Crowning glory

Megan Thee Stallion

When Meghan Thee Stallion returned to Instagram last week after taking some time off, fans sat up and took notice. The rapper, who has been sharing her efforts to nurture and grow her natural curls for nearly two years now, shared unfiltered photos of her rejuvenated mane. "Many women [and men] have decided to lay off styling products and ditch their regular cuts to experiment with a longer, more natural look," shares Vaishakhi Haria, a hair stylist at splashthesalon.

Dr Niketa Sonavane and Vaishakhi Haria

"When growing out your hair, the first and most important step is to understand what not to do. Many common, everyday hair-care practices that many of us have used our entire lives are actually damaging, especially to curly hair," says Dr Niketa Sonavane, a cosmetic dermatologist at Ambrosia Aesthetics. "Don't over-wash your hair; aim for once or twice a week. Avoid using products that contain sulphates, which are commonly found in some shampoos. Similarly, non-soluble silicones, which are commonly found in conditioners and styling products, should be avoided," she adds. When washing your hair, address your roots and your ends separately. Focus your shampoo at the roots, where the oil builds up. Use conditioner at the ear level and lower. Deep-condition regularly to prevent breakage. Avoid using towels - no matter how gentle you are, these rough up the hair cuticle and cause a lot of frizz.

She adds that natural emollients such as coconut oil as well as lighter oils like jojoba, olive and grapeseed work well to nourish dehydrated hair. "You can also use proteins such as egg, avocado, silk, wheat and soy on your hair. Honey and glycerine act as natural humectants to draw moisture to your hair," she suggests. Certain nutritional supplements such as biotin also promote hair growth. "The ends of long hair have usually been styled and coloured so many times that they get dry and frizzy quickly," explains Haria. Trim your ends every six weeks or so; waiting longer can make the visible damage more apparent, calling for a more drastic cut. Don't take off more than half an inch, each time you go in.