Shampoo! It’s a controversial word in the world of curly hair. There is even a whole language that revolves around different ways to shampoo: pre-poo, no-poo, co-washing, etc.
People with curly hair tend to fall in one of these two groups:
All hair, whether straight or curly is made up of of the same components. However, the shape of hair follicle, which is largely a result of genetics, determines whether hair is straight, wavy or curly. The straighter the hair, the rounder the shape of the follicle. Curly hair has elliptical shaped follicles that bend and turn. The more elliptical the shape of the hair shaft, the curlier the hair. Most follicles contain sebaceous glands, which are responsible for releasing an oily substance called sebum that lubricates the hair.
In a previous post , I discussed hair porosity. This post will go into detail about what you can do if your hair is low porosity. To recap, it can be defined as hair with compact and overlapping cuticle layers. The physical characteristics of this type of hair causes it to repel water, making it difficult to hydrate and even permanently color/dye.
Your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture (i.e. water). Knowing this is a key factor in caring for your hair and keeping it healthy and hydrated.
Curly and afro hair is often a topic of conversation. I get a lot of questions and comments about my hair. Although most comments are positive, sometimes comments are negative or are based on a lack of understanding or misconceptions.