 13 things you need to know about natural 4c hair.
Black women and hair go together like peanut butter and jelly. Lemon and water. Babies and diapers! It is our pride and joy. Aside from our natural hair texture being distinctly and uniquely different from any other race, its diversity allows us to wear and experiment with different hair styles just about as often as we want- which is why one day I can be wearing an afro and the very next day I can be in a short pixie cut wig. By the end of the week, I can be wearing my hair silky straight and switch it up again on Monday. Black hair is a blessing.
Like all gifts from God, your hair has to be nurtured and treated well in order for you to reap the full benefits of it. If I'm honest, there have been many times that I have wanted to either cut my hair off or go back to straightening it because I was fed up with the tangles and the uphill battle I found myself up against every time it was time to do my hair. And as my hair grew longer, that battle only got more difficult!
In fact, though I have been natural (without a relaxer) for about 20 years (wow!) it was only until recently that I truly began to understand my hair and how to properly treat and care for it, and actually enjoy my natural hair. Through reading, watching tutorials and trial and error, I have learned to understand what my hair needs to grow and be manageable and healthy.
Below is a list of 13 things that I have learned about my natural 4c hair.
This post is all about 4c hair and 13 things you need to know for healthy natural hair.
13 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NATURAL 4C HAIR
1. COMB YOUR HAIR
A lot of hair influencers advise against using combs or brushes directly on your hair and to alternatively use your fingers to detangle. This sounds all well and dandy until you're out the shower and there are still knots and tangles! I have to admit that I tried this method for several months and thought I was doing my hair a favor - protecting my hair from breakage by not using a comb or a brush. But, what was really happening is that using my hands was not fully detangling my hair and was ultimately leaving knots. So, I would go weeks of wash days just finger detangling and when I did use a brush or comb to detangle, lets say every 3rd or 4th wash day, it was almost impossible and an absolute nightmare (I'm exaggerating a little but not by much. It was not easy and took hours!).
While my hair is wet with conditioner, I use this Tangle Teaser to detangle my hair. It is designed for thick and curly hair and does not damage my hair.
2. PROTECT YOUR ENDS
Healthy ends is essential to healthy hair and length retention. One of the ways that I protect my ends is by making sure they are tucked and wrapped up well at night. This keeps them moisturized and less prone to knots and breaking.
3. TRIM YOUR ENDS
If you are having trouble growing your hair, the first thing to do is access your ends. The rate at which your hair grows is largely due to genetics, but there are ways that you can help your hair grow such as eating a well balanced diet and good maintenance of your hair overall. Most likely, if you are finding that your hair is not growing, it is because your ends need to be trimmed. Unhealthy ends cause snagging and breakage and that will continue up your hair shaft causing further damage. I trim my ends roughly once every 3-4 months. But, if I see a split end or a knot in between that time, I do not hesitate to cut it off. I understand being hesitant to trim your ends when you're in a season of desperately wanting your hair to grow, because I used to be the same way. I would hold a mirror up as my stylist would trim my ends to make sure she didnt get too comfortable and scissor happy. I get it! But, similar to dead weight in your life, if you want to flourish, you have to get rid of it, asap! Trim your ends, sis.
Be sure not to use recreational or kitchen scissors. Instead, use hair sheers like these Micro Serrated Shears:
4. MOISTURIZE DAILY
This may seem very obvious to some, but for "lazy naturals" like myself, this isn't always easy to do. I wear my hair in protective styles a lot and often forget to moisturize my hair. I don't know anyone who enjoys having dry hair. Dry 4c hair is not fun to work with and causes your hair to be brittle and prone to breaking.
5. WASH YOUR HAIR WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY
Washing your hair removes dirt and build up from your hair and scalp. I used to skip wash week often (due to laziness- and I actually didn't see the point. Once a week seemed excessive to me!) But, I realized how harmful this was to my hair. The longer I would wait to wash my hair, the more tangled my hair would be when it was time for wash day. Frequent washes keeps your hair clean and opens the shafts of my hair to allowing more oils to penetrate my hair shaft thus supporting healthy hair. Also, the more you wash, the more you condition and conditioning your hair aids to its health and growth.
I am currently using and loving Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo:
6. DEEP CONDITION WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY
Deep conditioning your hair is a key component to having strong and healthy hair strands. I have low porosity hair- the cuticles on my hair shaft are flat and not raised- so I use head when deep conditioning to ensure the conditioner really penetrates my hair cuticles.
I absolutely love Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque
7. NIP TANGLES IN THE BUTT
As your hair grows, your hair will become more prone to tangles and knots. This is something that I did not anticipate but have learned to deal with over the years. The best thing you can do is keep your hair free from tangles- within reason (sometimes they are unavoidable). Ways that I nip my tangles in the butt is when I take my twits out, I go through every strand, making sure there aren't any clumps. I used to avoid this because the more I would separate my twists, the frizzier my hair would get. When I didn't separate my twists completely, my hair would not be nearly as frizzy, but it would get tangled at the root and ends. I prefer frizzy over tangled any day.
I use this Tangle Teaser to detangle my hair while it's wet. It is designed for thick and curly hair.
8. DRINK LOTS OF WATER
Drinking water does wonders for you by hydrating your body and regulating our circulatory system. Drinking an adequate amount of water a day will aid in a healthy scalp and support hair growth while lubricating your hair follicles. This will allow your hair strands to be strong and less likely to break, frizz and be limp.
9. PROTECTIVE STYLES ARE OUR FRIEND
Protective styles help your hair grow. Period. If your hair is strong and healthy, it will be able to withstand braids, twists and wigs. Just make sure your stylist, or you, don't twist or braid too tight because that can cause damage, especially around the edges. I do not recommend wearing protective styles longer than 4-6 weeks. By that time your hair needs a good wash, detangle and deep condition.
10. USE A MICROFIBER TOWEL (OR A SHIRT)
After washing your hair, use a microfiber towel or a t-shirt to dry your hair not a towel. Towels can be harsh on your hair and cause snagging and breaking.
This Microfiber Hair towel is super cute and affordable:
11. HEAT IS NOT OUR ENEMY
I use heat on my hair a handful of times a year. When I first went natural, I was terrified of putting any heat on my hair. And honestly, I don't like that feeling of being afraid of making changes to my hair. One of the reasons I love black hair is because it is versatile and can go from curly to straight and back to curly easily. And I like being free to wear my hair straight and curly again if I want to. What I have learned is that if your hair is healthy and if you protect your hair strands with a really good heat protectant before applying heat, your hair will be fine and not lose its curl pattern. It is possible some of your curls will loosen, but that is a risk you take. I recommend using the warm setting on your heating tool, not the maximum heat level. And also use a protein treatment after using heat to help repair any tears or breaks in your hair that the heat may have caused.
12. USE HEAT PROTECTANTS
This is a must. As mentioned above, when you decide to switch from curly to straight hair, use a heat protectant to protect your hair cuticles from getting damaged and prevent breakage.
TRESemmé has a great heat protectant spray:
13. LISTEN TO YOUR HAIR
Imagine raising your child exactly like your neighbor raises their child, simply because you are friends with your neighbor or you like the car they drive. That will not work, because though all children have the same basic needs - food, water & shelter- all children are not the same and every child has different unique needs. That goes for your hair is well. It is unique in its own way and will only flourish when you take the time to first get to know and understand what it needs to grow (like a child), and design your care routine specifically around those unique needs.
In non metaphorical terms, when you are looking for advise regarding your hair, gravitate towards people who have your hair type. I can not (and do not) follow the same routine as someone with 4a hair. It does not work for me. And, sometimes the products that someone with high porosity hair uses do not work well on my low porosity hair. It is important to be in tune with your hair in what it needs to flourish and not try to make your hair behave like someone else's. Listen to your hair.
10 BEST OILS FOR LOW POROSITY HAIR
23 DELICIOUS VEGAN DESSERTS
