Do you have a routine for taking care of your natural hair? If no, don't worry, you're in good hands. Or perhaps you want to improve your existing routine? Either way, we've got you covered.
It's important to know that taking care of your natural hair isn't hard. All you need is some patience and simple, natural hair techniques. While it might take some time to get used to a natural hair care routine, trust me, you'll figure it out.
To help you create your hair routine, we've searched the internet for the best natural hair care tips and routines from our favorite natural hair YouTubers. Keep in mind that everyone's hair is different, so try the tips you like to see what works best for you.
1. The Millennial Black Girl
The Millennial Black Girl shares her daily morning and night natural hair care routine for 4B/4C hair.
The Millennial Black Girl Morning Routine
1. Braid your hair the night before
Queeny recommends braiding your hair before bed to prevent tangling and make styling easier the next day. Before styling, remove the braids, spray your hair with water, and detangle thoroughly.
2. Massage your hair and scalp with oil
Queeny has a sensitive and dry scalp, so she massages her scalp every morning with stimulating growth oil. Afterward, she applies grapeseed oil to her hair.
3. Do a protective style
To smooth out her hair before styling, Queeny applies Aloe vera gel. She then styles her hair into one of her go-to hairstyle: the low bun or ponytail.
The Millennial Black Girl Night Routine
1. Section and massage your hair
After having her hair in a ponytail or bun all day, she takes it out and massages her hair with Gold Series Detangler. She parts her hair into four or six sections and massages the detangler into each section. Next, she finger-detangles and then detangles with a wide-tooth comb.
2. Do a simple protective style
The next step in her hair routine is to put her hair into twists. She applies hair boost oil to the roots of her hair and edges and lays flat while she sleeps.
Finally, she covers her hair with a jumbo bonnet and then wraps her scarf around her hairline to keep her edges smooth.
2. Naakie Nartey
Naakie shares her natural hair regimen for 4C hair, including the products recommended by a natural hairstylist.
Naakie Nartey Natural Hair Regimen
1. Don't wash your hair every week
You don't need to wash your hair every week, especially if you have thin hair. Washing too often can stress your hair. Instead, limit your wash days to twice a month.
Once a month, clarify your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up. After washing twice with the clarifying shampoo, follow up with a moisturizing shampoo like the AG Balance Shampoo.
2. Use a deep conditioner every time you wash your hair
On every wash day, Naakie uses a deep conditioner just after shampooing her hair. This helps to put moisture back into her hair strands and keep it locked in.
She recommends products like TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask, Camille Rose Buriti Nectar Cholesterol Treatment, and Joico Moisture Recovery Balm for this.
To ensure her hair follicles lift up and absorb these products well, she sits under a steamer for about 20 to 30 minutes. For those on a budget, a plastic cap can be used instead.
After deep-conditioning, she applies a leave-in conditioner, such as the As I Am Leave-in conditioner.
3. Detangle your hair
First, Naakie finger detangles her hair, then she uses a wide-tooth comb and detangling brush. Finger detangling helps to remove any knots. The wide-tooth comb ensures that her hair isn't snagged, which reduces friction and minimizes breakage.
4. Seal your hair with oil after styling
Once you're done styling your hair, seal it with oil, such as the Camille Rose Buriti Nectar Repair Oil. You can also use other lightweight oils like pure avocado oil, sweet almond oil, or apricot oil.
While styling, avoid manipulating your hair too often. Instead, do either protective styles, low manipulation styles, or blow-out styles.
3. Jenn Jackson
Jenn Jackson shares her best natural hair routine for extreme hydration and moisture.
Jenn Jackson Natural Hair Care Routine
1. Pre-poo your hair
Consistently pre-pooing your hair with oil can reduce tangles and matting, prevent shampoo from stripping your hair, and improve overall natural hair health.
Pre-pooing is an important part of Jenn's natural hair regimen. Her preferred method is to saturate her hair and scalp with oil, cover with a shower cap for 20 minutes, and massage the scalp for additional hair growth benefits.
2. Wash your hair in sections
To make washing her hair easier, Jenn sections it into Bantu knots before getting in the shower. This helps to prevent knots and tangles.
When shampooing, she only applies shampoo to her scalp and runs it through her hair. As she washes each section, she puts it in twists.
3. Deep condition and detangle
To deep condition, apply deep conditioner evenly to both your hair and scalp. Cover your hair with a plastic cap and leave the conditioner in overnight. This will give your hair more slip during the detangling process.
To detangle, first, use your fingers to gently work through any knots or tangles. Then, use a wide-tooth comb to fully detangle your hair. Finally, put your hair back into twists.
4. Moisturize and seal
After moisturizing your hair, it's important to seal in the moisture so it stays hydrated. The easiest way to do this is by using an oil-based sealant such as Shea butter or Mango butter.
Since 4C hair is naturally dry, this is the best way to moisturize and seal it. There are also other methods you can explore for moisturizing your hair.
5. Do a low manipulation style
The final step in this natural hair care routine is to do a low manipulation style, such as cornrows, twist outs, or braid outs.
You can also go for protective styles if you prefer, but the key is to choose a style that requires minimal maintenance.
4. Coco
Coco shares her simple natural hair regimen for growing 4C hair
Coco Simple Natural Hair Regimen
1. Moisturizing with minimal products
Coco recommends moisturizing your hair with minimal products. Don't use too many products or try every natural hair product you see.
Her simple technique is to moisturize with just two oils: coconut oil and castor oil. You can also alternate between lightweight oil and heavyweight oil. For deep conditioning, she sticks to one deep conditioning product all year round.
2. Use shampoo instead of co-washing your hair
Co-washing doesn't really help her hair. It just causes more buildup on her scalp. So on wash days, she uses a clarifying shampoo to clean her scalp.
3. Have a go-to hairstyle
Find a quick go-to hairstyle that works for you and stick to it. Look for something you can accomplish in 15 minutes without getting frustrated during the styling process.
5. Jacinta Nwabuogu
Jacinta Nwabuogu shares her natural hair care regimen for 4C hair
Jacinta Nwabuogu 4C Natural Hair Regimen
1. Moisturize and detangle your hair
To begin, section your hair and spritz it with a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. Next, saturate your hair with a mixture of water and coconut oil, and use your fingers to detangle your hair.
Once you have finished detangling, put each section of your hair into twists and cover it with a shower cap or plastic bag. Finally, sit under a heating cap for approximately 30 minutes.
2. Shampoo and deep condition your hair
To maintain clean hair, Jacinta washes it every two weeks with shampoo, paying special attention to her scalp.
After shampooing, she creates a homemade deep conditioner by blending together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, olive oil, honey, avocado, ripe banana, and egg yolk.
She applies the mixture all over her hair, saturating it well, and then rinses it off with cold water.
3. Moisturize and style your hair
Before styling, she moisturizes her hair with the Shea Butter Curl Enhancing Smoothie and seals with Shea butter. Her go-to hairstyle is usually a braid out style.