Sis, Keep that Heat Off Your Hair: 5 Heat Free Styles for 4C Hair
Sis, Keep that Heat Off Your Hair: 5 Heat Free Styles for 4C Hair
By Tiffani Douglas
Naturalistas, we go through the seven layers of hell to keep our curls at maximum moisture levels, gorgeous and free from damage. So, why do we keep breaking out the flat irons, blow dryers and pressing combs, which we know will only wreak havoc on our curls? Type 4C hair is already dry, right? Heat styling quickly zaps moisture from our strands making naturally dry hair, even drier, coarser and more brittle. If you're not careful it can even lead to breakage. What’s going on girl? Curlfriends, let’s talk. You don’t have to keep straightening your crown with heat. There are other ways to style your hair and retain length without damaging your beautiful coils. Let’s talk about heat-free curly hair care.
5 Heat-Free Hairstyles to Elongate and Preserve Your Curls
- Twist out. The two-strand twist out is one of the most popular natural protective styles for naturalistas. Twist outs create a beautifully textured look that can also give your curls length and pizazz. To moisturize, fight frizz and increase curl definition, apply Sea Moss Curl Shine Jelly. It’s perfect for twist outs and adds sheen and moisture to the driest curls.
- Braid out. Braid outs are like the twist out’s hip, fun cousin! If you want to add more texture and definition, a three-strand twist or braid out is what a girl wants. Section your hair in 4-8 sections (or more). Apply Hair Under There Bomb Braid In Conditioner to each section, then braid or plait the hair as far as you can. This oil-based product is a great leave in conditioner to prevent unraveling. Use can also use your fingers to curl and tighten up those wispy ends.
- Threading. African threading is a great alternative to blow-drying or flat ironing, and it’s becoming widely popular among natural hair girls. Threading is achieved by wrapping black (sometimes colorful) thread around the hair for the purpose of stretching or even straightening natural hair. The thread is applied just below the roots and is wrapped around a section of hair to the ends. When it is removed, hair appears straightened with little or no curl depending on your texture. Threading is a curly hair care technique that can also be worn as a protective style. When needed, lightly spray hair with water or even Aloe & Blueberry Juice Moisturizer to keep threaded hair moisturized.
- Banding. Similar to threading, banding is also a technique used to stretch and straighten the hair. The goal is the same, but the difference is in the material that is used to achieve it. Instead of wrapping the hair with thread, use metal-free, cloth hair ties to secure sections of the hair. Pulling gently from the root, add several bands at various lengths all the way down the sectioned hair to stretch curls. Banding can also be worn as a protective style using colorful bands to add some fun.
- Bunning. If you want straight hair with less texture, try the scrunchie method or bunning. It is exactly what it sounds like! Pull your hair back twisting it as you would to make a bun then put a scrunchie around it, secure it with a silk scarf and viola – long, stretched curls. You can apply this method along with braid outs or twist outs to further elongate your hair and create as many buns as you want.