4c Natural Hair Care Hacks Every 4c Ninja Needs To Master!

Last Updated on September 11, 2022 by The Blessed Queens

Today we are talking all about 4c natural hair care routines and how you can master the art of caring for your lovely hair! Don’t get me wrong, our natural hair type is not an easy one. But be optimistic that if other women did it, you also can do it!

4c Natural Hair Care Hacks Every 4c Ninja Needs To Master

Have you ever questioned yourself…

WHAT IS 4C NATURAL HAIR?

If you have 4c your hair texture is very delicate in nature.  Of course, you can find 4c hair as fine, delicate strands, or as hard and coarse.

It’s known for its shrinkage and 4c natural hair can shrink up to 75 percent of its length plus it’s known for its tight curls and kinky texture.

As for definition, some women with this type of hair have a curl definition, while others do not.

4C hair has one of the tightest curls of all hair patterns, meaning your hairs forming tight s’s, z’s or coils.

If you are not sure if you have 4c hair then here are some very basic characteristics:

• Your hair dries out quickly or struggles to maintain moisture!
• You always experience extreme shrinkage, even up to 75%!
• Your hair is prone to tangles and matting therefor detangling is a must
• Your curls and kinks are fragile and prone to breakage

So how do you deal with all these? Here is the thing, your 4c natural hair care regimen needs to come to reality!

You need a regimen that keeps your hair healthy so let’s get into some easy and helpful hacks to spice up your 4c natural hair care game!

RETAIN YOUR HAIR MOISTURE.

Even if you have low porosity hair, 4C hair needs to be kept moisturized. The kinks and coils of 4C curls prevent the distribution of sebum (natural oil produced by your scalp) throughout your hair.

This allows your hair to dry out faster than other curl patterns, so you need to take extra precautions to keep your natural hair moisturized.

Try and find a good moisturizer AND a good sealant.

Oils like coconut oil and olive oil, and creams like Shea butter are effective at sealing moisture in your hair. If you wear a protective style, don’t forget to moisturize regularly!

ALWAYS SHAMPOO MINDFULLY.

Yes, you still need to shampoo regularly to keep your scalp and hair clean- but you can lengthen the time between washes to 2, 3, or even 4 weeks.

Avoid shampoos that contain sulfates or any of these other harmful ingredients, and opt for a mild, sulfate-free shampoo like this Cleansing Avocado Shampoo.

If your hair gets dirty more often, alternate shampoo with cowash or follow shampoo with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Wash your hair in sections to prevent tangles.

DON’T SKIP DETANGLING.

Yep by now we know it, tangles lead to breakage, which hinders growth.

Detangle regularly and gently, using a wide-toothed comb on damp hair (don’t use a brush tho!)

Use conditioners to add slip and help with the process. When you find knots, don’t yank- use your fingers to gently pull hairs out of the knot.

DEEP CONDITION IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND.

While it is recommended that you deep condition every 2 weeks, 4C hair, in particular, thrives with weekly deep conditioning treatments.

This will keep your hair healthy, bouncy, and shiny, and will prevent snagging and tangles.

OVERSTYLING CAN BE HURTING YOUR PROGRESS.

Styling products dry out your hair, build upon your scalp, weigh down your hair, etc. Touching and styling your hair excessively can also lead to breakage.

Explore styles that require less styling products, or alternate between high and low manipulation styles to give your hair a break.

TRY A LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

Before styling your 4c hair always add a nourishing leave-in conditioner to your hair. I recommend Bye Bye Parabens Moisture Balance Leave-in Conditioner.

You should also consider adding a moisturizing oil to your scalp and ends of your hair. This will help to prevent breakage and split ends.

This will help your hair grow in healthier which means fewer trims!

SHRINKAGE WILL COME FOR YOU.

Shrinkage can be frustrating because it keeps you from seeing growth, and it can also make your natural hair more susceptible to tangles and single strand knots.

You can go ahead and explore heat-free styles that stretch your hair, such as twist outs, braid outs, and bantu knots.

You should not forget to embrace and celebrate shrinkage, and have fun with it!

Suggested 4c styles

• Two strand twists
• Twist outs
• Bantu knots
• Puff
• Afro
• Buns or space buns
• As with any other hair type, you can use clip ins, extensions, or crochet braids to switch up your look or add length.

HELPFUL TIPS TO HELP YOU 4C NATURAL HAIR GROW

• Our hair type needs extra care because your hair texture is more fragile than other types. Meaning that if you want to have long hair, you must work hard and put forth the effort to take care of it.
• Our hair grows ½ an inch per month on average. That means that you need to maintain your hair well and do protective styling to help your 4c hair texture grow.
• Finger combing while the hair is damp, is one of the best methods of detangling. This process alone will lead to much less breakage and will result in hair growth.

SOME OF THE BEST HAIR PRODUCTS FOR 4C NATURAL HAIR

The best hair products for 4c natural hair lock in moisture. These products will help you detangle your hair, which is vital for hair that gets tangled and matted easily.

OILS

Coating the hair with oil is an important step to lock in moisture in 4c natural hair.

Oils such as coconut oil are easy to find and affordable while it promotes hair growth and makes the hair stronger.

Let’s not forget that you’ll probably notice less breakage after using the oil for several days.

A simple hack is that you can add coconut oil to your daily hair care regimen (include it into your co-wash conditioner or your deep conditioning treatments).

Another great oil is Extra-virgin olive oil which is also perfect for 4c natural hair textures because it is known for its ability to soften and strengthen the hair.

It contains fantastic scalp-care benefits and few of them are:

• It moisturizes your hair follicles and
• Reduces dandruff.

Next oil, Avocado oil, which is rich in vitamins A, B, D, E, and protein, works to protect your hair from heat and sun damage.

Go ahead and add avocado oil to your shampoo to create a nourishing treatment that combats a dry scalp.

You can mix oils with your favorite conditioner, to get a slip and make detangling much easier.

SHAMPOOS

You should check ingredient labels when you buy shampoos to make sure they do not contain sulfates or parabens.

Your shampoo should include moisturizing agents to protect from dryness.

Top shampoos for 4c hair textures can be

• TGIN’s moisture-rich shampoo and 
• Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla.

BEST SHAMPOOS FOR 4C HAIR TO TRY

• tgin Moisture Rich Sulfate Free Shampoo for Natural Hair
• Creme of Nature Professional Argan Oil Moisture and Shine Shampoo
• Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Sulfate-Free Shampoo, 12 fl oz

CONDITIONERS

When it comes to the best deep conditioners for 4c natural hair you need to know that they have moisturizers listed at the top of the ingredients.

Your conditioner must also contains some of the oils mentioned above and does not list water as one of the principal elements.

Your deep conditioners of choice should restore moisture, promote growth and leave your hair shiny.

Here are some of the top conditioners for natural hair

• TGIN’s triple moisture conditioner and
• Shea Moisture’s Deep Treatment Masque.

BEST CONDITIONERS FOR 4C HAIR TO TRY

• Tgin Triple Moisture Replenishing Conditioner for Natural Hair
• SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex 10-In-1 Renewal System Hair Masque
• Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque
•  Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner/Detangler

There you have it, 4c Natural Hair Care Hacks Every 4c Ninja Needs To Master!

What has helped you level up your 4c natural hair care game?

What to read next? I’ve got you, girl!

Xo, Queen