EDGES

Hi guysss!!
I hope 2015 has gotten off to a great start for you guys!
Today’s topic is EDGES! Now we allllll know how we feel about edges! Edges can make or break your hairstyle and we’re constantly finding ways to get laid edges. For those that don’t know, when people refer to “edges”, they are referring to their hairline. We’ve all seen people with slightly strange hairlines and it is definitely a big problem in the black community but I’m here to help!!!

Now I don’t claim to have a perfect hairline. When I was growing my hair out, I used to wear braids all the time and, whilst this was instrumental in retaining length, it left my edges kind of messed up! It took a while before I could restore them but those parts that were nearly bare are still a little thin but it’s much better.

August 2013 – as you can see, my edges were NOT looking cute (that’s my cousin’s dog, Rocky lol)

January 2015 – much better

Here we go with some tips to maintaining a thick, healthy hairline/fixing a problematic hairline:

• Stop the tight buns/ponytails/braids – I think I’ve mentioned this in one of my previous posts but, if you want full edges, you have to stop with the tight hairstyles! Pulling too tight can cause traction alopecia, which is when your hair stops growing in certain spots and this can be permanent. Your hairline will get weaker and thinner if you continue to pull too tight on your hairline so STOP IT!
• Don’t brush your edges too frequently – If you are constantly brushing/combing your edges, this can weaken them and thin them out. The constant manipulation of the very weak hair can cause them to fall out or get ripped out. Yes, you want to have laid baby hairs but do you want non-existent baby hairs? I don’t think so!
• Apply Jamaican Black Castor Oil to thinning edges – This is one that helped me soooo much!! JBCO is GREAT for growing hair in thinning spots. This one is tried and tested by so many people and it does work. To be honest, it doesn’t smell great and it’s quite thick but it works!
• Keep edges moisturised – As we all know, dry hair will break. Therefore, if you keep your edges moisturised, they are less likely to break. So when you wash your hair, be sure to apply your leave in and other moisturising products to your edges.
• Reduce the use of heat – A lot of people use excessive heat on their edges so that they lay flat. STOP! Heat is already really bad for your hair but using it on the weak little baby hairs is a recipe for disaster.
• Change your parting regularly – This may seem like a weird one but it’s true! If you wear your parting in one place all the time, you might just notice a bit of thinning in that spot so sometimes switch up the site of your parting.
• Apply shea butter to your edges – This is an option for those who don’t like the smell/consistency of JBCO. Applying just a little bit to your edges will help to thicken them. I’ve personally tried this and it works. In my opinion, JBCO works better but shea butter works too. As always, try to make sure you get your hands on RAW shea butter.
• If you wear a satin/silk scarf or bonnet to sleep, make sure it’s not too tight at your hairline – if the band of the bonnet is too tight or you tie your scarf really tight at your edges, this can cause weakening of the hair. Obviously you want the scarf or bonnet to stay on through the night but you don’t want to mess up your hairline because of that.
• Be careful with your facial products – I say this because some products you may be using on your face may not be very good for your hair. This is especially true if you’re using facial products that contain harsh chemicals due to a skin condition or for whatever reason. Try wrapping your hairline with a scarf or headband before applying such products to your face.
• Be careful of product build up – A lot of the products we use on our edges to lay them down are quite thick and gel-like. These products can build up and harden on your edges, potentially causing the hair to break off. Be sure to wash your hair regularly if you are using such products on a regular basis.