By Marcia Cole for AMBERmag.com

Need a great cut and style for your relaxed mane?

By Gennifer Miller, HealthTextures.com

Get great step-by-step advice on how to wrap your hair. Try these tips, and post your feedback below.

Video tutorial courtesy of HealthyTextures.com

By Gennifer Miller, HealthTextures.com

What is a Pre-Poo?

Pre-pooing is simply a pre-shampoo treatment, which is applied to the hair and/or scalp, left on for a period of time and then shampooed out. Some people like to apply oils (Olive, jojoba, etc.), conditioners or some combination of the two. For example, my hair tends to not like protein based conditioners so I use them as a pre-poo instead. This gives me the strength I need with out the dry feeling I usually get from protein conditioners.

Benefits of Pre-pooing

Pre-poos have many different benefits. Pre-poos often help protect our hair from the harsh shampooing process. The majority of the buildup we are trying to remove lies on our scalp, not our hair (especially if you are not using a lot of product). Our hair really only needs the conditioning aspect of the wash cycle. Using an oil or a conditioner can help provide a barrier between the hair and the harsh detergents in the shampoo.

In addition, pre-poos help condition the hair. It seems counter intuitive. Why would we put a product on our hair that we were eventually just going to wash out? Actually, conditioners and oil often work better when applied to dry hair. Think of a sponge. If you place a dry sponge on a spill, it will absorb more than if your placed a wet sponge on that same spill. Our hair reacts the same way, absorbing conditioner into the hair shaft.

By Gennifer Miller, HealthyTextures.com



What is Stretching?

"Stretching" is a black hair care technique that means simply increasing the time between relaxer treatments. Most stylists recommend waiting at least 6 to 8 weeks before getting a touch-up. However, some women prefer to "stretch" for 10,12, 14 weeks or longer.

Stretching is a great way to avoid overlapping, which is when the relaxer comes into contact with previously treated hair. Relaxers are only meant for virgin hair so when it starts processing already treated hair, it further weakens the strands and can lead to breakage.

In addition, touchups can be expensive! Stretching is a great way to save your hard earned money!

Lastly, stretching can help you reacquaint yourself with your natural African-American hair texture. Learning how to work with your new growth, instead of against it, may introduce you to new hair styling methods and techniques.

The following is a short tutorial on Beginning Your Hair Journey – Where to Begin, Goal Setting, etc. Happy, Healthy Hair!

Roller Setting is considered to be one of the healthiest styling methods for the hair. By using an indirect heat source (a hood dryer), the hair is able to retain more moisture and natural sheen. With this styling method, you will start to see stronger, healthier hair in no time!

This is not the ONLY way to roller set but I find it to be one of the easiest.

Tools:

1) Wide Tooth Comb
2) Rattail
3) Magnetic rollers
4) Duckbill Clip
5) Water Bottle
6) Leave-in Conditioner
7) Serum

Written by Julia Chance for AMBERmag.com



For centuries women all around the globe have tapped into natural, indigenous staples for hair repair. From Thailand to Texas, many have sworn by the unadulterated homemade remedies for sheen, luster and moisture found in coconut and olive oil, avocadoes and eggs. But with the myriad styling options at our disposal -- think relaxers, hair color, weaves and braid extensions -- that can weaken our manes' natural molecular structure, today's fly girl needs conditioning formulas laced with a healthy dose of technological strength.