About the project

My name is Molly and I have been a Girl Scout for over 10 years! For my final year, I am working on my Gold Award project, an 80 hour service project called Strands of Strength, that helps to raise awareness about textured hair care in the Foster Care community. To do so, I have created accessible resources and collected products for Foster Kids and families to help them learn more about textured hair care! I hope you find this resource helpful, and for more tips and information, check out the Black Kids Haircare Facebook page!

Hair Types

Your head can have many different types of hair on it, it's not always one kind.

Type 1: Straight - 1A-1C (fine to thick) No natural wave or curl

1A - Fine and soft, usually lacking volume

1B- Medium thickness with a slight bend

1C- Coarse and thick

Type 2: Wavy - 2A-2C (fine to thick) Has an S-shaped wave

2A- Fine and loose waves

2B- Medium - textured waves

2C- Coarse, thick waves

Type 3: Curly - 3A-3C (loose to tight) has tighter, more defined curls

3A- Loose, large curls

3B- Medium - sized curls

3C- Tightly packed smaller curls

Type 4: Coily - 4A-4C (loose spirals to tight zig-zag shapes) The tightest curl pattern

4A- Tight, S-shaped coils

4B- Z-shaped coils

4C- very tight, zig-zag coils, often more fragile

Porosity

Hair porosity is the ability of a hair strand to absorb and retain moisture.

The hair cuticle is the outermost part of a hair strand, formed from dead cells in overlapping layers (like scales) that protect the hair shaft.

Low porosity:

Cuticles are tightly bound, so it's hard for moisture to penetrate.

Takes a while to get wet, may not absorb products easily, can be prone to product buildup.

Will float on the surface of water and take a while to sink.

Medium porosity:

Cuticles are moderately open, allowing moisture to penetrate and be retained relatively well.

Hair absorbs and retains moisture regularly, making it easy to style and hold styles.

Will sink into the middle of water, not floating on top to going straight to the bottom.

High porosity:

Cuticles are open or damaged, allowing moisture to easily penetrate and escape.

Hair can absorb moisture quickly but also can easily lose moisture, leading to possible frizz, dryness, and breakage.

Will sink to the bottom of the water quickly.

Basic products/supplies guide

Everyday use:

Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner

Leave in conditioner

Hair oil

Satin bonnet/ Satin pillowcase

For Styling:

Styling cream/gel 

Edge brush/comb

Rubber bands

Decorative items - beads, bows, and clips

Overall routines

Routine for natural

Morning-

-Spritz hair with water and apply a leave-in conditioner to hydrate and detangle

-If you need more moisturization, add some of hair oil or hair cream

For Styling

-Start by gently detangling hair with your hands or a wide-toothed comb

-Use a flexible-toothed comb to brush the hair into the desired style

-Secure with rubber bands

-Use cream or gel to help hold the hair in place and to lay down the edges if desired

Night-

-If the hair feels/looks dry, apply moisturizer or oil to hydrate

-Loosely gather the hair into large sections and into a protective style such as twists

-Cover the hair with a satin/silk bonnet or scarf, or use a satin pillow case to reduce breakage and keep hydrated

Weekly (1-2 times per week)-

-Wash the hair (depending on buildup and scalp health)

-Deep condition to keep moisturized

-Textured hair cannot be washed every day, this will make it more prone to damage and breakage due to its lack of moisture

-Depending on the style in your hair, you can wait around a week or 2 without washing it

Routine for braids or locs

Morning-

-Lightly spritz hair with a leave-in conditioner spray, focusing on the scalp and the natural length of the braids

-Apply light oil directly to the scalp and braid length to moisturize and add shine

For Styling

-Style hair loosely without pulling the braids too hard and secure with rubber bands

-Lay edges down with a little gel or edge control using a brush or your fingers

Night-

-If the hair feels/looks dry, apply moisturizer or oil to hydrate

-Cover the hair with a satin/silk bonnet or scarf, or use a satin pillow case to reduce breakage and keep hydrated

Weekly (1-2 times per week)-

-Cleanse the scalp using a diluted shampoo or braid-safe cleanser

-To refresh after new growth, apply oil and retwist locs or use a brush to lightly clean up edges of braids

-Textured hair cannot be washed every day, this will make it more prone to damage and breakage due to its lack of moisture

-Depending on the style in your hair, you can wait around a week or 2 without washing it

-The time between braid changes depends on the type of braid, the hair type, and many other factors, so it’s best to consult your stylist to find out what will work best for you