Natural Afro Haircare 101
Last Edited: 12/29/2025
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed cosmetologist, dermatologist, or trichologist. This guide is based on established hair care principles, professional best practices, and practical experience—not trends or myths.
Table of Contents
Guiding Principles
01: Minimize Breakage
Minimize mechanical damage (breakage) by treating your hair like silk—gently. Take your time. Don’t comb or brush it roughly or quickly.
Remain relaxed and patient. Avoid handling your hair when you’re rushing, irritated, or angry.
02: Minimize Tangles
Your goal at every step is to minimize tangles. When handling your hair, keep it as elongated and organized as possible. Use twists or bantu knots when necessary.
Tangles increase friction and mechanical stress, which raises the risk of breakage.
03: Regularly Cleanse Your Scalp and Hair
Cleanse your scalp and hair every 7 to 14 days, depending on scalp health, product use, and lifestyle.
A clean scalp supports a healthy scalp environment and can reduce issues that interfere with optimal hair growth. Excess sebum buildup and product buildup can contribute to scalp discomfort and reduce the effectiveness of conditioners and styling products.
Your hair is exposed to dirt and environmental pollutants daily. Regular cleansing is part of basic hygiene.
Removing buildup allows conditioners and creams to coat the hair evenly and perform as intended.
As part of the natural hair growth cycle, most people shed 50–100 hairs per day. When hair is worn in styles that limit daily manipulation, shed hairs are not released right away. The longer you go between washes, the more shed hair must be removed at once, which can increase detangling time and tangling risk.
04: Only Handle Your Hair When It’s Lubricated
Products that lubricate and condition the hair increase pliability, support elasticity, and reduce the risk of breakage during handling.
Steps
01: Prepare to Shampoo
Remove Your Style
If applicable, remove your style.
Remove Shed Hair
If your hair was in a style for more than 3 days, and was not stretched (blow-dried), apply conditioner to improve slip before removing shed hair.
If your hair was stretched, you may be able to remove shed hair without conditioner. Apply a lightweight serum if needed.
Gently separate strands with your fingers and glide your hands down the hair to release shed hair. Keep the hair elongated and organized throughout the process.
Once you have removed all the tangles with your fingers, use a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush to remove shed hairs from root to tip.
Shampooing without first removing shed hair—especially after long-term styles—increases the risk of tangles and matting.
02: Shampoo
The Goal of Shampooing
The purpose of shampooing is to clean the scalp and hair well enough for conditioners and styling products to work effectively, without creating unnecessary tangles or breakage.
Shampoo removes:
Sebum (scalp oil)
Dirt and environmental residue
Product buildup
Shed hair that accumulates between washes
How strong your shampoo needs to be depends on washing frequency and product use.
“Moisturizing” vs. “Clarifying” Shampoos
Marketing terms can be misleading.
Moisturizing shampoos usually contain conditioning agents that improve how hair feels after rinsing. They are not automatically less cleansing.
Clarifying shampoos are designed to remove heavier buildup, often through higher cleansing strength or fewer conditioning additives.
Neither is inherently better. What matters is whether your shampoo cleans effectively for your routine.
Most people do well with one shampoo that cleans their scalp and removes their usual products at an appropriate frequency.
Clarifying shampoos are tools—not requirements.
If You Use a Shampoo with Sulfates
If you shampoo every 7–14 days with a sulfate shampoo and your hair and scalp feel clean afterward, you may not need a separate clarifying shampoo.
Many sulfate shampoos already remove oils, butters, silicones, and most styling residue. Clarifying shampoos are most useful if you:
Wash infrequently
Use heavy or waxy products
Have hard water buildup
Notice dullness or poor conditioner performance despite washing
About the “Squeaky-Clean” Feeling
Many of us associate a squeaky feel with hair being “stripped.” The sensation needs context.
A squeaky-clean feeling usually means oils and residue were removed. It does not automatically mean damage.
Shampoo cleans. Conditioner restores lubrication and slip. Clean hair before conditioning is expected and desirable. If your hair feels dry after conditioning, reassess products or technique—not the presence of squeak alone.
How to Tell if a Shampoo Is Working
Instead of choosing based on the label, ask yourself:
Does my scalp feel clean and comfortable after washing?
Does conditioner work well afterward?
Am I removing the products I normally use?
Do I wash often enough for my routine?
If the answers are yes, your shampoo is doing its job.
Technique Still Matters
Start with a 3 to 5-minute Rinse
Rinse thoroughly under warm water, gently running fingers down the hair to remove water-soluble residue and remaining shed hair.
Apply Shampoo Intentionally
Spread shampoo in your hands before applying. Focus on the scalp, using finger pads—not nails. Scrub your entire scalp—every square inch. Don’t forget your hairline (front, sides, and back).
Smooth suds down the hair while keeping it elongated.
Work in Sections if Needed
If your hair is long or dense, shampoo in sections to keep it organized, reduce tangling, and thoroughly cleanse your scalp and hair.
Rinse Well
Thoroughly rinse the shampoo from your hair and scalp. Use a smoothing motion down the strands of your hair to keep it elongated. Open it up to ensure all of the shampoo is removed.
If you organize your hair with twists after shampooing each section, release each twist (one at a time, if necessary) and remove the shampoo thoroughly.
Repeat shampooing if necessary.
Photo by Camille Brodard on Unsplash
03: Condition
Always use conditioner after shampooing. Conditioners improve lubrication, softness, and elasticity, reduce friction between strands, and protect the hair during handling.
Generally avoid applying conditioner directly to the scalp unless the product is formulated for scalp use. Focus on your hair.
Choose either a rinse-out conditioner or a deep conditioner—you don’t need both in the same wash.
Deep conditioners are formulated to deliver a higher level of conditioning and are often left on longer, sometimes with heat.
Detangle During Conditioning
Water and conditioner provide optimal slip for releasing shed hair.
Work in small, manageable sections, organized with clips, twists, or Bantu knots.
Begin by using your fingers to separate your hair. I currently use this method. Use tools only as needed to ensure all shed hair is removed. Always start at the ends and work upward.
Never force a tangle—separate strands gently.
Rinse
Rinse thoroughly, unraveling any twists used for organization. Follow product instructions regarding time and heat.
Squeeze out excess water before moving on.
Once hair is clean and conditioned, leave-in products help maintain lubrication and elasticity between washes.
04: Moisturize
“Moisturizing” hair is often misunderstood. In this context, the goal is maintaining elasticity and manageability, not increasing water content inside the hair.
After conditioning, an additional product helps maintain lubrication between washes.
Apply a Leave-In Conditioner
Apply a leave-in conditioner to damp hair. Choose a creamy lotion, hair milk, or lightweight spray with emollients based on your hair’s needs.
Apply an Additional Styler (Optional)
Select a styler based on how you plan to wear your hair:
Styling cream
Styling foam
Setting lotion
Gel
05: Stretch (optional)
You may choose to stretch your hair if:
You plan to wear styles like cornrows or flat twists
You want to reduce tangling during handling
You prefer the appearance of stretched styles
Shrinkage can increase tangling during manipulation.
Heat-free stretching options include:
Twisting your hair in medium to large sections and pinning them around your head
Twisting your hair in medium sections and set them on large rollers
Use the banding method
Braid your hair in medium to large plaits
Set your hair on large rollers
06: Style
Style immediately after stretching or applying moisturizing products. Unless your hair is very short, avoid letting it shrink in an unorganized state. This supports our goal of minimizing tangles.
07: Trim
Trimming is essential maintenance, even when growing hair long.
The ends are the oldest part of the hair and experience cumulative wear from styling and environmental exposure. Trimming removes damage, including some that is microscopic and not visible to the naked eye.
As preventive maintenance, trim ⅛ to ¼ inch every 4 to 6 months.