I'm always looking for great remedies for coarse hair because, well, I have coarse hair. Honestly, I am not sure what the technical definition of coarse hair is because when I have searched online I have found a variety of explanations. The one that seems to be fitting is that it holds many styles with ease but can look wild and bushy with the wrong cut or style. I don't know about yours but my hair varies from pristine curls to a wild and free mess depending on how I manage it. These are some of my favorite remedies for coarse hair, though I'm always looking for more.
1 Deep Condition
One of my top remedies for coarse hair is to deep condition and to do it often. Right now I use this amazing product by "As I Am" called "Hydration Elation". It's an intensive deep conditioner that is made with all natural ingredients like coconut, green tea and Vitamin E. I usually put this in my hair on a Saturday while I watch something on Netflix and write for an hour. Deep conditioning is so important for curly or coarse hair because it gives your hair the tender loving care it's thirsting for.
Frequently asked questions
2 Don't Wash Daily
If you have curly or coarse hair you don't need to wash your hair every single day. Did you ever watch the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel Aire? I remember seeing the actress who played the little sister Ashley on the Oprah Show one day and I loved her hair of course. She said that she only washed her hair once a week because it wouldn't strip her hair of too many things it needed, but also was enough to keep it clean. It works!
3 Co-Wash
So this is a new tip that I've recently started doing and I love it. Shampoo can be harmful to curly or coarse hair because it strips the follicles of nutrients and moisture. Co-washing is a big thing in the natural hair community. I found another great product by "As I Am" called Coconut Co-wash and it is AMAZING. Even my husband uses it for his magnificent afro. It's a cleansing conditioner so as it washes the dirt and build up from your hair, it's already in the process of adding moisture, which curly and coarse hair needs desperately. When you co-wash you just work the roots of your hair follicles and you don't need to use it on all of your hair.
4 Avoid Alcohol
Really you should limit how much you drink because it dehydrates you and your hair, but I'm really talking about avoiding products that contain alcohol. Products that contain alcohol will strip your hair of moisture and moisture is what we need ladies. Always use hair products that are as natural as possible and alcohol free.
5 Avoid Heat
My hair is so thick that it takes forever to dry it, even with a hair dryer. But on days that I want to feel my best I co-wash, condition, add leave-in conditioner and blow dry my hair. Otherwise I would be walking around hours later with my hair half the size it could be. On my chill days I don't blow dry my hair and as I have shared in previous posts, I never flat iron my hair. The less heat you add to your curly or coarse hair, the better.
6 Braids & Wraps
Braiding your hair is a great way to protect your hair on days you don't wear it big and bold. I have friends that also braid their hair at night to protect it from damage. Personally, I sleep on a satin pillow case because cotton is too rough on my delicate locks. I also know women who swear by wrapping their hair at night, though I have never tried it. My hair needs to breathe at night.
7 Eat Well
Beauty comes from the inside out ladies. The better you eat, the healthier your hair will be. This means you can never eat enough veggies and drink enough water. I've noticed that my hair gets shinier and even grows faster when my eating habits are great.
I am not the guru on curly or coarse hair. To be honest I've only had my natural hair for 5 years now so I'm still learning about how to treat it. But these tips and remedies for coarse hair have helped me so far, and hopefully they help you as well.
