This is one area of hair management where everyone seems to have a strong opinion. Personally, my opinion is a little more tempered because I believe everyone is the queen of their own kink, curls and coils; once you've tried a few things, you'll know what your hair will accept and what it will not.
To comb or not to comb? I comb weekly during my deep condition using a Neno Natural wide-tooth comb. A wide-tooth comb is much gentler on hair and the Neno Natural wide-tooth comb is specifically designed not to snag and break hair. How to Comb? Before combing hair it's always best to dampen it and add a little detangler or moisturiser or conditioner. This is called plasticizing the hair. Combing dry brittle hair leads to more snagging than necessary. I finger comb and detangle first starting at the tips. If you effectively detangle the tips first you meet less resistance higher up and hence less hair breakage. 
Why not just finger comb and abandon combs all-together?
I tried that for about the month and my hair was the most tangled it has ever been and it start looking very unhealthy. The thinner your hair or looser your curls are, the easier it is to stop combing but mine is just too thick and compact for a no-comb regime. How about the denman brush? I've used it once in over two years of being natural and I thought it was okay. I didn't get massive breakage but I did have more hair on the brush than normal. It was at the end of that no-comb month that I used the denman brush so it may well have just been shed hairs that had not been properly released. Where can you get a set of our awesome detangling wide-tooth combs? Amazon or NenoNatural.com. Each pack contains three combs: one green, one pink, one blue; just as in the picture above. You'll love it.
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I actually only discovered this important fact in year two of being natural: the order in which you apply products impacts how long hair retains moisture.
Some people see more moisture retention with the LOC method, others with the LCO method. L stands for liquid - this can either be just water, hydrosol or water that has been "fortified" with herbs and extracts that are believed to be good for hair. O stands for oil - any vegetable butter or oils should do. I use Neno Natural's Hair Growth Stimulator. See my free whipped butters course if you want to make your own. C stands for cream - creamy vegetable butter-based hair moisturisers or leave-in conditioners are ideal here. If you have thin hair just use a small amount. LOC Method:
LCO Method:
Try both methods a few times to see what works best for you. Some people actually use one method on half of their head and the other method on the second half to test it out properly. The problem then becomes remembering which half got which treatment! Remember, more moisture retention means your hair doesn't get dry and brittle. If your hair is not dry and brittle it is much less likely to break and you will retain more length. Simples :) 
Get your FREE ebook on How To Grow Long, Healthy Natural Kinky or Curly Hair. You might also like: How To Reduce Your Natural Hair's Porosity? |
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By Heather Katsonga-Woodward
I was a natural hair blogger and mixtress living between London & Chicago from 2012 to 2017. I always thought I was 4C but some say 4B; images below - you decide! Heather xx
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