Black Men's Curly Hair Care

black man with blonde hair

Black men's hair care is an oft-neglected topic. You need to know to take care of your hair. How often do you wash it? Black men want to look their best, too. There is a multitude of options for styling. Mothers often teach their daughters how to take care of their hair, while men are often left fending for ourselves. So, we tend to neglect our hair.

Not many black men come to us trying to make their hair more curly. Most black men have naturally curly hair. The more common request is how to enhance the curls already present in the hair to make them more prominent or to loosen the natural curl pattern. Before we get into the advanced stuff, let's cover some basics of care, then we’ll discuss the best black men's curly hair products.

Shampooing and Conditioning Black Men's Hair

You will want a good moisturizing shampoo. And, yes, you will want to condition your hair. Conditioning is an important step that should not be neglected. Conditioners add protection to the hair by providing a thin outer coating that retains moisture within the hair and prevents damage that can be done by styling. We recommend our Treasured Locks H2G Emu Oil Shampoo and Treasured Locks H2G Emu Oil Conditioner.

However, we know you're busy and we know some of you aren't going to take the time for two separate steps. Many men want grooming to be as simple and quick as possible. I know, my nephew left his 3-in-1 body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in the shower when he was here for a recent visit. Come on, fellas. You can combine shampoo and conditioner. But, spring for a separate body wash. If you want a one-step shampoo and conditioner, we offer our Ajuven 2N1 Shampoo and Conditioner.

How often to wash and condition will vary widely. Generally, we recommend about once a week, on average. This will vary depending on your skin - how much sebum your scalp produces, how dry or humid it is where you live, how much you sweat, etc. You'll want to wash often enough to keep your scalp healthy at the very least.

How To Dry Your Hair

Drying your hair is something you'll want to consider depending on its length, its thickness, and what else you have going on. Generally, it's better to allow hair to dry naturally as heat will not only dry your hair on the outside; it will also drive moisture from the hair. If you must use heat, use as little as possible and consider use of a leave-in conditioner.

After Washing and Conditioning

You might want to use a styling product. You will almost certainly want to use an oil to seal in the moisture you just gave your hair, as well as to keep your scalp well oiled. Natural oils are kinder to your hair than mineral oil or other synthetics.

We recommend natural plant oils, for the most part, the exception being emu oil which we include in our H2G shampoo, conditioner, and our H2G Hair Growth Serum. Emu oil stimulates hair growth by improving circulation in your scalp. If you're looking for a vegetarian option, our African Argan Oil Elixir is amazing. Not a lot of oil is required. When it comes to adding oil, less is more.

Styling and Combing Black Men's Hair

The type of comb or brush you want will vary depending on your hairstyle and your hair type. We do not recommend combing while your hair is dry.

Choosing the right styling products is key, especially if your hair is thick and curly. Try our Knot No More to gently remove tangles and prevent breakage as you're combing or brushing.

How To Enhance Curls in Black Men's Hair

Historically, there have always been two ways to enhance curls. Either you mechanically stretch the hair, or you apply a chemical to change the structure of the hair. Both are hard on your hair. We provide a third option with our SuperNatural Curl Tamer which provides similar effects to a chemical texturizer, but temporarily and without the danger of over-processing the hair.

Mechanical Curl Enhancing for Black Men

Many of the same techniques women use to enhance their curls will work for men. A simple technique is braiding or twisting the hair for a couple of days to naturally elongate the hair shaft. Then, you can wear a "twist out" for a few days.

A couple of more advanced techniques calls for using rags or curlers in the hair. Wash and condition your hair. Cut old t-shirts into strips and tie off sections of your hair. Hair rollers with Treasured Locks Pomade and Gel can also work. Wash and condition, roll the hair, let dry. Then style. The same thing can be done with normal drinking straws (a straw set) or anything you can wrap your hair around and allow it to take shape.

Natural Herbal Treatment to Enhance Natural Curls

SuperNatural Curl Tamer is a mixture of herbs and clay that is mixed with water to form a paste. The paste is applied to the hair where it's left on for an hour or so. Naturally, over time, this temporarily loosens the natural curl pattern of the hair making it more manageable. It will not give the results of a chemical treatment like an S-Curl or a relaxer. However, it is chemical free and won’t damage your natural hair.

Chemical Treatments to Enhance Curl Pattern

If you're looking for something stronger and more permanent to enhance your curl pattern there are texturizers. And, we guess you've heard of the S-Curl. These are permanent products that use harsh chemicals to break the bonds of the hair. How straight the hair gets is dependent on the strength of the product and the amount of time you leave it on. You have to be careful with these products though. Used improperly they can cause burns, scalp damage, and even hair loss.

Two black mens curly hairstyles

Styles for Black Men's Hair

Brian's gorgeous bald head You have a plethora of choices when it comes to styles. Anything goes. Do you want long free-flowing curls? A fade on the sides is a sophisticated, clean, and neat look. The high top has made a bit of a comeback. Hey, you can even bleach or dye your hair. Find a barber you trust, some styles you'd like to try and go for it. There's even the bald look some of us have embraced by choice, some by necessity.