…Keeping the ends from breaking.

Fact is ladies,  unless you have some kind of health condition, your hair never stops growing. Yes; some folks have slightly faster growth rates than others, but not by a lot. Truth is, there’s no product to grow black hair fast. Hair growth in a bottle is at the same store that has the fountain of youth and the money tree. When you find it, let us know.

The key to steady hair growth is a fierce dedication to keep it from breaking. Our hair may appear tough and wiry, but in truth, it’s inherently prone to weakness and breakage. That’s why most black women have hair that perpetually hovers at or above shoulder length. Friction from our clothes, heat styling and chemical processing and lack of moisture is a toxic mix to our tresses.

Here’s what we suggest:

Try your hand at protective styles.

The goal here is to keep shoulder-length hair from breaking and snapping off from friction from our clothes, especially in fall and winter when we were wool and cotton sweaters. Tucking in your ends also keeps them from drying out and snapping off. It’s the oldest part of your hair, so baby those geriatric strands! Need inspiration? Click here.

Keep Combing and Brushing to a Minimum

Dry combing damages hair more than when you detangle wet hair drenched in conditioner because the moisture helps the hair stretch and expand. If you’re wearing a straight style, try not to pick one that requires you to comb and smooth it several times a day. Limit combing or brushing your to once a day and BE GENTLE. Give yourself extra time in the morning so you’re not ranking through your hair in a rush. Remember to use the proper tools, like seamless bone combs and a gentle 100% boar brush. Mason Pearson is the absolute best you can buy, but starting at $88, it comes at a high cost.

Mason Pearson brush

Anti-Breakage Products We Love…

Eufora Leave-In Repair Treatment

This formula penetrates into the hair shaft to increase strength, moisturize and reduce breakage. The company doesn’t pack the product with mostly water and fillers. The main ingredients are sage and thyme, xylitol (to help moisturize) and contains kukui, argan , neem and cranberry oils. Tip for natural black hair: spray a light mist on the hair, concentrating on the ends. Then seal with your favorite oil.

Organix Anti-Breakage Serum with Nourishing Coconut Milk

This is a good option for those with straight styles because no-water serums won’t cause hair to revert. While this company claims coconut milk as the front-and-center ingredient, don’t be fooled–the first and most plentiful ingredient is a silicone. That’s not necessarily bad, though. Silicones provide a measure of protection from heat styling.

Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong

The natural hair community raves about this all over the net, and with good reason. The water-based cream moisturizes and strengthens with shea butter, soy bean oil, wheat protein and collagen. This item can be a bit heavy on straight styles, so it’s best used when you’re wearing buns or hydrating twists and twist-outs.