A Live-able Natural Haircare Regimen
Creating a natural haircare regimen is a lot like building a house. Start with a solid foundation, and after that, choices abound; endless choices of doors, windows, and layouts. The finished house is an expression of the owner, malleable for years to come. A natural haircare regimen starts and ends much the same way. A solid foundation is built first, and the end-result is an enviable crown that is all you.
The texture of coily and kinky hair has certain tendencies and thus has certain requirements. Once these are established, everything else you do to your hair is an expression of you and your lifestyle. What are the basics of this haircare foundation? It’s simpler than you think, with four pillars to help your hair achieve health and longevity.
1. Wash/Condition Weekly
Washing your hair infuses it with moisture. Conditioning seals in moisture for the week.
2. Use Water Regularly
Depending on the environment, spritz your hair with water as needed during the week. Sometimes it may not be necessary but don’t be afraid to use a spray bottle. Regularly spritzing hair can help restore moisture in dry air or climates, and makes the hair pliable during styling that reduces breakage.
3. Protective Styling
Stretching the hair in a protective style helps to reduce tangling and breakage, and is recommended for sleeping and exercise. Stretched hair is protected hair, and is good to implement when the environment will cause the hair to shrink, as in wet or humid conditions.
4. Avoid Oils
Oils cause dryness, trust me it’s true! I never would’ve believed it myself had I not seen the change in my hair after giving it up. This is probably the biggest misconception about natural haircare. Keeping them out of your hair and off your scalp will promote more moisture and softness.
That’s it! It doesn’t matter how tightly coiled the hair is, these tenets are the same. Establish these basics for a few weeks, and the rest of the regimen can be layered on top. This is where it becomes fluid and fun!
- Products – Product choices are boundless, and it can be overwhelming. If you understand some basic information about ingredients, you can make informed choices without becoming a product junkie.
- Schedule – You absolutely can fit your regimen into your busy life. There is no need to plan for a “wash day”. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
- Hacks – A good hair hack is a naturalista’s best friend, and I always feel a small victory when I discover a new one. These are simply shortcuts and tools that don’t shortchange the health of your hair. At the same time, they ensure that you don’t shortchange your life to accommodate your hair.
- Styles – Have fun with this! Our gorgeous coily hair can be styled in so many ways. As it gets healthier from the basic care and grows longer, the options abound.
As Naturalistas, four is our lucky number. Four concepts for the basic foundation for four weeks. Followed by four simple principles to create a haircare regimen you can live with forever. To learn more, sign up for my email list to hear about forthcoming programs, about transitioning and perfecting the Wash & Go. All this and more coming soon!
