By Jennah Owda
After wearing the hijab for seven years, I realized it was time for me to start taking care of my hair, regardless of it being seen or not seen. When I began my journey as a hijabi, I would tie my hair in tight buns, use cotton undercaps, and didn't use any products in my hair. Without knowing it, I was damaging my hair. To prevent the mistakes that I made, here are some tips on how to take care of your hair as a hijabi.
Silk Undercaps
While it is fun to make jokes about the receding hairlines our undercaps give us, we do not want to look like our father by the time we hit thirty. To prevent that, you’ll want to invest in a silk-blend satin undercap. After confronting my dermatologist about my hair loss, she mentioned that the cause of my hair loss and breakage might be from the constant friction of my cotton undercaps against my hair. Because silk is a softer type of fabric, when it does rub against your scalp, it will not cause breakage, whereas cotton, being a rougher form of fabric, can cause breakage and hair loss. My personal favorite silk-blend satin undercap is from Haute Hijab. Their undercaps are not only made out of a silk blend, but they also have a tie in the back to tighten the undercap to fit all head sizes.
Satin Scrunchies
Along with satin undercaps are satin scrunchies. Regular hair ties are terrible for your hair, hijabi or not. By wearing a satin scrunchie, you are not breaking your hair whenever you decide to wear it up. Before using satin scrunchies, I remember pulling balls of hair out of my hair tie. While it is normal to lose about 100 strands of hair a day, you do not want to add to the number. The scrunchies I currently am using come in a 50 pack for only 10 dollars off of Amazon. Not only are the colors extremely cute, but I also get to save extra strands of hair from falling out of my tender head.
Ponytails > Buns
To keep our hair off our necks and out of the public eye, we tie our hair under our hijabs. I used to throw my hair into the messiest bun that was always impossible to take out. This ruined my hair texture and also caused damage. Having your hair tied tightly not only pulls your hair back and causes your hairline to recede, but it also causes headaches and breakage. Instead, opt out for a loose ponytail. This way your hair won't break, and you won't experience terrible headaches after a long day.
Conditioners
Investing in a great conditioner will save your hair! We need to use hydrating conditioners because our hair is not getting the nutrients from the sun that we would get if our hair was shown. My favorite is the Herbal Essence conditioners and the SheaMoisture conditioners. After using these two products, my hair was rejuvenated, and it no longer felt like a bundle of dry, dead hair. With these conditioners, I also recommend using a leave-in conditioner to lock in moisture.