Hair Care Routines That Will Make You Fall in Love With Your Type 4 Curls
Type 4 hair is the most delicate and arguably mistreated out of all the natural hair textures.
When we don’t treat her right on the surface she appears coarse, brittle, unmoving, and “difficult.”
Sound like the uneducated opinion of a black woman’s “attitude?”
While appearing “hard” Type 4 hair is actually cottony soft and should be treated like the most delicate cashmere throw.
And when you treat her right?
Baby girl will outgrow, outshine, and outslick your wildest aspirations.
At Black Hair Management we don’t shy away from this natural hair type but embrace it. We’re also not here to highlight our differences but instead celebrate the common goals of 4a hair, 4b hair, and 4c hair…which are detangling with ease & MOISTURE.
The differences in each individual hair care routine are subtle yet powerful. As these are our tried and true recommendations it goes without saying that hair sensitivity, the order of steps, and products used all play a factor.
As does overall wellness, which is why Black Hair Management is all about healthy, happy hair, and the much-needed rest, proper water intake, and well-being it takes to maintain your crown.
An ode to our most graceful of Afro’s, let’s begin with how to best honor our kinkiest curls first.
How to take care of 4C hair?
**Wash Day Essentials**
Pre-poo: Bi-weekly or every time you wash
4C hair benefits the most from this simple added step in your wash day. A little work at the beginning of the process can cut down a significant amount of your time spent detangling in the long run.
And who doesn’t need more time?
Pre-poo or pre-shampooing:
- Guarantees moisture to lock into dry locks before shampooing.
- Leaves natural hair softer and shinier.
- Makes the detangling process a heck of a lot easier and with less breakage.
- Ultimately boosts the effectiveness of your conditioner later, resulting in stronger, more nourished natural hair.
Apply your pre-poo treatment directly to dry hair before shampooing. The longer you leave it on the better. It is recommended to leave it in for several hours before washing out and can even be kept in overnight for maximum results.
Shampoo: Bi-Weekly
Since it is recommended to only wash your 4C natural hair once every two weeks (depending on your lifestyle, some people find that shampooing once a month works too) it is important that you choose a shampoo that both clarifies the hair from product buildup and sweat but also hydrates.
As always, use this shampooing time to massage the scalp, count your blessings, and simultaneously promote hair growth.
It’s not necessary to shampoo the ends of your hair as those tend to be the driest and most susceptible to breakage for 4C strands.
Condition/Co-Wash: Every 1–2 Days
These two are interchangeable and *PRO-TIP* you can dilute your favorite conditioner with water for a sufficient co-wash if you’re in a pinch.
If you enjoy the freedom of a wash-and-go style this step is crucial in preventing too much shrinkage and keeping your gorgeous ‘fro from feeling dry as straw.
The regimen gets easier over time and can consist of these 4 easy steps:
- While showering divide hair into 2–4 sections, depending on length.
- Saturate the ends of your hair with conditioner or co-wash first, and finger comb the rest throughout the entire length of the hair.
- After doing this for all sections, go back through and comb with a wide-tooth comb while rinsing.
- Watch curls bounce back to life!
Deep Conditioner/Hair Masque: Twice a month
The consistency of the deep conditioning treatment for both 4B & 4C hair care should be thick and nourishing.
Make sure you treat your hair to a hair masque on a day that you are shampooing too as you don’t want to have buildup on the hair before adding such a heavy moisturizing agent.
Apply the same way as your normal conditioner but with a more generous amount. Twist-up hair under a plastic cap (or let’s be honest a plastic shopping bag you have under the sink) for a little extra heat and go about your day for 20–30 minutes.
After, rinse out and bask in how easily the hair detangles.
Every Day Moisture
The order of this depends on your hair porosity and preference but on the days you’re not washing or co-washing, 4C hair craves the most moisture out of all the curl patterns. Give her the thirst she needs with daily oil applied to the scalp and a leave-in moisturizer added to the rest of the hair.
Things to note:
While 4C hair tends to benefit nicely from slightly thicker conditioning creams, at BHM we encourage you to Read The Label and know that a true moisturizer has water as the 1st or 2nd ingredient. Consider this a non-negotiable when choosing your product!
Oils that work nicely for this hair type are
- Shea butter
- Castor Oil
Again, always focus on the scalp area first as this is the number one component of healthy hair. The root is where happy, healthy hair begins!
How to take care of 4B hair?
*Wash Day Essentials*
Shampoo: Bi-Weekly
Hydrating shampoos are a must for fragile 4b kinks and curls. The goal is to avoid as much stripping as possible of the hair’s natural oils. When showering, always take the time to nourish the scalp as this is an easy way to maintain the health of your hair root by stimulating blood flow and promoting growth.
Because of 4b’s shrinkage rate you want to make sure to keep the shampoo close to the crown of the head and not worry about working it down to the end. Rinsing after with water will take care of the cleansing of your often dehydrated ends.
Condition/Co-Wash: Every 2–3 Days
These two are interchangeable and while it's not recommended every time, you can dilute your favorite conditioner with water for a sufficient co-wash if you’re in a pinch.
What is most important is that you are moisturizing your 4B texture with water and added nutrients on a more consistent basis rather than waiting every two weeks for wash day. Incorporating this into your weekly routine ultimately reduces knots and tangles when it comes time to comb through.
The process should take half the time when done every 2–3 days and look a little something like:
- Dividing hair into 2–4 sections, depending on length.
- Saturate the ends of your hair with conditioner or co-wash first and finger combing the rest throughout the entire length of the hair.
- After doing this for all sections, go back through and comb with a wide-tooth comb while rinsing.
Deep Conditioner/Hair Masque: Twice a month
The consistency of a deep conditioning treatment for 4B hair care should be thick and nourishing. This step would come after shampoo and conditioning as you don’t want to have too much product buildup with all that co-washing in between!
Apply the same way as your normal conditioner with a more liberal amount.
Twist up hair under a plastic cap for a little extra heat and set for 20–30 minutes.
Afterward rinse out and marvel at how easily the hair detangles.
Every Day Moisture
The order of these depends on your hair porosity and preference but on the days you’re not washing or co-washing 4B hair needs all the TLC with daily oil and moisturizers.
Things to note:
While 4B hair tends to benefit nicely from slightly thicker conditioning creams, at BHM we encourage you to Read The Label and know that a true moisturizer has water as the 1st or 2nd ingredient. Periodt.
Oils that work nicely for this natural hair type are:
- Shea butter
- Jamaican Black Castor Oil.
Again, always focus on the scalp area first as this is the number one component of healthy hair.
How do you take care of 4A hair?
*Wash Day Essentials*
Shampoo: Bi-Weekly
It is always recommended to use a sulfate-free shampoo to avoid any unnecessary stripping of your 4A hair’s natural oils. You want to make sure you take the time to massage the entire scalp while shampooing to stimulate blood flow and growth.
While the primary focus is on the scalp as this is where all the sweat and dirt accumulates from daily life, 4A hair could also benefit from working the shampoo down through the ends of the hair too if hair is longer.
Conditioner: Bi-Weekly
Natural hair products with ingredients like honey and coconut oil are great for 4A hair types as they act as sealants to lock in moisture into each hair follicle.
A simple yet effective conditioning routine is to section hair into fours and focus on one part at a time.
When applying your conditioner, make sure the ends of your hair are the most saturated.
With each section, this is a great time to lightly detangle with your fingers making sure all those juicy nutrients are evenly distributed throughout the hair (and to also make it that much easier when the real detangling comes!)
Once you’ve completed this step with all four sections — allowing time in between for the hair follicles to soak in much-needed moisture — go back through each part and detangle with a wide tooth comb under a stream of water.
Detangling with water not only makes getting through the knots easier but also helps to continually rinse away excess dirt and grime.
Deep Conditioner/Hair Masque: Once a month
The consistency of the deep conditioning treatment for a 4a hair care routine may be on the lighter side — think slippery and moisturizing. This step comes after conditioning and detangling your hair on a normal wash day.
You can apply it in the same way as your normal conditioner just laying it on a little THICKer.
Once all 4 sections are twisted up with a clip or hair tie, don a plastic cap (or let’s be honest plastic shopping bag) and let sit for 30 minutes.
While rinsing out, bask in how easily your 4A natural hair detangles with your wide tooth comb.
Co-wash: 1–2 times a week.
Co-washing is a fantastic way to gently cleanse your hair while at the same time adding moisture. It is essentially “washing” your hair with conditioner and is perfect for all 4 type hair.
- It helps prevent frizzy, dry curls
- It gives an extra layer of moisture in between wash days
- Helps hair maintain slip which is always better for styling
- Promotes recovery of damaged strands from heat and protective stylings
Every Day Moisture
The order of these depends on your hair porosity and preference (LOC or LCO?) but essentially you should be adding some kind of oil and some kind of moisture to your hair daily in order to keep your hairstyle fresh and actively retaining moisture.
Things to note:
While 4A hair tends to benefit nicely from a conditioning milk and/or serum at BHM we encourage you to Read the Label and note that a true moisturizer has water as the 1st or 2nd ingredient.
Oils that work nicely for this hair type are:
- Jojoba oils
- Avocado oils
Always focus on the scalp area first as this is the number one component of healthy hair!
**BONUS**
Black Hair Management
Healthy hair is a function of mental health, wellness, and excellent hair care products.
We provide all three.
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