We talk natural hair and Winter care maintenance with Birmingham Afro beau’s (and Skool Girl’s own) Shara Johnson and Jade Richards…
Shara speaks…
How does your hair react to the cold weather?
In the Winter my hair tends to get a lot more dry, but it also takes longer to dry if I’m letting it air dry after I have washed it. Living in England makes it harder to allow my hair to air dry because it rains so much and is extremely windy, this can reek havoc on my hair if I leave it out all the time.
How do you maintain your natural hair during the colder season?
In the colder seasons, I maintain my hair by wearing a lot of protective hairstyles such as: crotchet braids, buns and my favourite go to style, Senegalese twists. These hairstyles protect my hair from the weather, and keep my ends tucked away. It is very important to keep the ends protected because they are the oldest parts of the hair and can easily break off if not cared for properly. Although I wear protective hairstyles throughout the winter, it’s very important to regularly moisturise the hair by spritzing it lightly with water and sealing it in with oil which prevents the hair from drying out. Wearing my satin headscarf to bed also protects my hair and stops it from chaffing against the pillow cases which are usually made of cotton, (GIRLS WEAR A SATIN HEAD SCARF TO BED!)
What is your go to protective hair style for this Winter?
My go to style at the moment is Senegalese twists I think they are a great protective style that is easy to maintain daily, and is a great alternative to box braids, and are much easier to take out.
What is your top Winter hair tip for a Skool Girl?
My top winter tip would be to get a low manipulation protective hairstyle, that you can moisturise. Your hair thrives best when you do the basics and then just leave it alone. Its important to still give your hair and your edges a break after you have removed a protective hairstyle. After I have had mine in for a few weeks, I usually remove it, do a hot oil treatment with coconut oil / extra virgin olive oil, wash it, deep condition and give it a break for a few days before putting the twists back in. While I’m giving it a break I usually just wear my hair in a bun.
Jade speaks…
How does your hair react to the cold weather?
I have a military strict routine to look after my hair through out the year, so it is pretty much prepared and ready for when the winter approaches. As long as I get the ends trimmed in time for the colder weather it tends to stay healthy and strong without any breakage.
How do you maintain your natural hair during the colder season?
I follow a routine every night. First I part my hair into different sections and apply a mixture of oils including castor oil and olive oil to my scalp, I then massage olive oil into the main body of my hair and pay special attention to the ends making sure the are well moisturised to avoid breakage. I also use coconut oil which is excellent for the winter as its state changes depending on the temperature, so when it is cold the oil in your hair will harden therefore locking in the properties and keeping your curls intact if your hair is out!
If I feel that my hair has become a little dry, I take a spray bottle and spray my hair with water before taking the sections and putting them into either twists, plaits or bantu knots. I then seal the ends of my hair again with the olive oil. Before getting into bed I wrap my hair with a satin scarf to keep all the moisture in!
What is your go to protective hair style for this Winter?
Definitely a bun! I love long hair and I know that the key to retaining length is by keeping the ends (which are the oldest part of your hair)protected. Buns are great as a protective hairstyle as the ends on your hair are tucked away. I also this hairstyle because of its variation, you can have; High buns, low buns, messy buns, neat buns and you can include partings to switch it up. Although if I am feeling lazy I will just part my hair down the middle and put it in two french plaits!
HOWEVER! Regular buns and styling especially when tight can cause a lot of tension and stress to the hair so during the week I do allow myself to go the odd days without a protective hairstyle because I value my edges!
What is your top Winter hair tip for a Skool Girl?
Can I give three?
I’m going to give three anyway…
1) Get to know your hair!
What works for me may not work for you, we all have different hair types which will react to the harsher weather in different ways. By getting to know your hair properly you will know what your hair needs and when it needs it. For example just by looking at or touching my hair I know when it is thirsty for WATER! Which brings me nicely onto my next tip…
2) Don’t be afraid of water!
I know many of us are afraid of getting our hair wet (I was that girl too!), but the truth is our hair really does need water, especially in more extreme weather conditions. So do not be afraid to add water to your hair more regularly if need be, this could be by simply spraying it with a spray bottle or even washing your hair a little more often- I try to wash mine once a week.
And finally…
3) Don’t do your hair when you’re tired.
It may just be me that gets impatient when I’m tired but if you’re the same then this tip is for you! I avoid doing my hair when I am tired because I get impatient and am therefore not as gentle with my hair. Tiredness and impatience leads to us being rougher with our hair tools and ripping out our hair! Just like with anything we look after, our hair needs tender loving care. My advice is to complete your hair routine long before you feel yourself getting tired.
