Hijab & Hair

Salam ladies, I hope everyone's going great=)

I'm back with a "Hijab &" kind of article, hopefully it will benefit someone out there Insh'Allah!

As modest women, we have to cover our awrah, which includes the hair (duh!). In order to do that, we try and use bonnets, scarves, pin and whatnot... Sometimes, it might not necessarily be done in the best, healthiest way for our heads of hair. Therefore, using my short -but intense;)- experience, as well as a few comments and remarks here and there, I came with a do's lists that will allow us to remain modest while having beautiful hair=)

1. Wear loose hairstyles. Gathering hair and putting it in a tight ponytail or bun puts pressure on the hair. When it undergoes too much pressure, it breaks, turns into a bald spot, etc. Try doing a little looser bun/ponytail next time.

2. Check your hair tools. Really? Yes, hair tools can actually damage you hair. For instance, I wouldn't recommend using hair ties with the metal part in the center, and dragged, 'naked' hairclips/bobby clips, because it snaps at the hair, and often ends up with breakage. Try using rubber-covered pins and hair clips and 'scrunchies' instead.

3. Avoid tight underscarf/scarf wrapping. It might sound like a 'duh statement', but wrapping scarves too tighly is no good, I tell you. Doing it too tighly too often will cause headaches, hairloss/bald spots. Try tying it a little looser, you'll instantly feel better=)

4. Use 'organic' fabrics. Cotton let the scalp breathe, won't irritate it and absorbs sweat, silk and satin don't absorb moisture like other fabrics would and is not be harsh on the hair.

5. Wash scarves regularly. It's something that I forget about sometimes, but washing your scarves -especially underscarves, is crucial. We walk around with them all day long, so we need to wash the product residue, sweat, possible dirt and bacteria away so that the gunk doesn't go back to our scalps.

6. Pick scarves weather-wise. A little sweat is okay, but we don't want our hair to marinate in it all day, it'll end up irritating the scalp and not smelling really good either =s. In order to stay cool, wear lighter scarves in the summer, and heavier for the winter season.

7. Let your hair breathe! Our beautiful heads of hair cannot flourish if they're wrapped and covered 24/7. As soon as you can, make sure you remove any scarf, underscarf, and let it be.

8. Use products lightly. Being heavy-handed with products is no good: the hair is going to absorb what it needs and the rest is going to sit on the hair, causing build-up. If you put your scarf on it, the residue will get onto the scarf, and who wants oily scarves?

9. Just a reminder. Here are basic tenets for 'good' hair that work for everyone:
  • Wash 1x week using a product that cleanses -- and conditions, if possible, without stripping. There are a variety of things can could use, from shampoos, to soaps, not mentioning conditioners (yes, condish LOL).
  • Condition 1x week. Some people get away with not conditioning their hair, but I'd say it's a must. Whether your hair is normal and thin or coarse and extra-dry, there's something for you! Pick between oils, butters, conditioners, deep conditioners, or masks and see what works best for you. Apply to the ends and lenght of your hair, leave it on for as long as you think is needed, and rinse!
  • Detangle gently, i. e. from tips to roots without wanting to pull it out, even though I'm so tired of the detangling I feel like pulling mine out too =)
  • Heat 2x month max. Heat overuse = damage
  • Trim when needed. The ends are the oldest part of your hair and the one that is oftentimes neglected and mistreated. When they're damaged beyond repair, give it a trim.
  • Need moisture? Try Shea and/or Cocoa butters, they are excellent at moisturizing and repairing the hair. Also, check out oils, such as Olive oil, Almond oil, and/or Coconut oil, which are renowned for being extremely hydrating.
  • Underwent hairloss? No fear! You can use Castor oil, which stimulates the hair follicles, thus promoting growth and thickness. You can also resort to taking vitamins/supplements to regain growth.

10. Pamper you hair! Even though we cover it, it's important that we don't neglect it and leave it in a mess. It is said in the Injil (Gospel) that a woman's hair is her crown and glory, this is Allah (SWT)'s gift to us, so let's take care of it=)

Thank you for reading! If you have any tips and tricks, please share=)

7 comments:

Laila said...

Salam!
Great for the topics! I have to do them! :D

PD: thanks for visiting my blog!

MsDieynaba said...

Muchas gracias! No conocia a hijabis espanolas en la red, asi que aproveché para chapucear en espanol=)

Anonymous said...

Selam!

Tu sais que, depuis que je porte mon foulard, mes cheveux sont plus doux et plus fins (c'est le signe d'une perte proche peut-être LOL)

Bisous

M.

MsDieynaba said...

Salam=)

Les cvx doux,c'est pas mauvais signe, ça arrive si tu portes des foulards en soie/satin, ça rend les cvx doux.

Les cvx fins par contre, c'est autre chose. Qd tu mets ton foulard, tu serres bcp ? Moi je sais que j'ai perdu des cvx au niveau des tempes pcq je serrais bcp.

Haute Muslimah said...

You always have such great advice!

MsDieynaba said...

Aww thank you!

MsDieynaba said...

Also, the few things I know, I've learned through research. I came across a black hair care website, and I've learned a lot from it=)