KNOW YOURSELF KNOW YOUR HAIR “What does my hair need?” ‘In the quest for slip’

“What does my hair need?” is a question most of us ask ourselves. A question not so easy to answer, a question unlike “what do I feel like doing today?”, “what should I wear?”, “what should I eat?”, “what do I really need now?” a tricky question that we all tend to gloss over, and to confuse with “what does my hair want?”

Sometimes, what we want is not what we actually need, and what we desire is not really beneficial to us. Why do I make that statement, and what authority do I have to make such remarks? Well, beside mainstream education, the answer lies in the observance of nature, wherein there is a vast richness and variety. We are part of that variety, so are our bodies, and all aspects of what makes us human. Having said that, I would like to state the obvious, which is that we are all different, and so our hair care needs. This is dependent on, but not limited to different factors, such as hair porosity, hair density, hair type, scalp health, internal health etc. This knowledge base is what I like to call “knowing yourself”. This knowledge will inform our choices in the hair care products we purchase. For us Kinky curly haired women, we want moisture, we want protein, we want “non-toxic”, we want definition, we want hold, we want a plethora of things. The question is do we really need it? The answer to that question is very tricky, because as with all things, what is required is balance, dare I say an optimal balance in moisture and protein. Having said that, one major “want” that could be considered a “need” across all curl spectrum is “slip”.

In the realm of natural curly and kinky hair, we have all come across the word “slip”. This refers to how lubricated your hair feels after the application of a hair product. When your product delivers on slip, you find it easier to detangle, comb, brush and style your hair, because it cuts down on friction between hair strands, when you manipulate it, especially since kinky curly hair loves to entwine. In conclusion, it is safe to say that when your “slip” game is on point, it improves manageability and reduces breakage.

What to look for when you are in the search for “slip” are ingredients such as natural slippery herbs, such as slippery elm, marshmallow root,okra, linseeds or more popularly known as flax seeds. Vegetable oils, such as olive oil, jojoba oil, rapeseed oil, and nut oils like macadamia oil, sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil. Butters such as shea butter, mango butter and avocado butter (a personal favourite of mine). Fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol and oleyl alcohol also play a great role and so do hydrolysed proteins, some of which are quite celebrated, such hydrolysed silk proteins and hydrolysed soy protein. In this age, more and more natural ingredients are being re-discovered, making the possibilities endless. The trick is finding what suits your needs, experimenting and playing around with what nature has to offer. Just remember that one size does not fit all, you are unique, so know yourself, and know your hair!