How to Take Care of Your 4a Natural Hair

So, you’ve just discovered you have 4a natural hair, and now you’re researching how to take care of it. Good move. You might have recently transitioned, done the big chop, or maybe you’ve been natural for a while.

You’re probably reading this post because you’re ready to give your locks the love and care they deserve. You’ve seen gorgeous 4a natural hair types on countless blogs and YouTube channels, but there’s so much information that it’s overwhelming.

Where do you start, and how can you get those long, lovely curls you’ve seen in the videos?

Taking care of your 4a natural hair is easy once you build a routine. Using a regimen over a period of months or years will give you healthier hair that is softer and more manageable.

In this article, I’ll show you how to take care of your 4a hair, and give you some tips on what products to use to get soft and moisturized hair.

Caring for 4a Hair

Hydration is what every curly queen needs. The kinkier your hair, the more moisture you’ll require. Kinky hair is prone to dryness because the oils from your scalp’s sebum cannot coat the entire strand.

And tight curls and coils get damaged easily because the tiny coils wrap around each other and tangle. When you try to pull them apart to detangle your hair, the strands break.

So, the first step of any natural hair routine is to make sure you have enough moisture. Using products that contain enough oils is crucial to ensure your hair doesn’t snap during the detangling process.

There are many hydration methods you can do, but one of the best ways is through deep conditioning. Your hair will thrive the most with homemade products such as my handmade product Butta Butta Cream or products that you make yourself in your kitchen.

Using a unique DIY concoction means you have control over the ingredients. You can add essential oils, butters, and other nutrients like aloe vera to make a personalized blend. Here is an excellent moisturizing recipe:

DIY Deep Conditioner for 4a Natural Hair

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
2. Spoon the mixture into a container or bowl.
3. Wash or co-wash your hair.
4. Section the hair and apply the deep conditioner.
5. Leave the mixture on your hair for at least one hour.
6. Rinse your hair and style as usual.
7. Freeze any leftovers for the next treatment.

There are dozens of attractive 4a natural hair styles you can rock, even if you don’t have a lot of time in the mornings. Short 4a natural hair styles include the wash and go, twist or braid out, and the faux mohawk.

If you have long 4a natural hair, you could try a half-up, half-down style, or a messy bun.

Straightening 4a natural hair is a challenge because you need to avoid heated styling tools. It probably won’t harm your hair if you use the flat iron or do a Dominican Blow Out occasionally with low heat, but using heated styling tools too often could damage your hair.

Use a thermal protectant like

if you do choose to flat iron your hair. You might opt to stretch your curls with hair rollers instead of flat ironing. Brands like  make it easy to achieve a polished look.

If your hair is growing, but it is not quite full or long enough, try a natural hair weave. There may be one or more that match your natural hair texture. Wearing a weave or other protective style will help you retain growth. Then you can remove your weave and show off your hair when it’s fuller and healthier.

4a Natural Hair Regimen

If you follow a great hair care regimen, you’ll be showing off your shiny, defined curls in no time. The key is to get rid of dryness that leads to frizz. Your hair’s health can change within weeks if you follow a plan. Even if you have damaged or color-treated hair, you can repair each hair strand to have stronger, healthier hair.

You’ll need to adopt a routine on the daily and weekly basis that consists of locking in moisture and repairing each strand with my Butta Butta Cream.

Most naturals follow the LOC method for locking in moisture. The method works well because of the layering of protective elements. Here is a breakdown of the LOC Method:

Liquid. Water is the number one hydration. You probably won’t want to shower your hair every day, but you can dampen it with a handy spray bottle. Use only distilled or pure water in your bottle to prevent mold and bacteria. You can also add a few drops of a nice-smelling oil like eucalyptus if you’d like. You should also use a detangler like

 during or after this step.

Oil. Healing oils are the next ingredient you want to add to your hair. The best oils for 4a natural hair care are coconut, jojoba, Jamaican black castor, avocado, and almond. They will work to penetrate the hair shaft and will guard against breakage. Did you know that I make a product that has most of these ingredients listed? Yes Ma’am! My Butta Butta Cream is an all-natural unrefined shea butter with added oils to make your hair softer and more manageable.

Cream. 4a hair requires a layer of thick cream to coat the hair strand and protect the shaft.

or are both excellent choices if you want to use a product that will hold and define your curls.

Besides deep conditioning, adding an occasional protein treatment like

to your routine would work wonders to strengthen and restore your curls. See more about type 4a natural hair products below.

4a Natural Hair Products

Moisturizing shampoos and conditioners are the best products to use for your curly hair. A fantastic shampoo for natural 4a hair is

 The main ingredient, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, will stimulate your follicles to create new hair growth.

Your conditioner should be moisturizing and have good slip so that knots will detangle easier and quicker. A good conditioner with solid reviews is

.

Curly hair tangles and knots easily, so always use a product to help detangle your locks. Many naturals tend to shed hair while combing out the tangles, especially when the hair is dry.

Untangling your hair with a detangling product will prevent breakage. A useful detangler like Kinky Curly Knot Today should be in every natural queen’s arsenal.

Moisturizer for Natural 4a Hair

The drier your hair is, the more it will break. So, using moisturizers is a must if you’re natural. Quality oils will strengthen, protect, and stimulate your scalp to grow hair. You can use the oils as a healthy part of the LOC method, and you can add any of the oils to your shampoo and conditioner bottles.

Top oils for 4a hair are:

In addition to your oil supply, you can add TGIN Daily Moisturizer as a leave-in conditioner, or even as the last part of your LOC process.

Taking care of your 4a hair can be a challenge in the beginning, but it will get easier once you get the hang of it. When you build a routine, you can make a habit.

Creating a regular routine of your natural hair care routine will be the best thing for your hair. If you take care of your hair every day for one year, your kinks and coils will be healthy, soft, more manageable, and beautiful that you’ll never want to go back to a chemical relaxer.

Now it’s your turn to share your hair journey. What is your favorite way to care for your 4a natural hair?