6 Natural-Hair Hacks That Stand the Test of Time

You may have grown up using a stocking cap to preserve your silk press. Perfecting the method feels almost like a rite of passage, but brushing your hair into the perfect circle and putting a cap on it is no easy feat — one that some of us (definitely not talking about ourselves here) still struggle with to this day. So the updated version that went viral on TikTok feels like a perfectly-timed gift.

This hair-wrapping hack involves parting your hair down the middle, cutting the ends of a pair of pantyhose, and placing the stocking on your head. Then, place each half of your hair in each "leg" of the stockings, pull it through, and tie it like you would a durag. This hack is so unbelievably genius we couldn't believe we hadn't tried it sooner.

One of the most frustrating things to deal with when it comes to natural hair is shrinkage. The best way to counteract it? Stretching your hair. One of the easiest hacks to doing so? Pineapples. No, not the fruit — the technique.

This is where you essentially put your hair into a loose ponytail with your curls piled high on top of your head. Not only is it an adorable style in itself, but it also prolongs the life of your curls and mitigates any frizz and tangling while you sleep.

Claw clips have made a fierce return, but if you haven't been able to achieve the ultrasleek, almost wet look, there is, of course, a hack for that. Natural-hair influencer Princess Phillips breaks the technique down in her viral video. First, separate your hair into thirds vertically. Then, brush the middle section into a sleek ponytail, making sure the puff is high on your head.

Second, take the back section and wet it with water, and rake through your favorite gel — one of ours is Wetline Xtreme ($5) — to accentuate your curls. Leave it while you work on the front.

Lastly, take the front section of your hair, part it in the middle, and coat each side in gel. You'll then secure both pieces at the base of the ponytail in the middle of your head using an elastic, then take the bottom third of your hair, flip it up to both connect with the middle ponytail, and cover the two pieces from the front third, and secure it with a claw clip. You will be left with a flawless hairstyle every time.

We all know that a wide-tooth comb has been touted as the optimal detangling tool of choice for natural hair, but detangling brushes have finally started to get their time in the spotlight. Not only do they not tear the hair when used correctly — meaning, when your hair is properly moisturized and has enough slip — but they can also double as styling stools when you want a sleek ponytail or bun.

Some of our favorites include the Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush ($19), the Denman Hair Brush For Curly Hair ($24), and the Dae Vegan Detangle + Style Brush ($22), which won a 2022 POPSUGAR Beauty Award.

Sometimes caring for your natural hair means you need to get back to the basics, and that could go as far as understanding your hair's porosity level. Porosity essentially just refers to your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. This is important to know because whether your hair is high, medium, or low porosity will determine the best types of products to use for optimally healthy hair.

A neat hack to check your hair's porosity is to take a few clean strands of hair and put them into a cup of water. If your hair sinks to the bottom of the cup fairly quickly, then your porosity is high. This means you should use hydrating and protein-rich products.

If it sinks a bit more slowly, then you most likely have normal/medium porosity hair. The products you use should be focused on providing both moisture and protein to continue maintaining your hair's health.

However, if after a few minutes the strand appears to just float on the surface, then your porosity is low. You'll want to use lightweight, water-based products and avoid anything that is protein rich. Think: hair milks and light natural oils like the Adwoa Beauty Melonberry Hair Milk Leave-In Conditioner ($24) or the Moroccan Oil Treatment Light Hair Oil ($35).

Another easy way to stretch your curls? This hack will require another piece of clothing, but if you have a pair of old tights (or even another pair of those pantyhose that we mentioned earlier), then you're good to go. To stretch your hair, take the tights, cut off the legs, and place it over your neck. Then, pull it up over your ears and hair. Using the control top makes the tights act as a DIY headband/bonnet, and this style will help you get more volume out of your curls on day two of that twist or braid-out.

Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.