Drink water, spritz your hair and apply leave-in conditioner. It really is that simple

2. Wrap it up and sleep in luxury

Invest in a silk or satin scarf/ doek /bonnet to wrap your hair up when you sleep. This will help retain moisture, prevent snagging, tangles and allow you to keep styles fresher for longer.  Getting a silk pillow is great if you struggle to sleep with something on your head, your head scarf slips off during the night or if you just want double the benefits.

Silk or satin scarves/bonnets available: here | here | here

Silk Pillow Cases available: here | here | here

Heat is probably the biggest damagers of natural hair, and contrary to what products claim, you can't reserve heat damage, you have to cut off the damaged hair. Avoiding heat also means finding a hair stylist that doesn't use it or at least use a heat protectant. Ill be reviewing different hair salons and you can read about all my escapades here. 

Split ends are inevitable so trimming your hair regularly is imperative. How often you trim your hair is completely up to you but its recommended that you trim them every 8-12weeks. 

Natural hair is really finicky about the products and tools. The wrong shampoo can dry your hair, while combing it with a small tooth comb while dry can lead to breakage. I wrote a blog about The Essential Tools as well as the Essential Products you should have when you have an afro.

Because of the structure, black hair tends to be dry. The kinkier and more coily it is (S/O 4C), the drier it is. Deep conditioning is one of the ways that we can get moisture to penetrate the hair shaft, allowing for more moisture to be absorbed and hopefully retained. I suggest you deep condition at least every two weeks, on the days you use shampoo. You can buy deep conditioners, hair masks from Clicks and Dischem or you can mix your own.

Protective styles include braids, wigs and weaves (yes you really can be the girl who does both...LOL). They are anything that is low maintenance and protects your edges and ends from the harsh environment. Protective styles are great to have:

• During winter when the air is a little drier
• Summer when you will be swimming and out in the sun
• When you are going on holiday because no one wants spend a day washing hair when they could be relaxing or site-seeing
• When you are busy and need one less thing to worry about
• When you want to temporarily change your look 

Protective Styles