Skip to main content

5 Steps for Washing and Detangling Long & Thick Natural Hair



1BlessedNatural: 5 Steps for Washing and Detangling Long & Thick Natural Hair


Happy Tuesday, my blessed naturals!
Two weeks ago, I did my niece Big Sister Natural's (BSN) hair for the first time. Many of you may know that she is 10 years old with a head full of super thick and long natural hair. She is also very tender-headed. I'm going to share with you my 5 steps of washing and detangling her hair:


1BlessedNatural: after applying olive oil to the first section of hair and twisting it

1. Use an oil, conditioner or moisturizer to detangle. 

After removing BSN's cornrows, I broke her hair down into medium sized sections. After spraying olive oil on each section, I gently finger detangled it. Coconut oil, in my experience is the best oil for detangling. If you use it you have to use large amounts on each section, especially if the hair is very thick. It's important to try and remove all of the shed hair to minimize tangles during the wash process. After each section was detangled, I two-strand twisted it. 




1BlessedNatural: washing BSN's hair in sections

2. Wash in several sections.

BSN's hair was washed in the same approx. 8 sections I put them in after detangling. I washed each section one by one, gently scrubbing her scalp to get it clean. It's important that you hold the ends of the hair while massaging the scalp to prevent it from tangling up. Afterwards, I left the shampoo on the section and moved on to the next one. Her hair was rinsed section by section after I finished shampooing the last one. Be sure to rinse the hair thoroughly. You can choose to lather up a second time if you notice the scalp did not get clean enough after the first wash. 



3. Apply a moisturizing conditioner.

For some reason, applying the conditioner after washing natural hair is my favorite part. I guess because that means I'm almost finished lol. Plus, I love how my hair softens after applying the conditioner. I used Tressemee Naturals on Big Sister Natural's hair, and her hair loved it! It became very soft an manageable. Because her hair is so thick, we used almost a whole bottle. She kept touching her hair because she couldn't believe how soft the conditioner made it. Afterwards, I put a conditioning cap on her head, and sat her under a heating cap for 30 minutes.


1BlessedNatural: Big Sister Natural was having a snack while I was detangling her hair 

4. Detangle with a wide tooth comb.


After BSN came from under the heating cap, I detangled her hair in medium size sections with the conditioner on it. Always detangle from tip to root, and don't rush through. Remember, detangling does not have to be painful. Although BSN is very tender-headed, but she was fine while I was doing her hair. 




1BlessedNatural: after applying the conditioner to BSN's natural hair

5. Rinse out the conditioner in sections.

Be sure to thoroughly wash out the conditioner from each section and re-twist it back up to prevent tangling. Afterwards, you can dry the hair with a t-shirt or towel by gently squeezing the water out.  T-shirts make the hair less frizzy. Style as usual!

Do you know someone with long & thick natural hair?

Related Articles: New Video: "My Natural Hair Wash Routine" 
                            1BN Kids: Banded Braids and Ponytails  
                            Dear 1BlessedNatural, I'm Tired of Doing My Kids' Hair!
 

Popular posts from this blog

Aborigines and Melanesians: Naturally Blonde Hair and Dark Skin

Melanesia: Solomon Island girls (photo courtesy of the -cropped-Flickr- Australian Civil-Military Centre http://www.acmc.gov.au/ ) Naturally blonde hair is often associated with white or Caucasian people. However, there are groups of dark skin people who have naturally blonde hair also. Some of these groups include the Aboriginal Australians (Aborigines) and the Melanesians. I love this fact because it goes against the idea that one group or culture must look a certain way or stay in a certain category.  The Aborigines have dark skin. Some of them also have blonde hair which tends to be straight, but can be curly. Scientists first believed they were descendants of Eurasians. In 2011, scientists found evidence against the theory from a sample of natural hair. The sample of hair, which was said to be more than 100 years old, helped scientists determine that Aborigines were descendants of Africans. The New York Times confirmed this finding: "The Abo...

Asian Hair Trend: Afro Perms

Asian afro perm (photo courtesy of www.afrohair.net) When we talk about the topic of natural hair, we often talk about African-Americans or Black people perming their hair to look more like Caucasian or straight hair. But, what about people of other races attempting to make their hair kinky or textured like that of African-Americans? Afro perms, along with other Black hairstyles have been a long time trend in Asia. Because Asian hair grows naturally straight, the afro perm gives the hair a textured look. The afro perm is not an actual relaxer or perm kit, it's the use of perm rods to make the hair curly. The beautypot.com says, " An afro perm is made by not straightening the hair. It is made by creating hair bonds that make the hair curl. The hair stylist makes the hair into a new shape, using perming rods or rollers, and allows the new shape to develop ." Preparation for afo: perm rods in Asian hair (photo courtesy of http://www.redefini...

Priscilla Shirer Shares Her Natural Hair Story and Tips on IG Live!

Actress and minister of Going Beyond Ministries Priscilla Shirer shared her natural hair story and secrets on IG Live today. After receiving numerous questions about her long thick natural hair, she decided it was time to do a video. Shirer said, "I've decided that sometimes, to a woman, hair = ministry." Shirer started getting a perm at about 13 years old. During previous years, her mother would use the hot comb to straighten her hair. When Shirer was 24 years old, she noticed a circular patch of hair that had broken off on the side of her head. After she visited a doctor and they plucked a few strands from different parts of her hair, the doctor concluded that Shirer's hair was growing in healthy. However, it was something that she was doing to her hair that was making it break off. As a result, her doctor told her to stop relaxing her hair for 6 months. While driving home, Shirer had a breakthrough. She originally had no intention of following the doctor...