IS EDGE CONTROL BREAKING YOUR EDGES?

Heyyyyy people!!!

How’s life?? I literally can’t believe we’re already in August. WHERE IS THIS YEAR GOING? This is totally crazy!!

Now guys, we all love when our edges are laid. We go out and buy a million edge controls, hoping this will finally be the one to tame your wild and frizzy edges. When we wear that sleek bun or we rock our weaves, we all want edges that lay flat and look cute. So naturally, we brush and slick them down to perfection. But is this contributing to the overall problem a lot of black men and women have with their hairlines??? I say: YES.

Many edge controls out there are thick and gloopy and often contain harsh ingredients that are designed only to keep those edges DOWN. Your edges are already super fragile – the last thing you want to be doing is slicking and brushing them down. Over time, with continuous manipulation, your edges WILL break. Moreover, the thick consistency of the edge control is likely to clog your follicles and pores at your hairline, preventing new growth and potentially causing pimples in the area. Not cool!

Edges slicked down with water and edge control

NOW I am NOT saying you should never ever use edge controls in your life lol! Just don’t use them every single day! Try to keep that edge control for a special occasion when you need your edges to stay completely put. As always, there are other alternatives to edge controls:

• Try lightly spritzing your edges with water or a leave in conditioner and tie your edges down with a satin scarf for 10 minutes or more. I promise your edges will look bomb!
• You can try using butters like shea butter or thicker oils like Jamaican Black Castor Oil rather than edge controls! They’re thick enough to hold your edges down but they’re also good for your hair

And if you do choose to stick with edge controls, be mindful of WHICH edge controls you’re using. I always make sure that any edge control I use is easy to wash out and has some beneficial ingredients that slick your edges down and help regrow those edges. I recommend Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste and Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Edge Treatment. Of course, there are many more options out there but these are the ones I’ve tried and I know to be good!! If your edges are on the more unruly side, definitely go for the Blueberry Bliss one as the Shea Moisture one has a lighter hold.

My two fave edge controls – the Curls one and the Shea Moisture one

So ladies, let’s slick those edges down but let’s make sure they’re still there 10 years from now! What are your tips for keeping your edges laid? What are your favourite edge controls? Let me know!!

Love,

Tara xXx