Hair Regimen Update For 2014

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”  ~Henry Ford

“Learning is a lifetime process, but there comes a time when we must stop adding and start updating.”  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

These are wise words from renowned men on this amazing fact that as human beings, we will always continue to learn more, unless one is too old ofcourse. I have found that, although I have been taking care of my hair the best way I can especially these last three years, I have continued to research more on natural hair care and have learnt a lot about my hair from dealing with it. There have been challenges like post partum shedding and issues with chronic dandruff and I have had to research more and more in order to deal with these issues and more so that I can keep on track with my hair goals. I have tweaked my regimen quite a lot especially towards the end of 2013 to suit my hair needs and thus the need to update you on my current hair regimen on my natural hair.

Friday.

I still wash my hair on a Friday evening most times because then I don’t have to stress about how I am going to style my hair the next morning because it will not be dry enough to wear a twist out or braid out to work. I wash my hair every week. Before washing my hair, I do a dandruff remedy pre-poo using crushed garlic. I know it smells awful but I have to do it for the sake of my scalp. Then I rinse the treatment out and cleanse my scalp. Currently, I am off any shampoo. I tried a sulphate free shampoo once and I do not think I even finished a whole bottle because for me, it just did not do the cleansing part enough. So I had to pass on it. I am also trying to use products which are as natural as possible so I have been cleansing  my hair either with Bentonite clay or Rhassoul clay. I love both clays and I think I will continue to use them interchangeably. So I do a clay wash every two weeks and the other weeks I co-wash my hair. After cleansing my hair, I condition it which is a deep condition for me. I then add a bit of extra virgin Olive oil to the length of my hair staying clear off the scalp. I rinse out this oil right after applying it and it surely leaves my hair super soft. After that I bloat my hair of excess water with a T-shirt for about 5 to 10 minutes. I try my best to seal the moisture from my wash days by doing the L.C.O sealing method. For a liquid, I use my leave-in conditioner mix I make using the Kimmaytube recipe. I then apply a cream and in my case it is usually Shea butter. For oil, I use some coconut oil. I chunky twist or chunky braid my hair and let it air dry.

Saturday

My hair will not be 100% dry so I leave in the twists and before I retire for bed, I undo them and re-twist or do chunky flat twists to my hair for increased stretch.

Sunday

Most Sundays I wear a twist out to church and then prepare my hair for the week in a low manipulation style later in the evening. This is usually an easy style that I can do very quickly but keep on my head for about 5 days.

Monday to Thursday

My hair is usually not touched or styled at all unless the need arises or it is way too scruffy to leave the house. Otherwise I like to keep it very basic and simple. I still spritz my hair with my spritzer every evening and sleep with a satin scarf on every night throughout the week. On Friday night, I may do a pre-poo treatment on my hair using Amla oil, or Coconut oil or Castor oil and then wash my hair on Saturday morning otherwise Friday evening is wash day.

I do not usually base my scalp when my hair is out but when I am in twists or braids and have much greater access to my scalp without much hassle, I do base my scalp at least once a week. Most of the times I use Jamaican Black Castor Oil and it is more of a pre-poo treatment and I do it on Friday night. I also apply Shea butter Deep Moisturising Hair butter very sparingly to my scalp to soothe the itch on other days.

Now I try and keep my hair in a protective style most of the times, that is in mini twists or braids and my hair routine does not change much from when my hair is out. I wash every week, moisturise every evening and put my hair in weekly updo’s. I still use Tresseme Naturals Conditioner for my co-washes and deep conditions although I also use other brands like V05 and Ultimate Organics. I do a protein treatment every month, normally when I take down a protective style and I still use the same recipe I have shared on this blog some time back. I do finger detangling with the conditioner on my hair before using a wide toothed comb followed by a Denman brush sometimes although most times I just do finger detangling.

I think this sums up my current hair regimen and if you have any questions, please let me know in the comments section below. Otherwise, I would like to know what you have incorporated into your hair regimen that you feel is giving you great healthy hair. I would like to know and learn from you. Remember, we don’t stop learning …..

Till then, be blessed