Dear ZedHair,

My hair is dry, prone to breakage and very difficult to comb. What can I do to make it soft? 

The key to softer natural hair is an effective moisturising routine. Think of your natural hair like a leaf, when it is attached to the tree it has moisture and is soft; on the other hand a fallen leaf is dry and easily crushed.

Source

Here are 4 simple things that you can do to keep your hair soft:

• Spritz and Seal

Get into the habit of using a spray bottle to add water to your hair in between washes and be sure to apply an oil or butter on your damp hair to seal in the moisture. You can add honey, aloe vera or glycerin to the water in the spray bottle to increase the ability of your hair to absorb the moisture; depending on how dry your hair is you may need to spritz every day or every few days.

Spray bottles are available in supermarkets and good beauty supply stores.

• Condition your hair

Conditioning adds moisture as well as other much needed nutrients to the hair. A good conditioning treatment will leave your hair soft and malleable as it improves elasticity. The more elasticity your hair has the less likely it is to break. Spritzing the hair is a great way to moisturise but what conditioning does is increase your hair’s ability to retain that moisture.

Natural ladies are notorious for sneaking into the kitchen for their hair products.

• Use less direct heat

Heat saps the hair of moisture and can leave it dry, unfortunately, most hairdressers believe that the only way to manage natural hair is to blow dry it. The combination of direct heat and rough combing not only sucks the moisture out of the hair, it can damage the cuticle and make you less likely to be able to retain moisture. If you must use heat look for a good heat protectant and try not to hold your blow dryer on one area of your hair for a long amount of time.

• Ditch the cotton

Most of us use cotton bedding and towels. Cotton is highly effective at absorbing moisture. Your night time routine is just as important as how you treat your hair during the day. Opt for silk or satin scarves, bonnets or pillowcases which are smoother and less absorbent to ensure you wake up with soft tresses and less tangles. Try drying your hair with a T shirt rather than a towel and instead of rubbing it dry just wrap the T shirt around the hair for a few minutes before applying your leave in conditioner and sealant.

There are other ways to keep your hair moisturised such as protective styling, limiting the use of mineral oil and silicones or reducing the use of shampoos that contain sulphates but these 4 are simple and effective.

Do you have a question about caring for your natural hair? Send a message to mwanabibi@zedhair.com