A consistent and healthy hair care routine or regimen is the foundation of healthy hair. Do you have a hair care routine? What does it look like?
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Starting your hair care journey can be hectic, from figuring out products, what your hair likes to building a healthy hair care routine. In this post we will focus on building a consistent and healthy hair care routine. Just like you need a morning routine, workout routine, skin care routine, you also need a hair care routine for growth of healthy hair.
First, you need a simple routine, the simpler the better. A complex routine will have you feeling like hair care is a full time job but it isn’t and it doesn’t have to feel that way. Focus on the basics which are Detangling, cleansing, deep conditioning, moisturizing and protective styling.
Table of Contents
Essential must have hair care products:
- Shampoo
- Detangler/ instant conditioner
- Deep conditioner (moisture & protein based)
- Leave in conditioner
- Oils/butter
Essential hair care tools:
- Wide tooth comb
- Spray bottle
- Hair pins/ clips
- Hair bands/ scrunchies
- Satin bonnet/ pillowcase/ scarf
- Scissors
Also read: essential and must have products & tools.
A detailed, simple hair care routine
Cleansing
Cleanse or wash your hair after every two weeks. I bet cleansing after two weeks is doable and the best place to start, weekly washes sound hectic but if you are up to the challenge, why not do it? My advice is, if you’re starting to care for your hair, cleansing after two weeks isn’t as hectic. Well, before cleansing you need to detangle and pre-poo or rather prepare your hair for shampoo. Start off with sectioning your hair into 4- 8 parts and work on each section at a time.
Also read; importance of sectioning your hair.
- Pre- Poo – Also referred to as pre shampoo treatment. On this step you apply oil of choice/ instant conditioner/ DIY aloe vera gel/ pre-shampoo treatments to restore moisture and minimize the stripping effects of shampoo. Some shampoos strip off moisture and natural oils from your hair. Gently detangle as you apply your pre-poo if your pre- poo product of choice has a good slip.
The best preshampoo treatment products;
- African Pride Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo
- Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Ultra Shield Pre Poo Hair Treatment
- Dr. Miracle’s Strong & Healthy Detangling Pre-Shampoo Treatment
Also read: everything you should know about pre pooing.
- Detangling- You can detangle as you apply your pre-poo product, start off with detangling the ends with your fingers as you work through to the roots then use a wide tooth to detangle. If the product of choice doesn’t have a good slip, get a detangler or rinse off conditioner with a good slip, spray water on your hair then apply the detangler then gently and patiently detangle.
Related posts:
Also read; Tangles and everything detangling.
- Cleansing- Make sure your hair is sopping wet before applying shampoo. Focus more on your scalp, shampoo and massage the scalp to get rid of dirt, sweat and product build up. Cleanse each section at a time.
Deep conditioning.
Deep conditioning is the next super important part of your hair care routine which follows cleansing. We have three deep conditioner types:
- Moisturizing deep conditioner– restores moisture making your hair soft and manageable & improves elasticity.
- Protein deep conditioner/treatment– strengthen the hair and repair damaged hair.
- Combined deep conditioner- both a moisture and protein based deep conditioner.
Use a moisturizing deep conditioner on every wash day or rather every time you shampoo your hair. After rinsing off the shampoo, dry your hair until damp then apply the deep conditioner from the ends to the roots as you detangle.
Also read: what you need to know about deep conditioning.
Use protein treatments monthly if your hair is damaged or if you’re transitioning to natural hair to repair the damage and strengthen the hair minimizing damage. How often you use protein treatments depends on how often you use heat, if your hair is colored and how often you manipulate your hair.
If you’re not sure about when to use protein treatments, I would advise you purchase a combined moisturizing deep conditioner like SheaMoisture Hair Mask – Manuka Honey & Yogurt, Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment & Mielle Organics Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner with Protein. The reason why you ought to use both moisture and protein based deep conditioner is to maintain the moisture- protein balance.
Moisturizing Deep Conditioners Products Recommendations:
- SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Hair Masque Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil.
- Design Essentials Rosemary & Mint Stimulating Super Moisturizing Conditioner
- tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask for Natural Hair
- Mielle Organics Mongongo Oil Protein-Free Hydrating Conditioner.
- OGX Extra Strength Hydrate Repair + Argan Oil of Morocco Hair Mask Deep Moisturizing
Protein Treatment product recommendations;
- Arvazallia Fortifying Protein Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner
- tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor – For Damaged Hair
- Vitamins Keratin Hair Mask Deep Conditioner
Moisturizing
If you’re always complaining that your hair is steel wool hard, always dry, you ought to master the art of moisturizing. Moisturizing softens your hair making it manageable but first, you should know your hair’s porosity type to properly moisturize and retain moisture for longer. Also note damp hair doesn’t mean moisturized hair, don’t keep your hair damp/wet for hours, hygral fatigue/over-moisturizing is a thing.
Back to moisturizing part of your routine. On wash days, always moisturize after rinsing off the deep conditioner then let your hair air dry. You can use either LOC/ LCO moisturizing method where you apply Liquid first which is the leave-in conditioner then Oil/butter followed by a Cream or Cream then Oil/butter to seal in the moisture. Apply each product at a time on each section, moisturize in smaller sections to coat each strand then braid to stretch your hair and let it dry.
Related posts:
- 5 Benefits of Moisturizing Natural Hair.
- Best Moisturizing Products for 4C Natural Hair.
- How to Moisturize Your Hair after Washing It
- Best time to moisturize and how often
Side note: I moisturize using Mosara moisture milk and Rovie care soft and seal chebe butter. I only use oil to massage my edges and scalp. My oil of choice is DIY rosemary infused in coconut oil.
Re-moisturize daily by adding water, leave-in conditioner in your spray bottle, spritz it on your hair then seal with an oil or butter.
Hair Moisturizing Products Recommendations:
- Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Divine Strength Leave In Conditioner Cream
- Creme of Nature Leave In Conditioner with Mango & Shea Butter
- Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask & Leave-In Conditioner
- Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado, Moisturizing & Detangling Leave-In Conditioner
- Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Leave In Conditioner mist
- African pride moisture miracle coconut oil and baobab oil leave-in cream
Low manipulation & Protective styling.
Low manipulation & protective styles help in retaining length. These styles don’t literally grow your hair, growth is a biological process but retaining length is all on you. Wear styles like braids, two strand twists, flat twists, buns, style with clip in extensions etc. Styles that don’t need daily brushing and combing will do your hair justice.
Also, don’t forget to moisturize your hair when in protective styles, don’t tuck it in a protective style and forget all about it. If you keep your styles longer, consider cleansing your hair and scalp, condition and moisturize.
Related post:
- 5 Benefits of Wearing Protective Styles.
- 5 Steps to prep your Natural hair for Protective Style
- How to maintain Protective styles for maximum growth and length retention.
Scalp and Edges care.
Don’t hold your hair too tight or wear styles that pull your scalp and edges. That’s how you lose your edges. Be gentle on your scalp and do regular scalp massages and massage your edges too to stimulate growth.
Also read;
- how to regrow your edges
- Why you’re losing your edges.
- Practices causing Dry Scalp on 4C Natural Hair
- 5 Scalp care tips for Growth of Healthy Hair.
- 10 Growth stimulating oils to Regrow Edges.
- Do Scalp Massages help with Hair growth
Trimming
If you’re transitioning from relaxed hair or heat damage, you’ll need to trim the damaged ends as you grow out your natural texture. How often you trim is all up to you, you can do it monthly or after every few weeks.
To the natural gang you can trim as needed, twice or thrice a year or you can choose to dust every few weeks or rather search for the damaged/ split ends and dust them.
Also read;
Protect your hair when sleeping.
Have a night routine where you can choose to moisturize, lightly detangle, twist or wear your hair in a pineapple before sleeping or wear a pineapple, twist or flat twists then moisturize in the morning. Protect your hair when sleeping using a satin/ silk bonnet, pillowcase or scarf. Avoid cotton scarves and pillowcases because they absorb moisture from your hair.
Conclusion
- Wash and condition using a moisturizing deep conditioner after every two weeks.
- Do monthly protein treatments
- Moisturize after rinsing off the deep conditioner and re-moisturize daily
- Protect your hair when sleeping
- Wear low manipulation and protective styles
- Trim as needed
- Care for your edges and scalp.
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Do you have a hair care routine? Share with us what your routine looks like. Don’t forget to share this with your enemy, family and friends??.
