How to Care For Your Natural Hair This Harmattan Season.

The dry and dusty harmattan season is no fun for our natural hair.

The season is often characterized by dry, dusty and cold weather, so it is important that we give extra care to our general health especially our hair.

Whether you have locks or loose natural coily hair, this is the season to take extra good care of your hair.
We all know that the season is, dry and dusty. It tends to dry out our hair much faster causing it to break and makes it difficult to maintain moisture because of how it dries out our hair so fast.

Here are 9 tips on how to take care of your hair during harmattan to avoid excess breakage:

1. Moisturize your hair with a water-based cream or hair lotion (e.g., carrot cream).

2. Cleaning/Washing: Stay away from shampoos during harmattan, instead cowash. Do not shampoo your hair because it dries it out. Cowash helps retain moisture and will still give you a clean hair. Cowash with warm water because the weather is obviously not nice.

3. Spray Bottle: A spray bottle is where you have water – oil – leave in – glycerin mixture. Its very essential. You can have a small spray bottle so you take it with you wherever and you can spritz from time to time to re-moisturise your hair.

a mixture of water,olive oil,tea tea essential oil a mixture of water,olive oil,tea tea essential oil
4. Deep condition your hair regularly: Deep condition your hair weekly to lock in moisture and strengthen the hair. The harmattan season can also make your hair look dry and dull, moisturize daily to add shine and reduce dryness.

5. Protective styles are a great option: What’s a protective style? Any hairstyle that keeps your ends hidden, and has low to-no manipulation. Basically, you want your ends to be well hydrated and covered up.

I decided to just do some cornrows until I figure out what style I want to do. I decided to just do some cornrows until I figure out what style I want to do.
Tuck your hair away and protect it from the harsh weather. Natural hair is versatile and you can wear weaves just like anyone else.

6. Increase your water intake: Water is good for the body. Everyone should drink up to 8 glasses of water per day for healthy skin, hair and nails. If you have to take 8 glasses of water when the weather is normal then you certainly have to take more when it is Harmattan. So, drink up! Your hair will thank you for it.

7. Avoid dust or dusty environment: It is almost impossible to avoid dust this period but it’s one of the things you should do to care for your hair. When going out you can wear a hat to prevent dust from settling on your hair.

8. Eat more vegetables and fruits that can provide you with the daily vitamins and minerals that you need: Eat three meals a day or five little ones, and keep to a regular healthy eating routine.

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9. Hot oil treatment: The heat from the oils (or dryer, depending on your method) opens up the strand cuticles, ensuring penetration of moisture into your hair.

Remember always moisturise and seal hair as frequently as possible. Don’t let your hair dry out. Take care of yourself and your hair more. Best to use butters to seal the moisture in.

source : naij.com