With all of our protective styling (buns, twists, braids, etc) that we wear to protect the scalp, strands, and ends of our hair, it seems that we can easily forget to pay attention to our hairline/edges. As long as they are brushed down/up or slicked back/up, then they are alright……WRONG. We have to pay attention to our hairline just as much as the rest of our hair. If we don’t treat the edges of our hair gently, the consequence could include breakage and/or hair loss. The hairline is very fragile and receives high levels of stress while we are bunning, twisting, braiding, slicking it back etc.
Make sure you moisturize and massage your hairline frequently. I know we want that fresh look when our hair is all pulled back, so we tie the satin scarf around our hair to make the hairline lay flat. This is great, but make sure you have moisturized your hairline as well as the rest of your hair.
Loosen up on the hairline. Relieve some of the stress from your hairline by not making the headband or scarf very taut.
Most of the time when we think about our hairline or our edges, our minds tend to gravitate toward the front or sides of our head. Don’t forget about the nape of the neck and behind the ears. These areas need attention as well.
Some products that can be used to moisturize and lay down the hairline are coconut oil, olive oil, and Shea Butter. You can also use your staple moisturizer. If you use gel, try mixing it with a little oil or butter before you apply it to the hairline. In order not to get the cottage cheese look when mixing oils and butters with your gel, make sure the oil/butter is warmed by rubbing it in between your hands until it melts (if it’s a butter), then add a dab of gel and rub, rub, rub your hands together again until the consistency is creamy. Once you do this, apply it to your hairline and use your hands or brush to work it into your hair all the way to your bun or twist. This will help you to lay your edges down all while moisturizing them simultaneously.
Please feel free to share your ways of preserving/protecting your hairline!
Until Next Time,
Indulgenceiskey
Hi! These tips are super helpful! I love getting sew-in weaves, and haven't lost my edges. As a preventative measure, I was wondering if this technique would work: putting braids on my edges that don't have actual tracks on them and moisturizing on a regular bases. It's my idea, lol, but I wanted to know if this was effective/safe. Thnx.
ReplyDeleteHi Audery!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Whenever you wear your hair braided, make sure that the edges are not taut or tight. If the hair around your hair line is pretty fine, I would suggest that the you leave that hair out of the braid. The hair line is fragile and you don't want the added hair to pull on your edges. At night, apply a moisturizer and lay the fine edges down with your fingers then don a satin scarf. This will help to "set" the edges in place for the next day.
Also, make sure that the braids are not pulling on your edges when you style your braids.
Remember, you need to protect and preserve your entire hairline....front, the nape of the neck, behind the ears, and both sides.
Take Care!