African Cuts

In the last blog post, I covered a few reasons why braids will remain timeless. From time immemorial, the braids have been the hairstyle of the African woman, from the time of the Ancient Egyptians to the time of the Greeks, Romans, Mali Empire, Ghana Empire to date. Braids are the most popular African  hairstyle and after six thousand years of African Fashion, they are still as popular and cool! So here are a few tips on looking after your quintessentially African hairstyle:

• If your hair is relaxed or dyed, ensure that prior to braiding, you have treated your hair with a strengthening protein conditioner.
• Avoid too tight cornrows as they can result in a receding hairline.
• Use a good braid spray shampoo. Gently work the shampoo into the braids and onto the scalp, then rinse thoroughly. Do not pile your braids on top of your head when shampooing. It is important to keep them in a downward direction to keep them from tangling . This is not a daily treatment.
• Use a cream or spray hair conditioner to prevent dryness of the scalp and brittle hair.
• Nourish your scalp with oil to prevent flakiness.
• Wrap your hair in a satin scarf at night to protect your hair from tangling.
• Avoid alcohol-based hair products as they tend to cause hair damage and breakage. Natural oils such as jojoba and coconut are great for keeping the scalp well moisturised.
• To keep your cornrows in tip-top condition, keep the hair moist by spraying as needed with a moist battle.
• TIP: Hair does not grow faster when in braids or cornrows. Basically, hair growth is determined by genetics, diet and the amount of care you put in to avoid breakage.