Natural hair is known for being prone to dryness and breakage, so incorporating hair steaming, a process that is designed to infuse the hair with moisture, can be a major game-changer for the look and feel of your curls. In this article, we’ll explore some of the amazing benefits of steaming your natural hair, plus our expert tricks on how to incorporate it into your routine.
What Is Hair Steaming?
As the name implies, hair steaming is the process of applying moist heat to the hair, allowing water vapour to penetrate the strands and open up the cuticles. Hair steaming is typically done at the salon with professional hair steamers, but it can also be done by simply wrapping the hair with a warm, wet towel.
5 Benefits Of Steaming Natural Hair
1. Steaming Helps With Product Absorption
Hair steaming is amazing at helping to open up the cuticles, little cells on the hair shaft that pretty much control what gets in and out of your hair. Once the cuticles are open, your hair will be able to properly absorb any product you apply to it, improving the overall look and feel of every strand. This is especially helpful for those with low porosity hair whose cuticles are tightly packed and not easily opened. Steaming your hair will help your curls absorb the nutrients in hydrating products like our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask, our leave-in conditioner, and even our Hair & Scalp Oil.
2. Steaming Improves Manageability
If you have natural hair, then you know it can be a bit of a handful to manage because of its thick curls and coils. Steaming can help improve your hair's overall manageability by softening your strands and improving their elasticity. Think about it, when your hair is loaded with moisture and your cuticles are loose and open, your hair is bound to be easier to detangle, style, and handle.
3. Steaming Combats Dryness And Breakage
The extra boost of moisture that steaming delivers to natural hair is probably one of its biggest benefits. We all know natural hair is prone to dryness and can sometimes feel brittle and lacklustre despite your best efforts at keeping it moisturised. Steaming your hair infuses it with moisture that penetrates deep into the cuticles, fighting off dryness and reducing breakage that can often occur as a result of having dry, brittle strands.
4. Steaming Promotes Scalp Health
Steaming your hair also offers some benefits to the scalp by loosening the hair follicles. This allows any build-up of dirt, toxins, or excess oils to be released from the scalp, creating a clean and healthy scalp environment. The heat from the steam also encourages blood flow to the scalp, helping to facilitate hair growth.
5. Steaming Improves Curl Definition
Steaming your hair helps you get better, more defined curls by improving the elasticity of your hair, but also by allowing your hair to better absorb the curl-enhancing ingredients in styling products like our Curling Mousse, Flaxseed Oil & Rosewater Curl Elongating Gel, and our Coconut Oil Curling Creme.
How To Steam Your Natural Hair
Although you can steam your hair at any time, the best time to do it is after applying a moisture boosting product like our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask or our leave-in conditioner. This will help you maximise the benefits and ensure you get maximum absorption of the products
Steaming While Conditioning:
- Start by cleansing the hair with our Hydration Shampoo
- Then apply the Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask evenly on your hair from roots to ends.
- Use a hair steamer to steam your hair for 15-20 minutes, or wrap a warm towel around your hair for 25 minutes to manually steam it.
- After steaming, detangle your hair thoroughly before rinsing out the deep conditioner.
- Pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel and apply our leave-in conditioner or Everyday Curl Refresh to further moisturise and soften your hair.
After Moisturising
This can be done at any time, even while your hair is in protective styles like braids. You should aim to steam and moisturise your hair at least 1-2 times a week with the following steps:
- Apply a moisturiser like Sofnfree's Manuka Honey Leave-in Conditioner
- Put your hair into a loose bun to keep it in place
- Cover your hair with a hair steamer or warm towel for about 15 minutes
- Remove the hair from the bun and let it cool down for a few minutes before applying our Hair & Scalp Oil to lock in all that moisture.
How Long Should I Steam My Hair?
The duration of your hair steaming can vary based on your hair type and density. Generally, a good 10-15 minutes is enough for everyone to reap the benefits of steaming. However, those with low porosity or highly dense hair may require a longer session of up to 30 minutes.
If you want to transform your natural hair and reap the benefits we’ve discussed in this article, it’s time to embrace hair steaming. Try it as often as you can after applying moisturising products like our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask or Manuka Honey Leave-in Conditioner, and you will be obsessed with how soft and hydrated your hair will look.