We can never underestimate the role our hair plays in our overall looks and that’s why the hair industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. We spend quite a sum in an attempt to look good and presentable and sometimes we tend to forget about our hair underneath that protective style.
Our natural hair will not grow to our desired length if it is not nurtured well. Natural hair requires consistency and proper care to see any considerable growth. As I mentioned in my previous post, our kinky hair does grow from the roots, about 1/4-1/2 an inch per month, but due to breakage, we are not able to retain this length. Now how do we counter this?
Building a hair regimen is one of the most important things you will ever do for your hair. A regimen is a set of rules/routines one follows to achieve a certain goal daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Each person is known to have different regimens based on the type of hair and what it needs.
Following a consistent routine allows you to see change in your hair behavior and ultimately increase in volume and length. I have been following a consistent regimen for the past 10 months and my hair is responding pretty well to this. I am still learning and haven’t incorporated a lot of things. It is always good to start with the basics and as you grow in your journey, you will get to know what works for you and what doesn’t.
Sleeping under a satin bonnet/pillowcase.
Satin is soft and very gentle to our tresses because it does not absorb moisture from our hair. If you sleep in cotton pillowcases you might have noticed oil stains on your pillow despite you wrapping your head with a scarf. Sometimes you wake up to extremely tangled hair. Satin scarves reduce friction between the hair and the pillow or bonnet and chances of ending up with dry, matted hair in the morning is minimal.
Pre-pooing
Short of pre-shampooing, as the name suggests, these are the steps done prior to washing your hair. Prepooing basically involves coating your strands from roots to ends with coconut oil/Olive Oil prior to shampoo day and washing it off after 15-30min or even overnight! Aside from softening your hair thus making it easier to detangle, pre shampooing helps mitigate the drying effects of shampoo on your hair. Shampoos are known to strip hair of their moisture and this step is very crucial in preventing that from happening. I’ve never used Olive Oil to prepoo my hair because coconut just does the A-Z for me 🙂
C0-washing/Shampooing
Co-washing is short for conditioner wash. This means that you use a conditioner to wash your hair instead of a shampoo. This has always been the second best part of my regimen because it’s basically a 2 in 1 function. Your hair is cleansed and conditioned at the same time! Isn’t that amazing? Co-washes are slowly replacing shampoos but it can’t really function as effectively as a shampoo when it comes to clarifying the hair.
I co-wash my hair weekly and cleanse using a sulphate-free shampoo after every two weeks or so depending with how ‘dirty’ my hair feels. Sulfate-free shampoos do not have sulfur-the most common ingredient in shampoos that is responsible for producing lather and also stripping hair completely of moisture and oils. This is why many argue that despite this drying effect on natural hair, these shampoos guarantee complete removal of product build-up. However, as a natural, this ingredient is very harsh to our strands and I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who struggles with dry hair.
Deep conditioning
This is my favorite part of my wash days. Deep conditioning ensures your hair receives the extra moisture that was stripped during the washing process. It’s the climax of the whole regimen process and should never be skipped on any wash day.
Deep conditioning is composed of two elements: moisture and protein. It’s very important to learn how to alternate between these two to create a balance. Moisture treatments should be used regularly, at least once a week while protein treatments can be used every 4-6 weeks. The protein treatment is meant to strengthen your hair so look out for treatments with ingredients such as keratin and hydrolyzed proteins.
I normally add a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of honey into a plastic cup. Add my favorite moisturizing deep conditioner, mix them and heat it using either a microwave or place it in a bowl of hot water just to add the extra oomph. Since I do not have a steamer at home, I put on a plastic cap and a beanie to add in the extra heat making the deep conditioner work efficiently. You can rinse off after 30 minutes but personally, I rinse off after an hour or two and the results are amazingly soft well moisturized hair.
Sealing in the moisture
Liquid/Water Oil Cream (LOC) or Liquid/Water Cream Oil (LCO) is the method most naturals use to seal in the moisture. This step is most effective when the hair is damp and not dripping wet. Once hair is about 60% dry, apply a leave-in conditioner to yet again condition the hair. This doesn’t require any rinsing. Apply oil (Coconut/Olive/Castor/Avocado/Jojoba) etc along the length of your hair from roots to ends. For extra protection, completely seal with a heavy butter like Shea butter or a styling cream. Water and oil repel each other so this method ensures the water is “locked” in the hair strands thus trapping it all in leaving your strands moisturized. In between the week before wash day, if your hair feels dry, spritz a little water to dampen your hair and apply some oil to seal the moisture. Get in the habit of moisturizing your hair when necessary.
Protective styling.
Tucking in your ends, keeping it away from brushing against clothing is important when it comes to length retention. It’s sad that most people think we put on weaves or braids because of esteem issues. I remember while I was transitioning over 5 years ago, I wore my hair in braids a lot and it really helped my hair grow in fast. Presently, two-stand twists are my go-to style. Protective styling is meant to ‘protect’ your hair from harsh elements like wind and sun but if misused, it can cause massive hair loss.
Natural hair care doesn’t have to be complex. Understand your hair needs. Do not take word for word of what I tell you or what everyone out there says. Each head is unique in its own way. What I offer are guidelines that should lead you to your own journey. All you need is to remain consistent and be patient before you notice growth.
All the best in your journey. Stay motivated. Lots of love. ♥♥♥
Mimi Galugalu 