Shampooing and Conditioning Tips

• African-American hair has a tendency to dry out because the tight spirals don't allow oils produced in the scalp to travel all the way down the shaft. Thus, African-American hair rarely benefits from the moisturizing oils naturally produced by the body. Daily conditioning treatments are necessary to restore moisture to black hair.
  
  Shampoo hair no more than once or twice a week. Any more than this and hair will dry out, frizz up and become puffy. The chemicals in shampoo take away almost all of the natural moisture in hair by stripping off the oils from the scalp and preventing them from coating the hair shaft.
  
  Condition hair daily. Leave-in conditioners are best for everyday use. Apply a handful onto damp hair and massage to coat every strand. About once a week, oil hair with shea or cocoa butter and leave it in for about 20 minutes before rinsing out. These steps will ensure that hair stays moist and doesn't succumb to overdrying.
  
  

Combing Tips

• Though it may look and feel coarse at times, African-American hair is actually very frail and delicate. It can break off easily if pulled too tightly. For this reason, boar bristle brushes should not be used to brush black hair. The bristles tug on the fragile strands and cause them to snap off.
  
  Always use a wide tooth comb to prevent breakage. Try to detangle hair when it's still wet and pliable. Run the comb through your hair slowly and carefully. If your hair is dry when you want to comb it, spritz it slightly with water then proceed to detangle.
  
  

Styling Tips

• Avoid using hot tools on your hair. The heat will only increase chances of overdrying, breakage and split ends. Pick a hairstyle that works with your natural hair texture. This will guarantee that you won't have to constantly battle against your texture to fix your hair into the desired styles. You can choose to leave hair long and curly, crop it close to your head to keep the curls tame or style it into a medium-length afro.
  
  To add shine to your natural hair, dab on a few drops of almond or olive oil into your palm. Rub your palms together to spread the oil and gently apply to your locks. Be careful not to use too much or your hair will end up looking greasy. If you don't want to use any oils, pour some water into a spray bottle and spritz the liquid onto your hair every few hours. Both of these options will keep hair moisturized and looking shiny.