Protective styles are summer go-to's for black girls everywhere. Since this is only my second time getting a protective style with added hair (faux locs), I've been thinking a lot about how to maintain my hair and scalp while giving myself a break from styling my natural hair for a few weeks.
We've talked about how to wash your hair with a protective style, but here are a few products of rounded up that you can use in-between washes or when your scalp needs a little TLC.
1.Cantu Refresh Root Rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar and Tea Tree Oil
Amazon
Cantu's rinse is a reviewer favorite. Ladies with different hair types and conditions like postpartum hair loss and chronic dry scalp calling this "tingly" treatment a "must-have."
2.SheaMoisture African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal Scalp Tonic Treatment
I have been on the road quite a bit this summer, and this tonic has been my go-to because I can pop it into my carry-on and it calms my itchy scalp. I apply this each night before wrapping my faux locs in a silk scarf.
3.Girl+Hair RESTORE+ Restoring Hair Treatment Balm
Girl + Hair
I found the brand Girl + Hair (pronounced "Girl and Hair") during a Google search and was excited to read it was founded by Dr. Camille Verovic, a black girl boss that is a marketing pro turned doctor. Their treatment balm is made with five different oils, including shea butter and castor oil and is small enough to pack in your gym bag or carry-on without taking up too much space.
4.Uncle Funky's Daughter Defunk Hair Refresher Tonic
Amazon
Working out is always a good thing, even if that means a little sweat. Products like Defunk's Hair Refresher can help neutralize odor from hair and scalp post-workout, and it also "stops the itch."
5.Canviiy ScalpBliss
If you have sensitive skin or want a product made with cruelty-free, organic ingredients, SCALPBLISS's formula will soothe the scalp before and after protective styling. You can also purchase a "mini tube" to drop in your bag on the go.
6.Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil
Mielle Organics' Mint Almond Oil is a fan favorite and is known to help reduce breakage and balance the scalp.
7.LivSo Moisturizing Scalp Lotion
Amazon
Made with willow bark extract (exfoliates the scalp), coconut oil, ceramides (seals in moisture), this lightweight-formula is said to condition dry scalps and strengthen the hair.
8.African Pride Braid & Scalp Cleansing Rinse
Amazon
This rinse is not the braid spray you used in the 90s. Now, it is made without parabens, mineral oil, sulfates, and petroleum. The micellar water, coconut oil, and peppermint oil based rinse will refresh and clean the scalp.
9.Taliah Waajid Refresh And So Clean™ Bamboo, Avocado And Peppermint Dry Gel Shampoo
Amazon
The thought of a gel shampoo intrigued me, and based on the product reviews —this shampoo is worth a try. Reviewers recommend applying the gel in sections, massaging the scalp, and then wipe with a cloth and let the hair and scalp air dry.
Protective styles are excellent options when you want to give your strands a break from manipulation during the summer months, but be sure you keep your crown in tip-top shape.
Featured image by Getty Images
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Among the many individuals who battle severe asthma, Black women face a unique set of challenges. It's not uncommon for us to go years without a proper diagnosis, and finding the right treatment often requires some trial and error. Thankfully, all hope is not lost for those who may be fighting to get their severe asthma under control. We spoke with Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq. and Jania Watson, two inspiring Black women who have been living with severe asthma and have found strength, resilience, and a sense of purpose in their journeys.
Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq.
Juanita Ingram has a resume that would make anyone’s jaw drop. On top of being recently crowned Mrs. Universe, she’s also an accomplished attorney, filmmaker, and philanthropist. From the outside, it seems there’s nothing this talented woman won’t try, and likely succeed at. In her everyday life, however, Juanita exercises a lot more caution. From a young age, Juanita has struggled with severe asthma. Her symptoms were always exacerbated by common illnesses like a cold or flu. “I've heard these stories of my breathing struggles, but I remember distinctly when I was younger not being able to breathe every time I got a virus,” says Ingram. “I remember missing a lot of school and crying a lot because asthma is painful. I [was taken] to see my doctor often if I got sick with anything so I was hypervigilant as a child, and I still am.”
Today, Juanita says her symptoms are best managed when she’s working closely with her care team, avoiding getting sick and staying ahead of any symptoms. Ingram said she’s been blessed with skilled doctors who are just as vigilant of her symptoms as she is. While competing in the Mrs. Universe competition, Juanita took extra care to stay clear of other competitors to ensure she didn’t catch a cold or virus that would trigger her severe asthma. “I would stand off to the side and sometimes that could be taken as ‘oh, she thinks she's better than everybody else.’ But if I get sick during a pageant, I'm done. I had to compete with that in mind because my sickness doesn't look like everybody else's sickness.”
Even when her symptoms are under control, living with severe asthma still presents challenges. Juanita relies on her strong support system to overcome the hurdles caused by a lack of understanding from the public, “I think that there's a lot of lack of awareness about how serious severe asthma is. I would [also] tell women to advocate and to trust their intuition and not to allow someone to dismiss what you're experiencing.”
Jania Watson
Jania, a content creator from Atlanta, Georgia, has been living with severe asthma for many years. Thanks to early testing by asthma specialists, Jania was diagnosed with severe asthma as a child after experiencing frequent flare-ups and challenges in her day-to-day life. “I specifically remember, I was starting school, and we were moving into a new house. One of the triggers for me and my younger sister at the time were certain types of carpets. We had just moved into this new house and within weeks of us being there, my parents literally had to pay for all new carpet in the house.”
As Jania grew older, she was suffering from fewer flare-ups and thought her asthma was well under control. However, a trip back to her doctor during high school revealed that her severe asthma was affecting her more than she realized. “That was the first time in a long time I had to do a breathing test,” she describes. “The doctor had me take a deep breath in and blow into a machine to test my breathing. They told me to blow as hard as I could. And I was doing it. I was giving everything I got. [My dad and the doctor] were looking at me like ‘girl, stop playing.’ And at that point [it confirmed] I still have severe asthma because I've given it all I got. It doesn't really go away, but I just learned how to help manage it better.”
Jania recognizes that people who aren’t living with asthma, may not understand the disease and mistake it for something less serious. Or there could be others who think their symptoms are minor, and not worth bringing up. So, for Jania, communicating with others about her diagnosis is key. “Having severe asthma [flare-ups] in some cases looks very similar to being out of shape,” she said. “But this is a chronic illness that I was born with. This is just something that I live with that I've been dealing with. And I think it's important for people to know because that determines the next steps. [They might ask] ‘Do you need a bottle of water, or do you need an inhaler? Do you need to take a break, or do we need to take you to the hospital?’ So, I think letting the people around you know what's going on, just in case anything were to happen plays a lot into it as well.”
Like Juanita, Jania’s journey has been marked by ups and downs, but she remains an unwavering advocate for asthma awareness and support within the Black community. She hopes that her story can be an inspiration to other women with asthma who may not yet have their symptoms under control. “There's still life to be lived outside of having severe asthma. It is always going to be there, but it's not meant to stop you from living your life. That’s why learning how to manage it and also having that support system around you, is so important.”
By sharing their journeys, Juanita and Jania hope to encourage others to embrace their conditions, obtain a proper management plan from a doctor or asthma specialist like a pulmonologist or allergist, and contribute to the improvement of asthma awareness and support, not only within the Black community, but for all individuals living with severe asthma.
Read more stories from others like Juanita and Jania on Amgen.com, or visit Uncontrolled Asthma In Black Women | BREAK THE CYCLE to find support and resources.
