Male Hair Journey - Kemar

When it comes to talking about natural black hair we tend to fixate on females however we shouldn't forget that some of our counterparts are on a natural hair journey of their own. Here we have one of my amazing friends of whom I've known for years, kindly giving Divinus Ater his hair journey story, enjoy!

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What’s gwaanin. My names Kemar and I’m here to share my hair story with you. 

I’m a 17 year old male of mixed descent, with my mum being from Ireland and my dad from Jamaica. Apart from me and my dad, nearly all the males on my dads side of the family have dreadlocks so I guess you can say that males with long hair is common in my family. Up until I was around 9 I used to have long hair just because I hated going to the barbers, however when I turned 10, I began to get regular hair cuts.

Just after the beginning of year 10 (October 2012) I decided that I would grow my hair out again, this time however I was determined to look after it. The first couple of weeks were the worst, at the time my hair was really curly but after around two months, the curls started to loosen up and I was able to comb my hair out. By the time I had started year 11 I had a fully fledged Afro, for the entirety of Summer 2014 I had my hair in twists and when I had taken them out I noticed a big difference in the length of my hair; I was no longer able to wear my hair as an Afro as it was too large and was forced to tie it back, which now brings us to the present day.

My Routine:

Step 1:

I tend to wash my hair once every week. I have found that my hair doesn't get dirty as fast as others might and so this works well for me. I usually take the Sunday off to wash and dry my hair, also as others before me have said I only use sulphate free shampoos and conditioners to ensure that my hair retains its natural oils.

Step 2:

I always towel dry my hair, making sure that I pat and not rub my hair as rubbing can lead to breakage, whilst my hair is still a damp I apply Argan Oil to my hair and scalp, this ensures that my scalp remains moisturised and prevents it from drying out, it also helps to lock moisture in my hair. The product that I have found works best for me is Avon Advanced Techniques 360 Nourishment, however you should try different brands to find what’s best for you.

Step 3:

Allow to air dry before styling.

Sometimes instead of combing out my hair after washing it, I allow it to curl up, resulting in my hair looking like this.

This is one of my favourite hairstyles as it requires little work, all I need to do is spray my hair with a braid sheen, which helps moisten the scalp during the week. 

My main tip for any male wanting to grow their hair out is to remember that your hair has needs and simply washing and combing it may not be all that it needs, your hair may require a lot more attention from you than you are currently giving it and so making sure that you use the right shampoos and oils is essential to having healthy hair.

I hope this helps anyone looking for some tips! Continue to support Kia and keep on reading her blog.

Peace out…