We at Nylah’s Naturals are all about heritage, hair and science. Our blogs aim to address common issues and queries about caring for natural black hair. In this addition we look at caring for those with mixed race hair. As a parent or carer for a bi-racial child you might need a few pointers for caring for those precious curls and coils.
Best ways to care for mixed-race/biracial hair 1. Curl pattern and determining your curly type
Our natural hair comes in all shapes and sizes. There is a spectrum for defining one’s curl patterns which ranges from 1 – 4. Those of mixed heritage generally fall into the 3a – 3c category, but of course this can vary from person to person. If you are unsure about curl patterns, read our blog on how to determine your curl type.
2. Keep it clean
So how and how often do you wash mixed race hair? We would generally suggest that you wash around once a week or a little more often during the summer months or if the person or child does physical activity often. With regards to wash day, we also recommend that you air dry mixed heritage hair or use as little heat as possible. A diffuser is generally better to use than a hairdryer (please check out our previous post on hair diffusing). Too much heat can be damaging and can cause the dreaded frizz.
3. Moisture is needed
It goes without saying that hydration is needed for healthy hair and skin, both inside and out. Go for gold and drink that 8 glasses of water a day. Mixed race hair needs a little extra help for boosting moisture, and we recommend moisturising the hair around twice a week. Try a leave in conditioner such as that by Nylah’s Naturals. In order to maximise hydration, we also advise that you deep condition the hair at least once a month. A hot oil treatment is also good. Nylah’s super botanical’s conditioner or super seed oil works wonders on curly hair. Cover the hair with a plastic cap or use a heat cap to maximise the conditioning properties.
4. Styling the hair
You’ve washed and moisturised like a boss, now comes the styling part. As tempting as it might be, we don’t advise using chemical relaxers on natural hair. Not only is this damaging, but it strips the person or child from embracing their heritage and history through their hair. Never comb mixed race hair whilst dry and start combing from the ends and work your way to the roots. Using a wide tooth comb is best for this. Switching up one’s hairstyles is not only an expression of personality but also prevents follicle damage from wearing your hair in one type of style all the time. Another good tip for natural hair is to sleep on a satin pillowcase or with a satin sleep cap. This reduces friction and also keeps the hair better moisturised as compared to sleeping on conventional cotton pillowcases. Has this post helped a little or lot? Let us know in the comments section, we always love to hear from you. As always, if you have any further queries, we are only an email away. Until next time, stay safe kings and queens.
