Thuli Mashiane (25) started her company over two years ago. She made organic products to make her hair look and feel natural. The products quickly trended. She went from sharing samples with friends, to developing a business with organic products that cater to natural hair. Here, she shares 9 tips for healthy natural hair.
By: Boitumelo Mmakou
1.Moisturiser is important for natural hair. Make sure you use a water-based hairspray or leave-in conditioner to moisturise your hair before sealing it with oil.
2. Avoid heat as it can cause damage to your hair, and leave your ends looking and feeling brittle.
3. Use a sulphate-free shampoo and deep conditioner. A conditioner is even more important than shampoo – it restores moisture to your hair while shampoo only washes it.
4. Detangling your hair is important. But, never do it when your hair is dry, because this can cause damage. Use water or moisturising spray to detangle. You can also do this before rinsing out the conditioner.
5. Give your hair a break with a low manipulation or protective style. Protective and manipulation styles help with length retention.
6. If you keep the split ends, don’t expect any length retention. Do not trim too often; only trim when you have visible split ends.
7. Wear a silk or satin scarf to bed. Using anything else will suck out the moisture from your hair, causing friction and breakage.
8. Your natural hair will retain length and stay healthy if you are consistent with your regimen. Patience is a virtue – there is no secret magic potion to grow your hair overnight. Only products and tools can help you reach your healthy natural hair goals, but this requires consistency. Love your hair; be gentle and patient with it.
9. Scalp massages are important for stimulating hair growth, especially for those suffering from slow hair growth or alopecia/balding. Use an oil of your choice, and gently massage your scalp for two minutes, once or twice a day. The massages help with blood circulation, and if consistent, you should see results soon.
Read more about Thuli Mashiane in our upcoming August issue.
