Blogger Aisha O’Reilly’s Big Chop Aftermath
You just chopped off your hair and are now 100% natural…now what? Firstly, don’t panic! Here are my top three habits to adopt once you go natural:
1. Moisturise: Our hair is naturally dry. It’s very bendy, curly and coily so the natural oils our scalp produces don’t reach the entire hair shaft. When our hair is dry, it’s brittle and is most likely to break. Breakage doesn’t allow you to retain length.
Try the LOC method:
Liquid – apply water. It’s the best form of moisture your hair will ever get. A water
based leave-in conditioner is also good.
Oil – apply your favourite oils to help seal the water moisture. Natural oils are king;
coconut, avocado & olive are good and easily available.
Cream – apply your cream or butter of choice. It’s usually something heavier than the
oil. Shea butter is great to use at this point.
2. Change: Don’t treat your natural hair the same way you did your relaxed hair – relaxed hair is not the same as natural hair. You need to do a 180. Don’t practice the same techniques you did when relaxed and expect them to work on a completely different texture of hair. From the products to the tools, you need to do research and re-learn how to care for your natural hair. The quicker you’re able to do this, the easier your natural hair journey will be.
3. Wrap: Just like brushing your teeth, make it a habit to prep and wrap your hair at night with a silk or satin headscarf or bonnet. Cotton soaks up moisture so it will dry your hair out. Twist it, braid it, cornrow it to prevent it from matting during the night. If you want to look super cute and don’t want to wear the scarf look to bed, sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. Your hair will love you forever.
Most importantly, listen to your hair. This sounds a bit cryptic but it’s the simplest and most true thing. If your hair is dry, moisturise it. If it doesn’t react well to a certain product, stop using that product. It really is that simple. And before you know it, you’ll be a master of your new fro 😉
Love these helpful tips? Follow Aisha at www.myfroandi.com or let her know on social media or in the comment box below…