Congratulations on starting your natural hair journey! At Bantu Coils, we understand the importance of caring for natural hair and we pride ourselves on providing you with healthy, vegan ingredients for your coils.
To help you along your journey, we've dropped a few gems in the form of a natural hair care guide to help you with:
LOC VS LCO Methods
Hair Porosity Test & Maintenance
Preventing a Synthetic Hair Reaction
Stop Hair Breakage and Shedding
LOC VS LCO: WHICH METHOD IS BEST FOR YOUR COILS?
WHAT IS THE LCO METHOD?
The LCO or Liquid Cream Oil Method follows the sequence of applying liquid, cream or oil to your hair. Naturalistas use this method to gain control over problems such as frizz and dryness. Even if you are new to the game of natural hair, you already understand that kinky, coily, and curly hair have a difficult time with sustaining moisture.
The LCO method caters to natural hair with proper application. It penetrates the hair shaft and helps to repair the structure of hair while also sealing in much-needed moisture. The order in which product application takes place lends is particularly useful if you are dealing with high porosity hair. The LCO approach can weigh hair down or leave it feeling greasy. Natural hair experts identify the LCO method as being best for women of every hair texture including those with relaxed hair.
WHAT IS THE LOC METHOD?
The LOC or Liquid Oil Cream Method follows the sequence of applying a liquid, oil, and cream to your hair. Natural hair experts identify the LOC method as being best for women of various hair textures including those with relaxed hair.
WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR COILS?
| LCO Method | LOC Method |
| 4A & 4B Hair Fine/medium hair Normal or High porosity |
4A, 4B, & 4C Hair Thin/fine hair All porosity levels |
Low porosity hair fairs a little bit better with the LOC process, however you still have to proceed with caution in your oil and cream selections.
For example, low porosity hair will benefit most from the use of a lighter oil than coconut or Jamaican Castor Oil solution because it is easy to overload low porosity hair with creams and oils if you are not careful.
RECOMMENDED HAIR PRODUCTS FOR LOC METHOD
When applying the LOC method, you'll want to use oil as a sealant. For instance, to keep your hair hydrated with moisture retention, try our Bantu Coils Pure Marula Oil for hydration and nourishment.
Double down with hydration and replenishment using our Leave-In Conditioner and Growth Oil infused with pure marula oil and rooibos tea complex.
WHICH MOISTURE LOCKING METHOD IS BEST FOR YOUR HAIR?
The natural hair community identifies hair porosity as being a component for choosing one method over another. Although both methods work well for normal or high porosity hair, low porosity hair thrives with use of the LOC method.
Both methods are aiming for the same outcome –that goal being to ensure that your hair does not fall victim to a particular season or experience moisture loss. They both serve to reduce the risk for the unwanted side effects of dry hair such as frizz, loss of elasticity or breakage.
Don’t be afraid to test these methods out to determine which option works best for your natural tresses!
HAIR POROSITY TEST AND HAIR MAINTENANCE GUIDE
You can be a beginner of the natural hair journey or a pro at caring for it, but your experience can be easier and you're likely to have more hair growth when you know your hair porosity type!
Do you have low or high porosity hair?
If you aren't sure, you might be missing a massive clue as it relates to how to keep your natural kinks and coils happy!
WHAT IS HAIR POROSITY?
Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb water and retain hydration. Your hair porosity determines whether those precious essential oils you love so much can move in and out of your cuticle, which is vital for hair elasticity and growth.
There are three types of hair porosity: low, normal, and high.
Do any of these characteristics read familiar to you?
Low porosity hair is notorious for not readily absorbing products, and acting as a water repellent. This hair struggles to accept hair color changes, requires a lot of time to saturate for cleansing, and may require several hours if not days to dry.
TAKE THE FLOAT TEST FOR HAIR POROSITY
To start the test, begin with a clean head of hair, free of any hair products or oils.
- Fill the glass with water.
- Place a single strand of your hair into the glass of water.
- Wait to see if your hair rises to the top or sinks to the bottom.
If this strand rises to the top before sinking to the bottom of the glass, you have low hair porosity! This hair does not fall to the bottom because the cuticles are compact, and moisture cannot enter or leave this hair. If you place the strand of hair between your fingers, you will note it has a smooth texture.
HOW TO CARE FOR LOW POROSITY HAIR
First, this hair can pretty much withstand a fair amount of trial and error. HOWEVER, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind:
- USE LIGHT, ESSENTIAL OILS: Marula Oil & Kalahari Melon Seed Oil are highly recommended for low porosity hair types
- APPLY HEAT TO CUTICLES: Hood dryers, heat caps, and steamers are extremely helpful for low porosity hair.
- USE LOW PROTEIN OR PROTEIN-FREE PRODUCTS: Your goal is to avoid product build-up.
- ONLY USE LOW-MOISTURE PRODUCTS: A little bit goes a long way with low-porosity hair! Our Vegan Hydration Collection is perfect for this method
CARING FOR YOUR HAIR'S POROSITY TYPE
Knowing your hair porosity is necessary for healthy natural hair! Take the tests provided above and pair it with the right products to properly care for your hair according to its porosity with our natural hair collection!
HOW TO STOP HAIR BREAKAGE AND SHEDDING
The ability to grow healthy natural hair is not for the faint of heart. The road to acquiring healthy hair with length and manageability can feel like being stuck on the freeway in a traffic jam without an off-ramp. Natural hair requires commitment and a willingness to understand what it is your kinks, curls, and coils are demanding of you.
HAIR BREAKAGE AND SHEDDING
Despite your best efforts to care for your tresses, hair breakage and shedding are common problems that can emerge at any given time. Has this next scenario ever happen to you? You set goals, establish a hair care regimen to rival the most successful naturalista, only to bump into a wicked round of shedding and hair loss.
10% of your hair is always in a growing or shedding state. The remaining 90% of your hair is resting. Shedding and breakage become apparent to you when you begin to lose more hair than is actively growing. Understandably, the site of excessive hair fall or patches of hair loss may leave you wanting to shave it all off -but wait! There's no need to embark on another big chop just yet.
CAUSES OF HAIR BREAKAGE AND SHEDDING
First, you need to know the cause of the breakage. There's nothing you can do to stop your hair from shedding unless you can determine the cause. Chemical damage, hairstyles, product choices, and excessive hair manipulation can contribute to hair fall. It would be best if you took the time figure which of these things are triggering this round of breakage for you.
HOW TO PREVENT HAIR BREAKAGE AND SHEDDING
The good news is that you have the power to reverse your hair loss excursion. Here are a few tips to help you tackle hair breakage and shedding.
DETANGLE
After every wash, you want to use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your natural curls so that you do not run into having knots or hair that becomes so matted that it either snaps into split-ends or generates breakage. Use detangling leave-in conditioners and hair care products to keep hair manageable.
MOISTURIZE!
You may be tired of the following mantra, but naturalistas keep saying it because it works. Hydrated hair = healthy hair. Your natural hair gets its strength from moisture and hydration. Your locks need it for hair elasticity.
WEAR PROTECTIVE STYLES, BUT...
Wear protective styles! Braids, wigs, twists, and hair extensions are excellent for keeping hair manipulation down to a minimum once your hair is up or hidden away. However, make sure that your edges and natural hair are well-cared for and healthy enough to reap the benefits of this move.
STEER CLEAR OF HEAT
Finally, if you are experiencing breakage -step away from the flat and curling irons! Your hair will thank you.
HOW TO PREVENT A SYNTHETIC HAIR REACTION
Synthetic hair is fantastic for anyone seeking to wear hair that has curls, texture, and color. Synthetic wigs can provide a level of versatility that you just cannot achieve with human hair. From tight curls to faux dreads, synthetic hair is a fun accessory that allows you to change your look on any given day.
Unfortunately, there is one challenge that wig and hair extension enthusiasts occasionally encounter when choosing to wear this fabulous hair and that is the occurrence of a synthetic hair allergy. It can be a horrifying experience if you have never had to endure the pains of a constant itch or inflammation that is associated with the hair of choice resting on your head and against your scalp.
WHAT CAUSES A SYNTHETIC HAIR ALLERGY?
You may be wondering what the origins of this annoying itch are? It’s incredible that we hardly ever hear any mention about the pains of a synthetic wig reaction or that there are no bold warnings on the packages of this hair warning us to proceed with caution.
Here’s what you need to know. Certain types of synthetic hair (i.e., kanekalon hair) possess an alkaline-based coating, and this substance can trigger an allergic response for some people. This allergic response can make you want not only to snatch that wig off your head or rip out those precious tracks but also pull your natural hair out if it means ridding yourself of that itch.
The itching ultimately leads to scalp irritation and inflammation and the only way often to cure it is to remove the hair and cleanse your natural hair and scalp. After a while, the price of visiting the salon or braid shop coupled with the cost of the hair can begin to add up, leaving you feeling as though you are tossing your coins into an abyss.
HOW TO PREVENT A SYNTHETIC HAIR REACTION
What can you do to prevent this nasty reaction from occurring? First, you can start by taking steps to pre-treat your synthetic hair. Options include the use of apple cider vinegar, diluted vinegar or rooibos tea.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND SYNTHETIC HAIR
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has the right blend of properties that allow it to regulate the pH of your scalp and in effect, reduce the adverse effects of synthetic hair with alkaline bases which can sometimes upset the acidity of your scalp. Your scalp has a natural, acidic pH level of 5. When we introduce this environment to too much alkaline, it can cause dryness at the scalp level which may contribute to irritation and itch. ACV has a pH level of 3 which can help restore the normal acidity level of your scalp.ROOIBOS TEA FOR SYNTHETIC HAIR ALLERGIC REACTION
Another excellent, natural way to protect your scalp from the side effect of wearing synthetic hair is to use rooibos tea. Many people consume rooibos tea because it has multiple benefits including but not limited to:- Enhances the health of your skin and hair
- Improves heart health
- Treats allergies
- Cancer prevention
- Better digestion
- Anti-inflammatory agent
- Management and prevention of diabetes
However, rooibos tea can also be useful in pretreating your synthetic hair before daring to wear it. It also contains the right balance of vitamins and minerals that help to lower the alkaline base of this hair.
HOW TO PRETREAT YOUR SYNTHETIC WIG WITH ACV OR ROOIBOS TEA
To pretreat your wig, you can soak it in 1 ½ cups of apple cider vinegar or rooibos tea for 15-20 minutes; During this time, the solution will lift the alkaline base from the hair, drastically reducing your risk for an allergic reaction to the synthetic hair. Once this time elapses, remove the hair from the solution and rinse thoroughly with cool water before allowing it air dry.
Now you know the secret to preventing a nasty synthetic hair reaction. Take these steps to reduce your risk for another allergic response to your hair accessory choices.
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