Traveling or Relocating? Your Afro Care Guide: 3 Essential Tips to Protect Natural Hair in Any Climate. Perfect for wanderlust souls and new expats!
This is a complete seasonal guide to helping Afro Queens adapt their Afro/natural hair care routine to their new local climate or environment.
In this article, you will discover how to protect and maintain a healthy hair care routine during different seasons including:
1. Autumn and Winter.
2. Spring and Summer.
3. Rainy, Dry or Harmattan Seasons.
Think about big, bold and beautiful, but in the hair world – and that’s precisely what afro hair represents. the versatility, the unique styles and the countless expressions you could create just with the Afro hair!
Then, boom! suddenly, all the above seems like a faraway dream that never existed, just because you made a move, and you found yourself in an environment completely different from your former. Whilst, you are trying to juggle life expectations and work balance, there you have your afro hair, looking dull, dehydrated and completely lost its shine.
And you begin to wonder if everything in your new local environment is destined to work against your afro. Here’s the gospel truth, you are not alone, yeah, been there, done that, and as a matter of fact, I had gotten to the point of going for a big hair chop and I wish the things I know now, someone had told me before.
So, here’s the Tea, with each season, your afro hair demands a different type and level of care, and this is why you may have noticed that some seasons are not as bad as the others. Take for instance, the Autumn and Winter Season.
The Autumn and Winter Season Afro Care
I hate to break it to you if you had not notice, but the autumn and winter seasons being cold seasons, further dry out your ‘fro as there is a high chance that your central heating systems blast dry air, and so your afro hair requires extra moisturising routines to combat the harsh effects of cold winds and artificial heat.
You will therefore need to increase the frequency of using moisture-rich treatments especially those with shea butter and honey, protective styling also needs to become your best friend while silk-lined scarfs must be in your carry Ons every time of the day as a back-up plan.
Spring and Summer Afro Protection
It gets better here but hold on – who says warmer seasons do not come with their own problems. Here, you want to switch to water-based moisturisers that won’t weigh too much on your curls, aloe vera and water can make for good hair hydration and your oil choices will switch to lighter options like Jojoba, grapeseed oil and the likes.
Do not forget your regular scalp treatments which helps prevent sunburn and maintain a healthy foundation for hair growth.
These distinct weather conditions require specific approaches to maintain healthy afro hair.
Rainy, Dry, and Harmattan Season Management
During Rainy seasons, combat humidity with anti-frizz serums and choose protective styles that maintain their shape despite moisture in the air.
In Dry seasons, intensify your moisturizing routine with daily water spritzes enhanced with essential oils, and incorporate regular hot oil treatments to maintain elasticity.
The Harmattan season presents unique challenges with its dry, dusty winds. Combat this by sealing moisture with heavy butters and maintaining a strict nighttime routine including a satin bonnet.
Using a humidifier in your sleeping space can further help counter the extreme dryness. During this season, deep conditioning should increase to twice weekly, and internal hydration through increased water intake becomes just as important as external moisture application.
Leave a Reply