4C hair is the most common hair type among black people. Despite its amazing luscious curls, wash day can be a huge pain sometimes.
Its hair strands are fragile and prone to shrinkage or shedding if not washed properly and with adequate precaution. Washing your hair like a pro without shrinking or shedding) is not difficult at all.
You just need to follow some simple rules to set you on the right track.
Let's walk through the dos and don't of wash day, shall we?
Pre-poo(Pre-shampoo)
This is what you do before washing your hair. Pre-pooing is important to prevent the shrinkage and toughness that comes with just-washed hair. The shrinkage is because of hygral fatigue which simply means overexposure of your hair strands to water. This makes your strands lose their elasticity and life causing them to shrink and (or) eventually break up.
That being said, let's get to the gist of it. Pre-poo simply involves using penetrating oil to protect your hair from hygral fatigue before shampooing. This oil penetrates your scalp and strands and ensures they retain their strength. It does this by simply preventing too much water from entering the hair shaft which can damage the hair cuticles.
The proper hair wash technique
First and foremost, comb out your hair before washing it. Use a Leave-in conditioner or water to soften it to make the process easier. A wide-toothed comb should be used and not a small-toothed comb. A small toothed comb will cut your hair in the process of detangling.
Your hair should be completely wet before applying shampoo. A basic rule is this; shampoo is for the scalp and conditioner is for the hair. More simply put shampoo is to be applied directly on your scalp and not on your hair.
Yes, I know your hair is also dirty and needs to be cleaned too, but no need to be in a hurry, we are getting there. You see, shampoo concentration is too much for direct contact with your hair so it needs to be diluted.
So what you do is squeeze some shampoo into your palm (too much is not necessary), rub your palms together and then rub against a section of your hair. Repeat till the shampoo goes around.
Use your fingertips (not your nails!) to massage your scalp well. When you are satisfied with the wash(3 to 5 minutes should be enough) you then rinse off with warm water. You see, as the water washes down the shampoo from your scalp, it runs through your hair eventually, cleaning it in the process. You don't need to gather up your hair and wash it like you are washing clothes. That is rather unnecessary.
With long and full hair, it is better to wash in sections. This will reduce the chances of tangling and allow easier access to the shampoo on your scalp. In fact, with long hair, it is better to do everything in sections, from combing to washing to moisturizing. This reduces the stress that comes with dealing with so much hair at the same time and makes your life easier.
Depending on the amount of product buildup(dirt) in your hair, you can wash it twice or thrice on your wash day.
It is important to note that how often you wash your hair also depends on the level of product build-up. Twice or once a month is ideal. More than that strips the hair of its natural oils and moisture.
Some people wash their hair with only conditioner (co-wash). This is the same as not washing anything because the purpose of the conditioner is not to remove dirt.
Post-poo(conditioning)
Conditioning is my personal favorite on wash day because it makes all the difference. It helps retain moisture in hair after washing and makes it soft and supple.
Like I said before, shampoo is for the scalp and conditioner is for the hair. Your scalp already secretes sebum to moisturize itself. Your hair(especially the ends) is more prone to dryness after washing.
Apply some conditioner to your hair and massage it properly. Make sure to concentrate on your ends. This prevents split ends. Afterward, wash it off with cold water to close up the hair cuticles containing moisture.
Asides from the rinse-out conditioner that comes with your shampoo, deep and leave-in conditioners should also be part of your wash day.
Deep conditioners are similar to rinse-out conditioners but give an extra boost of moisture. This is very useful, especially for low-porosity hair types that get dry faster. Hair Mayonnaise is a form of deep conditioner.
The process of applying it is similar to that of rinse-out conditioners with the difference being that it is left to stay for a longer time(30 mins). Remember, concentrate on your ends! Cover your conditioned hair up with a shower cap(or plastic bag if you don't have one). On top of that wrap a warm damp towel around your head. This will give your hair enough time to soak in the conditioner properly, maximizing moisture.
You also don't want to leave it in too long (several hours or overnight) so your cuticles don't swell up from too much moisture leaving your hair feeling limp and lifeless. This is hygral fatigue. Deep conditioning should be done once a month or 2 months and not too often. Remember,
with hair care, too little or too much of anything is not good.
To remove excess water after washing, do not use a regular towel. The purpose of a regular towel is to dry your body (remove moisture). Why would you use it on your hair when the goal is to conserve that moisture? Airdrying or using a blow dryer on very low heat is appropriate.
As for the Leave-in conditioner, apply it as a final moisture provider and then seal it in with a protecting oil like shea butter or castor oil and you are good to go!
Conclusion
As opposed to popular belief, 4C hair doesn't have to be difficult to deal with. Once you know how to properly manage it, you'll find yourself falling more and more in love with your curls. Wash day will become a thing to look forward to when you apply all I have told you. Good luck!
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