There are three hair treatments that all naturals should do post heat
styling. These treatments add moisture back into the cortex of the hair
strand, fill in any missing gaps in the cuticle, and increasing the
hair’s elasticity.
Pre-poo
You might be thinking, why pre-poo my hair is straight and I do not have to detangle? Well,
one of the main objectives of this process is to add moisture so when
you shampoo all of the oils from the hair are not stripped. These are
the key ingredients you should look for in your pre-poo:
- Water
- Daily conditioner or other products with emollients
- Humectants such as honey
- Oils
Protein treatments
Your hair is made up of a protein called keratin. Whenever heat is
used on your hair it can remove keratin. A protein treatment can
temporarily replace the bond, which is commonly described as filling in
the gaps on the hair cuticle. In order for a protein treatment to be
effective, it must contain hydrolyzed proteins. The size of the protein
must be small enough to attach to the hair shaft. There are four types
of protein-enriched treatments:
- Light protein treatments – Use on slightly damaged hair or routine treatments
- Protein packs – Use on slightly damaged hair or routine treatments
- Deep penetrating treatments – Use on moderately damaged hair
- Reconstructors – Use on severely damaged hair
This step is very helpful but not always necessary for all naturals.
If you are protein sensitive, you can skip this and proceed to the next
step.
Deep conditioner
Deep conditioning can restore and maintain the elasticity of the
hair. They are classified as deep due to the active ingredients ability
to penetrate the cortex of the hair. Most deep conditioners require
additional steps like longer wear and application of diffused heat from a
hooded blow-dryer. The time required for the conditioner to be left on
the hair and the additional heat increases the penetration of some
ingredients into the cortex while helping other ingredients adsorb to
the cuticle. Here is a list of ingredients that penetrate the cortex:
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Hydrolyzed silk protein
- Centrimonium bromide
- Panthenol
- Coconut oil
In most cases simply placing a plastic processing cap or grocery bag
over your head while deep conditioning is enough heat to active these
ingredients. Note that hair is dead and does not regenerate. Therefore,
all protein treatments can only temporarily repair the hair shaft to
help prolong the hair’s longevity before eventually needing a trim or
cut.
