How to Take Care of Your 3a Natural Hair

If you have 3a natural hair, you might be wondering how to best take care of it. Having curly hair means you are prone to dryness, though maybe not as much as your kinkier sisters.

You probably see tons of info about natural hair types 4a, 4b, and 4c on You Tube, but your 3a hair needs special attention too. If you have the 3a curl pattern, you’ll be able to master the perfect wash and go if you are diligent about adopting a moisturizing routine.

Having a natural hair care regimen makes all the difference. In this article, you’ll discover how to take care of your 3a natural hair, so you can rock the beautiful, luscious curls you’ve always wanted.

Are you looking for ways to build a routine that will help you have beautiful curls and added manageability? Keep reading.

Caring for 3a Hair

The best way to care for type 3a natural hair is to make sure you moisturize. If you don’t moisturize your locks, they will likely become damaged and may even break. Dry, brittle hair is hard to manage.

Moisturizing your hair is the key to having locks you love. Luckily there are great methods for caring for your hair such as deep conditioning and the LOC method.

In addition to moisturization techniques, you should do protein treatments if your hair is high porosity. High porosity hair results from color treated hair and other damage. It’s also possible to have this hair type from birth.

You’ll know if you have high porosity hair by how fast your hair absorbs moisture and how quickly it becomes dry. It’s the open cuticles that cause it to receive and lose moisture quickly.

A good way to test porosity is by placing a clean strand of hair in a glass of water. If the hair sinks, it has absorbed moisture, and it is high porosity. If it floats, you have the opposite—low porosity hair.

Having low porosity hair means your cuticles are closed. Heating either the product or your hair is a good way to open the cuticles and let moisture in.

If your hair stays in the middle of the glass, you have normal hair. Your hair probably looks and feels healthy.

3a Natural Hair Regimen

The detangling process is one of the most important things to master in the curly queen’s routine. Most curly and kinky women have no issues growing new hair. Keeping the oldest part of the hair is the hardest.

Curly hair tangles more than straight hair, so you’ll need to be extra careful in your detangle process.  Use a Denman brush for detangling, and a conditioner with good slip to make the process go easier. You can also use a helpful product like

 to help with tangles.

You should deep condition your locks 2-4 times per month, depending on how dry and damaged your hair is.

The best 3a natural hair styles are those which don’t tangle the hair. Protective styles like braids are optimal if you’re aiming to grow your hair out, or if you have long 3a natural hair.

As you probably know, longer hair requires more maintenance, so you may choose to use a technique like roll, tuck, and pin more often to protect your ends.

However, the wash and go will be your easiest style. It’s one of the best short 3a natural hair styles because it requires minimal effort compared to a twist or braid out. Use a leave-in conditioner like Kinky Curly Knot Today, or a custard like 

 to scrunch hair and give it volume.

You might be wanting to add length to your locks, but beware of damage caused by heated styling tools. If you’re thinking of straightening 3a natural hair, try a natural hair weave instead. Weaves, wigs, and extensions will help you get through the rough times of your natural hair journey.

Using a hair roller like

 or  are an easy and economical way of stretching your hair because you only buy the rollers once.

3a Natural Hair Products

A moisturizing shampoo like

 is the best shampoo for natural 3a hair. It will help you retain moisture even before you apply conditioner.

Shea Moisture also makes fantastic deep conditioners to which you can add 2-3 more ingredients to make your own semi-DIY deep moisturization treatment.

For great deep conditioners, try either

or . Then add one of the following useful ingredients:

Avocado Oil

This powerful oil comes loaded with nutrients and moisturizing elements. Its molecules are the perfect size for reaching through the cuticles and penetrating the hair shaft.

Olive & Coconut Oils

These two oils are a must for every natural because they are economical and potent. Both oils are antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial. They make a great addition to any batch of deep conditioner.

Peppermint & Eucalyptus Oils

These two essential oils are hair growth agents. They will help your hair grow and thrive by stimulating the hair follicles at the cellular level. They’re great for scalp massages as well, when mixed with a carrier oil.

Jojoba Oil

One of the most useful oils in your hair care routine is jojoba oil. Curly hair tends to be drier than straight hair because your body’s natural oils cannot wind around the coil enough to make it down the entire strand. Jojoba comes to the rescue by mimicking your scalp’s natural oils.

Moisturizer for Natural 3a Hair

In addition to the deep conditioning, you should always aim to layer your products with the LOC method. The LOC method is a unique moisturizing technique invented just for curly queens.

Here is a breakdown of the LOC method:

Liquid

The liquid portion of this process comes from water. Water is the best hydration you’ll ever find. It can come from your shower on wash day, or a water spray bottle that you use during the week to dampen your hair. You should also take time to detangle during this stage. Use your fingers to detangle first, then move on to the Denman brush. It’s best to use a detangler like Kinky Curly Knot Today.

Oil

The perfect oils to apply straight to the hair are those that will penetrate to the shaft and seal in moisture. Avocado contains molecules small enough to enter hair cuticles, and jojoba will mimic the scalp’s natural oils. You can add olive and coconut, but you’ll probably want to avoid adding too much, as it could make your hair too greasy.

Cream

Using creams and butter will help coat the hair strand and lock hydration into the shaft. Shea butter and mango butter may be too heavy for this step if you have 3a hair. Try using a light leave in conditioner cream, like

Layering products by using the LOC method will help you stay moisturized throughout the week, especially under friction from ponytail holders and shirt collars.

The ends of each strand are the oldest part of the hair, so be sure to baby them by applying all product from tip to root.

Having a consistent 3a natural hair care routine will help with growing your hair, retaining length, and having gorgeous curls. Your regimen should consist of deep conditioning, protein treatments, and the LOC method.

If you keep your hair moisturized, your hair will become easier to manage, and you’ll achieve the beautiful curls you’re dying to have.

Now it’s your turn to discuss your natural hair journey. What are some struggles and successes you’ve had with your 3a natural hair?