29 Mar, 2019

How to Maintain Healthy Edges

Looking for ways to help maintain your edges and keep them healthy? Especially with low porosity hair, it’s more difficult for your hair to retain its moisture and for natural oils to reach the tips. Look no further. Try a variety of our natural hair products - from shampoo to leave in conditioners and hair oils - and check out these hair care tips!

Apply Water

Applying water prior to styling products can literally make or break your edges, because water gives your hair a little more flexibility and moisture. Trying to style your edges on dry hair can cause breakage. Have you ever noticed when you apply your edge gel that your hair seems stiff? If you’ve noticed that, then you probably should also notice that doing that can snap those edges clean off your scalp. In order to save the edges and still have them on fleek, apply water from your spray bottle as your first step.

Apply Oil

Next, applying a light oil can help tremendously. After applying water to your edges, apply a drop of oil to your edges going all the way around the edges of your hair. Two oils that work well and act as sealants are Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil and Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Strengthening Oil. Now, your hair is ready for you to apply edge control.

Use Edge Control

Pick an edge control that promotes longer, stronger hair as well. Now that your hair has the water and oil applied to it, it’s now ready for the application of the edge gel. I like to pair the Almond Mint Oil with Mielle Organics Honey & Ginger Flexible Hold Edge Gel. I also like to pair the Rosemary Mint Oil with Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Edge Gel. Both of these edge gels have oil that encourages healthy hair. Trying these steps will enhance those edges and keep them from looking non-existent.

Decrease Tension

Another way to keep your edges healthy is decreasing the amount of tension they experience. Reducing tension means avoiding styles where your hair is pulling at your edges or too tight, which can include styles like buns, high puffs, cornrows, and weaves. If those styles are done tightly, you can end up with broken or thinning edges.

Try doing those styles and making the ponytail or braids looser, especially at the edges. When I do my puff, I make it pretty loose and I follow up with water, oil, and edge gel to smooth the edges and tame any fly-aways. You will still get the same look, but with less tension. For box braids or cornrows, you can even have the stylist leave out some of your edges to lay later. Still, make sure that the stylist continues not to braid so tightly. Low manipulation throughout the week helps with hair growth as well.

Pay attention to these four hair care tips, and you will see a difference with your edges.