Unlike whites, black women naturally have hard and frizzy hairs. Attempts at softening them with foreign cosmetic products have not worked. It has rather caused some women to lose their hair. Ngo Ngambi Thèrese alias Resa Ka was a victim. Through research, she found the answer in African plants. Here are tips on how to go about it.

ALOE VERA

Women with hard hair and those with hair that fallen off around the head’s borders will find solutions in the African medicinal plant, Aloe Vera. Resa Ka, spearhead of a black-isbeauty campaign, says women should cut the Aloe Vera plant, wash and cut it, and extract the sticky gel.

Filter it to remove residuals before applying it on the hair. Allow it under a plastic cap or head scarf for about 45 minutes. Properties in aloe vera, including calcium and antioxidants, among others, will hydrate, treat and soften the hair naturally. Thereafter, rinse with water and dry with a towel. Do it once a week.

OKRO OR “NKUI”

Another cheap, but simple way of treating and softening the hair naturally is with okro. Get some okro fruits, slice and put in water. Steam, not at boiling point (to avoid killing vitamins), to obtain a sticky solution. Sieve and apply it as shampoo on the hair. Do same if you have what Bamileke natives call “Nkui” stick, whose peeling produces a sticky fluid when washed with water. After half an hour or so, wash the hair, dry and oil it with coconut oil or oil extracted from palm kernel.

CASSAVA OR IRISH POTATO STARCH

Starch made from cassava or Irish potato have the advantage of softening and speeding the growth of the hair at the same time. To obtain the appropriate gel to administer on the hair, get the starch (cassava or Irish potato powder form), mix in water and heat while stirring under low temperature.

Apply it on the hair as shampoo and wait briefly to get the desired result. Then wash, dry and oil it. For women who can’t lay hands on cassava or Irish potato starch, Resa Ka recommends that they get fresh Irish potato balls, peel and grate. The juice extracted, she says is very nourishing to the hair. Try it.