After
being on this natural hair journey for four years, I have had my fair
share of using different maintenance and styling tools. There are a lot
of naturals who only use their fingers when handling their coils, but I
am completely out of patience for that. I have tried numerous ways to
detangle, section, dry, and sleep with my hair and here are the five
tools I swear by that make my hair extremely low maintenance.
1. Ouidad Double Detangling Comb
This is the best comb I have ever used. It has double rows of teeth
to eliminate difficult knots and prevent curls from springing back and
re-tangling. The teeth are long to reach through the densest of curls.
It also allows for fewer combing strokes so curls remain defined and
frizz-free. With this comb I do not worry about the teeth breaking over
time. First I run a little water over my hair, coat it with a slippery
daily conditioner, and then detangle starting from the ends and working
up to the roots. When comparing this to a shower comb or detangling
comb, the Ouidad Detangling Comb gives the least amount of breakage and allows me to create the largest sections.
2. Colortrak Tools The Croc Clip
On wash day I used to grab whatever was accessible to section my hair
and as a results I experienced breakage because of it. Whether it is
the Goody ouchless elastics, prong clips, or bobby pins, they all either
snagged my hair, flew off, or rusted over time. One day while in Sally
Beauty, I stumbled on The Croc Clip.
I was extremely hesitant about spending $8.99 for a pack of four hair
clips but I figured I would give them a try. Sure enough they were worth
the money. These unique double-hinged clips hold large amounts of hair
and have a rubber finish to ensure no slipping while working with wet
hair. They can be used for coloring, cutting, and styling. These clips
do not pop off, rust, snap my strands, or pull my roots, so if you have
dense, coily hair then I highly recommend purchasing these sectioning
clips.
Photo Courtesy of Getty Images3. Plastic processing cap
If you want to up your deep conditioning,
then using a plastic processing cap is a must. If you don’t want to
purchase one, then the produce bags or checkout bags at the grocery
store will suffice. Simply use this to cover your hair while you pre-poo
or deep conditioner for 15 min. Being able to trap your body heat can
help some of the ingredients in your deep conditioner to adsorb to your
hair’s cuticle, leaving your strands feeling supple. Any time I have
attempted to deep condition without one my hair never feels as soft and
moisturized, so no matter where I am, I always manage to find a plastic
cap to deep condition my parched strands.
Photo Courtesy of Kala G4. & 5. Satin scarf and bonnet
By now most women with textured hair know that sleeping on a cotton
pillowcase will withdraw moisture from your hair, but when it comes to
style preservation I realized that this pairing of a satin scarf and bonnet helps to maintain my wash and go. After using a satin scarf to secure my hair in a modified pineapple, I cover my ends with a satin bonnet. This protect my ends that are protruding from the pineapple
while also helping to create a round shape for when I release it in the
morning. Only using a satin bonnet causes my hair to matt and so does
solely relying on a satin pillowcase. Consider using a satin scarf and a
satin bonnet together to preserve your wash and go’s.
