First things first, what on earth is a microfiber towel?

Microfiber (or microfiber here in Britain) is a synthetic fiber that is finer than one denier - this diameter is smaller than a strand of silk.

A microfiber towel is less fluffy than a regular cotton towel but is actually much more ideal for drying hair because:

1. It absorbs water much more rapidly without the need for rubbing;
2. You don't have to rub your hair to get the water out so there is minimal friction between the towel and hair fibres - less friction means less breakage;
3. Hair that's been wrapped in a microfiber towel will dry a lot faster than hair that's been wrapped in a regular towel;
4. Microfiber doesn't produce lint (bits of white fluff). Lint from regular towels causes hair tangles.
   
5. It helps to reduce hair frizziness.

How do you use a microfiber towel?

After washing my hair I give it a gentle squeeze to get rid of the dripping and then I wrap the microfiber towel over my head and let it get to work. You don't need to rub or scrunch at all. A gentle pat over the surface is enough.

Where can you get a microfiber towel?

I got links to the top rated microfiber towels on Amazon.com and .co.uk below. I have Mimi's Diva dryer. It's what I have on my head in the photos.

References:

• wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfiber
  
• Long hair community forum discussion on microfiber

I know some people do a rinse before shampooing but really it is much more effective to do after conditioning but before applying a leave-in conditioner.

Why?

The reason is simple: both lemon and ACV are acidic. This means that they cause the cuticle layer to contract and flatten. A flattened cuticle layer is closed to the entry of moisture and other products so if you plan on doing a deep condition after the ACV or lemon rinse, you're working against it.

For an effective deep condition you want the cuticle to be more open and to ensure this this you shouldn't be rinsing with something acidic just beforehand.

Once you've done your deep condition and rinsed off the conditioner the ACV or lemon rinse (or whatever other acidic rinse you choose) will close the cuticle layer thereby:

• Boosting hair's shine
  
• Reducing frizziness
• Making hair less porous so that you retain moisture better and 
  
• It will not work against the deep conditioner
  

You can further rinse the ACV or lemon rinse with cold water to get any smell off. As the acidic rinse has already done its job of sealing the cuticle layer this follow-on cold water rinse is NOT counter productive.

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You might also like:

• Lemon Rinse Recipe for Natural Hair. Boost Shine, Reduce Frizz, Define Curls
• The Advanced Shine Boosting Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse

This is a much discussed topic and a frequently asked question! Some people don't like their hair getting frizzy and want ways to stop it from doing so. Here's how you can stop or at least temper that frizz!

1. Rinse with cold water

Warm water causes hair to frizz. However, in order to loosen dirt and oils from the scalp and hair during a wash, you need it. The solution to quell the frizzing is to rinse conditioner out with cool water, as cool as you can stand. This tames the frizz and boosts shininess.

2. Leave some of your rinse-out conditioner

According to the Science of Black Hair, "If hair dryness and frizziness are major problems after shampooing and conditioning your hair, consider allowing a small amount of your "rinse-out" conditioner to remain in the hair after rinsing for additional control and sleekness.

3. Use a microfiber towel or a 100% cotton shirt to dry your wet hair

A regular towel ruffles up the hair fibres and causes the hair cuticle to lift and frizz. Microfiber is more absorbent than cotton.

4. Master your hair drying technique

Don't rub or ruffle the hair dry; either just tie your cotton shirt or microfiber towel around your head and let the water drip into the shirt or towel; alternatively squeeze gently down your partitions, if you twisted or plaited your hair for the wash.

Similarly, if you keep touching your hair you'll also encourage it to frizz. Lots of touching and rubbing causes frizziness because you tamper with the hair's cuticle layer.

5. Mix gel and serum

For more defined curls, mix a little gel with serum and scrunch (don't rub) this mixture down your hair by lightly squeezing. Gel, as always, helps to set the style and the serum smoothes the hair down thereby blocking atmospheric moisture from frizzing the hair.

6. Try Argan oil

Argan oil is reputed as being the best oil for tempering frizz.

7. Give the ends a little more TLC

Remember that the tips of your hair are older, weaker and therefore more prone to frizz. They need more moisture and (if possible) will perform better if they're not rubbing against clothing.

Finally, remember that some types of hair are just more frizzy than other types. If you try everything above and you still get frizz you'll just have to accept it and work with it!

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References:
The Science of Black Hair, pages 78, 147-8