4C Natural Hair Type

4C Natural Hair Type

Most type 4 naturals land within the 4c hair type range. It is sometimes deemed as the worst hair type of the bunch, however, we have a different view on it.

Let’s begin:

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR TYPE 4C HAIR:

• 4c hair has the tightest coils out of the range
• Hair strands have a “cotton appearance”
• Your hair shrinks up to 70% of its true length

If you have met all of the criteria above, then you my friend are a 4c gal.

TIPS TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF YOUR 4C HAIR:

1. DEEP CONDITIONING WEEKLY

As with every hair type, you should deep condition your hair on a weekly basis.

This will help with reducing moisture loss, dryness, or breakage that is common with 4c hair.

Deep conditioners are made with fortifying ingredients such as butters, herbs and oils.

These can penetrate those stubborn cuticle layers to hydrate your hair strands.

As well as, maintain the moisture levels in your hair.

Therefore, keeping it in a healthy state. Ensure that you deep condition your hair with indirect heat.

This allows for better penetration and absorption of the product into your hair strands.

2. DETANGLE WITH CONDITIONER (in sections with fingers)

4c hair is very fragile. If you are too rough, you may cause unnecessary breakage that will significantly affect your length retention.

So, you must be careful when detangling your hair, so we recommend doing it in sections.

Detangle your hair in 4 or 6 sections using your favorite conditioner.

Ensure that the conditioner has Cetearyl Alcohol as this gives it the slip that it needs to make it more pliable to the hair.

Therefore, it’s easier to comb out the knots and tangles on wash days using your favorite tools.

You can use your wide tooth/detangling comb or Denman/detangling brush or even your fingers.

We recommend using your fingers as they are the gentlest of them all.

With your fingers, you can feel the tangles and remove them.

However, with tools, they tend to snag and may pull out your hair strands.

3. USE HEAVY EMOLLIENTS

Use thick emollient products when you are hydrating and moisturizing your hair.

These products are rich in hydrations, oils, butters, and herbs.

They can penetrate the hair shaft with the minerals needed to hydrate each strand.

Then, the other vitamins will work hand in hand to maintain the moisture levels that are in your hair.

Therefore, improving the moisture retention as well as length retention of your hair.

You must ensure that your 4c hair is moisturized most, if not all the time.

This prevents breakage from someone touching, rubbing it against cotton, rubbing it against another object, etc.

4. AVOID CHEMICAL/ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL DAMAGE

We don’t have to tell you this, however, be wary.

4C hair strands have a cotton appearance which means that they are soft and easy to break, especially when not taken care of.

So do not put your strands in harm’s way by doing certain “Treatments”.

These do include dying your hair, bleaching your hair, using direct heat, over manipulating it, not moisturizing it enough and so much more.

These forms of treatments contain different chemicals that will break down the protective layer of your hair.

The hair strand has this layer that is made from protein to prevent any form of damage to its most innermost layer.

If this layer, is broken down, then the treatments have more access to the hair strand to completing break it down to a poor PH level.

Once it reaches a high one such as 13/14, there is no recovering of the health of your natural hair. 

You must take care of your hair properly so that it can truly flourish.

BEST STYLES FOR 4C HAIR:

And now it’s time to know what hairstyles work for your 4c hair.

As you want to be gentle with your hair, you need to do low manipulation hairstyles.

These hairstyles require little to no manipulation which reduces breakage, moisture loss, as well as retains the hairstyle for a couple of days.

PUFFS: Do a puff hairstyle that is easy on the edges yet still neat.

These hairstyles involve you pulling the hair back using a hair tie or headband.

Ensure that it is not tight and pulling on your edges. We want to preserve the length, not lose it.

You can dress up a puff using bobby pins, clips, different colored headbands, ribbons bow and so much more.

FLAT TWIST OUT: Do a flat twist out using your favorite defining product.

Again, you must comb your hair using sections. This makes it easier to style as there will be defined, detangled, and moisturized parts.

Ensure to coat each section with your favorite styler that aids in clumping the curls together.

As well as, adding or enhancing the natural glow of your hair.

The flat twist out is different from your regular braid or two strands twist out as it gives the hair a voluminous outlook.

As well as, it can be manipulated so that the hair falls the way that you would like. 

BRAID OUT: And if you want a little length, ensure to do a braid out.

Braid outs stretch the hair as it is being pulled taut to achieve a hair pattern.

The hair usually stays in the stretched state for a couple of days.

And sometimes even longer if you do your nightly natural hair maintenance.

Ensure to use your favorite hairstyle to make the hair more pliable for styling, highlights your curls, elongates your curls, and enhances the natural shine of your hair strands.

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4c hair is not easy to maintain especially you aren’t aware of the tips and tricks.

However, once you know what to do you will surely get the hang of caring for your 4c natural hair.

Your 4c hair will flourish to its most healthy state all because of you!

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