Raashimoon!!!!

Here are 5 clues that will tell you that you are doing way too much in your regimen:

1. Your wash day lasts 4-6 hours

Honey, ain’t nobody got time to be sitting around all day on Sunday or Saturday doing hair. There are naturals out there that have a ritual on wash day that literally lasts longer than 2 hours, between deep conditioning, washing, styling natural hair, it all seems to take forever.

What we propose: Deep condition your hair over night while you sleep, cleanse and style the following day. Very simple, your hair is moisturized and you used your sleep time to do the bulk of the work.

2. Way too many products

I love a product junkie, she is interesting, she likes to try new things, but an effective product junkie knows what her hair needs and when, she isnt using every product she has on one day.

There is nothing wrong with trying something new, but if it causes confusion with your core regimen then you are doing too much.

What we propose: Forget about products, pay attention to ingredients, if you hair hates glycerin do not purchase a bunch of products with glycerin as the main ingredient only to have an unsuccessful outcome with your hair. Purchase products your hair likes based on the back of the bottle and not the front.

3. A very productive regimen but no real results

There is no point in doing a million things to your hair only for it not meet the goals you set for it. Sometimes we have to break up with our regimen and start to simplify things a bit to see exactly what is causing the problem. Are you co washing too often? Are you using too much protein? Do you need a trim?.

What we propose: To see positive change you will have to drill down to the bear minimum and then build from there.

4. Your scalp is screaming for help!

Scalp buildup is real y’all! You can literally clog your pores and cause infection on your scalp with too much manipulation, too much product, too much styling.

Your scalp will tell you when things have gone haywire, it will itch, you might notice flakes, you might even notice little bumps sometimes that are a result of too much of something.

What we propose: Get knowledgeable about how your scalp works, really you need to keep your scalp clean and free of unnecessary buildup, that’s it! If you have some underlying issues that causes buildup regardless of what you do then you should visit a dermatologist for the best advice for your situation.

5. Over styling

Listen, we know that there is this thing that tugs at your heart that says your hair needs to look like ‘this’in order to be considered “done”. When you think about styling your hair you might think about having every ringlet perfectly in place, you might want to zap every single bit of frizz that you have…. forget it!

Embrace the frizz girl, our hair attracts moisture when there is moisture in the air or if there is just a little steam somewhere, the point is you cant control everything every time.

Stop walking around with gel in your purse and just let your hair do its thing.

What we propose: focus on giving your hair moisture that will last, so on wash day deep condition your hair well and protect your curls at night. Your curls might not be perfect day to day but you should be able to feel that your hair is not dry and that is what matters.

If you just cannot take the way your hair looks frizzy, then do a nice protective style or updo, which will be your go to style for days that frizz is just not working for you.

If you feel that your regimen is exhausting try breaking it down to the point where you are giving your hair just what it needs and nothing more.

Focus on these four things, cleansing, moisture, protein and protection that’s it! Figure out the best cleanser for your hair and when you will use it. For example, using a moisture based shampoo weekly and a clarifying shampoo once a month.

Figure out when your hair needs moisture, pick your product and determine when to administer it. Some of us can get away with a great deep conditioning session that keeps our hair moisturized all week long, others of us might need to throw in a cowash midweek.

Although there are an innumerable amount of African American women with long, luscious and healthy hair, there is still a proverb and/or belief that women or men of African descent cannot grow hair past the nape of their neck. There is also a belief that if one’s hair is chemically processed – relaxed or textlaxed – they too are incapable of growing long and healthy hair. If you are educated about the science of African American hair, you would know that those allegations and assumptions are indeed false. Regardless of one’s hair type, we are all capable of growing long and healthy hair. Having a little patience and a good hair regimen is needed in order for African American hair to grow...in some cases.

Step 1: Trim or Dust the Ends of Your hair

Dusting the ends of your hair is a phrase that gurus on YouTube say when they are referring to trimming of the hair. Dusting your ends is needed every six months to a year, but you can dust your ends as often as needed. However, if you trim your hair all the time, you will have a difficult time to seeing growth. The purpose of a trim is to rid yourself of split ends, which can put a strain on the health and growth of your hair. Cutting off the problematic areas will allow your hair to grow without any interruptions. Keeping the split ends, as some people do because they are afraid of cutting their hair, will only lead to breakage.

When you have a split end, it will eventually snap off. But not only will the split end snap off, it will take a few strands along the way. Split ends can also be the cause of thin hair. So, take a pair of scissors and chop if off. Don’t be afraid to cut it off. It will grow back, I promise.

Step 2: Wash and Condition your Hair

This may be a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people do not wash their hair, especially in the African American community. Many people believe the myth that African Americans should not wash their hair as often because it is more prone to breakage. Although it is true that African American hair is more prone to breakage, it doesn’t mean that the hair should not be washed. Everything needs to be cleaned, right? Besides, with all the build-up from the daily moisturizing and sealing, it is imperative that the hair gets a good cleansing afterwards to continue a normal growth rate and prevent breakage.

Most people often ask: how often should you wash African American hair? Every day? Once a week? And the answer is simple: it’s solely up to you and your hair. If you have naturally oily hair, you are going to want to wash it once a week. If you have dry hair, then you can wash it as often as needed or every two weeks. But no matter what, you should not wash your hair every day because it will strip the hair of its natural oils. Then, you would really experience breakage and you don’t want that – the point is to grow healthy African American hair, not endure setbacks every week.

And one other thing, you should always carry two types of shampoos: a moisturizing shampoo and a clarifying shampoo. The moisturizing shampoo is the one that you will use once a week or every two weeks – completely up to you. Since the shampoo contains a few ingredients that will strip the hair of its natural oils, such as alcohol and sulfate, you want to make sure that the shampoo of your choice incorporates a moisturizer. Now, the clarifying shampoo is for once a month use only. Clarifying shampoos contains harsh ingredients. Its objective is to cleanse the hair; therefore, it should be used in moderation. With the products that are applied to the hair, it will cause dirt and build up, causing breakage and damage. To avoid hair damage and breakage at all cost, the hair must be cleansed with a clarifying shampoo at least once a month.

Step 3: Protect Your Hair at Night

Some faces may cringe while reading this, but did you know that there is a huge, massive possibility that you can damage your hair while you are sleeping? It’s true! The ends of your hair can get caught on your pillow case or any piece of fabric and rip off. Leaving you with shorter and shorter hair each time you wake up, which is why it is important to care for your hair before bed. Using a silk bonnet or scarf will take care of this problem. Some people may want to use a bandana or cottony fabric while they are sleeping, but that is an issue and can cause breakage and/or damage. So, satin is the way to go to maintain the health of your African American hair.

Step 4: Moisturize and Seal Hair

Since African American hair is known for being dry, which causes breakage, it is important to moisturize the hair on a daily basis with a moisturizing lotion. This is to uphold the strength of the hair and prevent it from breaking off from the weather, clothing, and styling. After moisturizing your hair with your choice of hair lotion, you need to seal in that moisture with an oil product. Some people feel as though moisturizing and seal the hair is time consuming; therefore, they opt to purchase an oil moisturizer to complete this step. You can do this too. There are various products on the market that contains both moisturizer and oil in the product, saving you time...and money.

How to moisturize and Seal African American Hair

Step 1: Part you hair in four, six, or eight sections – contingent upon the thickness of your hair. You can use bobby pins to keep each section separated or you can use hair ties to achieve this step.

Step 2: Untie a section of your hair and thoroughly apply a moisturizer through your hair. Afterwards, take a hair oil product and apply it on top of the moisturizer. Make sure the amount for both the moisturizer and oil is less than a dime size - a little goes a long way.

If your hair is wet in appearance, that is an indication that you have applied too much moisturizer and oil or both. Applying too much can cause weighed down hair and who wants dead and lifeless hair? Surely not you, right? So, applying the right amount will help keep its volume and bounce.

Step 3: You are all done! You can now style your hair or prep it for bed.

Step 5: Deep Condition Hair Periodically

Deep conditioning the hair should be executed once per week or as often as needed. Its objective is to maintain the health of your hair and keep it strong and healthy. After the first month of deep conditioning your hair religiously, you will notice a change – a good change. Your hair will be a lot healthier, thicker, and fuller.

How to apply a deep conditioner to African American hair?

If you are familiar with applying a relaxer, you will execute it the same way. If you are not familiar with how to apply a relaxer, then read further as I provide you with instructions on how to apply a deep conditioner.

Step 1: Part your hair in four, six, or eight sections – solely up you – to prepare it for the application.

Step 2: Untie a section of your hair and apply the deep conditioner treatment on your hair from root to tip. Do this to each section of your hair.

Step 3: Once you have distributed the deep conditioning cream throughout your entire hair, let it sit in your hair for at least thirty minutes. The longer you leave the deep conditioning cream in your hair, the better the results will be. You can also sit under a dryer for better results, but this is not recommended due to the usage of heat. As you read further, you will have a better understanding of the dangers of using heat while on a healthy hair care journey.

Step 4: After leaving the conditioner in your hair, rinse it out and apply a leave in conditioner.

Step 6: Wear Protective Hairstyles

It is important that you choose hairstyles that will protect the ends of your hair. Since it is the oldest part of our hair, you need to take extra precaution to ensure that it doesn’t rip off. Some hair styles can be damaging because it exposes your hair to weather, clothing, and other things that can cause damage.

Top Five Protective Hairstyles for African American Women

1. Box Braids

2. Sew-In Weave

3. Phony Pony

4. Up do Hairstyles

5. Wigs

The reason why the hairstyles mentioned above are considered protective hairstyles is because it protects your hair from all things that can cause damage.

On another note, let’s not use this excuse to never wear your real hair. Some women claim they never expose their real hair because they don’t want to damage it. Kind of absurd, isn’t he? I mean, what good does it do to care for your hair if you are not going to show it off? Wearing protective hairstyles doesn’t mean you have to do it for an eternity. Just take six weeks out of the year to give your hair a break. Also, “protective hairstyle” does not mean you have to wear a weave – it’s optional. In fact, there are millions of women of African descent that don’t even wear weave at all and their hair is mid-back length or waist length…and healthy too.

Step 7: Co-Wash

Although you are adding moisture to your hair on a daily basis or as often as needed, your hair can still become dry throughout the week. Hence, it is vital to co-wash your hair to ensure that moisture is locked in.

What is co-washing?

Co-washing is simply using a conditioner to wash your hair. Now that African American hair care has become more prominent, there is an array of co-washing products to purchase at your local beauty supply store. Before, you would have had to purchase a conditioner in order to execute this step. As a heads up, most of the co-washing products will say for natural hair, but you can still use it on chemically processed hair- it works wonders.

Source:

Phrophro

Step 8: Relax or Texturize Less Often

If you are not a component of the natural hair community, then you should be mindful of how often you relax your hair. Some women relax or texturize their hair every four to six weeks and quite frankly, that’s a bit much. You should apply a relaxer or texturizer at least after three months; the longer you wait the better it will be for your hair. Applying chemicals to your hair too often can cause breakage and/or hair thinning.

If your hair is unmanageable after two months, there is a solution. You can purchase the dark and lovely six anti-reversion serum. It is designed to preserve your straight hair, allowing you to go without a relaxer or texturizer for a longer period of time.

Also, if you can find someone to apply your relaxers or texturizer, allow them to do it. It is almost impossible to apply a relaxer or texturizer without applying to the hair that is already processed. This can cause your hair to become over processed, which can lead to breakage and permanent damage. A hair stylist or a personal friend would be ideal in this case.

Step 9: Use Less Heat

Applying heat to the hair is a popular method for achieving a straight look. Although it may look marvelous, you are doing nothing but damaging your hair. Heat causes damaging to the hair and once your hair has heat damage, it cannot be reversed. The only thing left is to cut if off, causing a setback in your healthy haircare journey. Now if you have no choice but to use heat, it is suggested that you use a heat protectant spray to avoid any damages. But using no heat at all would be ideal. This is how you can go about executing a no heat lifestyle:

Let your hair air dry after washing

Wrap hair before bed for a straight look

Use roller sets, bantu knots, and pin curl technique to achieve a curly look

Step 10: Use a Leave-In Conditioner

Earlier in this article, we mentioned how the ingredients in shampoos can strip the hair of its natural oils. What we didn’t discuss is what to do after shampooing the hair. Of course, you have a conditioner to restore the moisture into your hair, but what is done after you apply your conditioner? You rinse it out. Applying a leave-in conditioner will stay in your hair, keeping the moisture locked in. It also helps with softness of the hair, split ends, protein, repairs damage, and makes hair manageable. So, after utilizing your regular shampoo, be sure to add your leave-in conditioner