Inconsistency
In order to grow healthy hair, you have to consistently stick to your regimen. This means scheduling times in your day or week to carefully nurture your strands. Oftentimes, many naturalistas tend to underestimate the time and effort needed to nurture their kinks and coils when making the switch from relaxed hair. It’s easy to see photographs of other curlsistas and think healthy hair will come instantly.
This is not the case. To grow healthy, natural hair you need to stick to your regimen for several months or even years. Don’t be discouraged by this time frame – instead make your hair regimen a part of your self-care routine and before you know it, you’ll reap the fruits of your labor!
Too many steps
I have to admit I was guilty of this when I first went natural. I literally had a 22-step process that rotated every four weeks and that took up almost 8 hours of my weekend. I was simply doing the most. I had resorted to including every possible remedy I had seen on YouTube and read on blogs. I would rinse my hair with all sorts of teas and then finish off with some apple cider vinegar before running ice cold water through my strands (and that was only the tail end of my regimen!”> Needless to say, I soon learned my regimen was too complicated and time-consuming. Five and half years later, I can assure you the simpler your regimen is, the more likely you are to stick to it.
Too many products
This point goes hand in hand with the one above. If your regimen demands that you have to use three deep conditioners, four leave-in conditioners, and six types of oils on your hair, you’re probably overdoing it. Using too many products is not only expensive, it can be detrimental to the health of our hair in the long run. Applying too much product to our strands can lead to product buildup, which weighs down your hair and can leave it looking lifeless. Remember, when it comes to products, find a few good ones that work for you and stick to them for a while. Doing this will not only make it easier for you, but your kinks and coils are more likely to thrive.
The wrong products
When you go natural, it’s essential that you take some time to carefully examine the products you’re using. Oftentimes, many naturalistas simply apply the same old products they used when they had relaxed hair. This may be detrimental to your natural hair’s health as some products are formulated specifically for relaxed or chemically-straightened hair. For example, protein deep conditioners for relaxed hair may contain a high amount of protein as the cuticle of relaxed hair is more prone to damage. Healthy, natural hair is less likely to experience protein loss, so it will most likely require a less potent product formulation.
General styling habits
When referencing the term, “regimen” many naturalistas may assume this simply refers to a wash-day routine. However, styling is a critical part of one’s hair regimen. Moisturizing and deep conditioning your hair once a week adds elasticity and shine to hair and may prevent breakage. But what could impact your hair even more is how you handle it between wash days. If you over-manipulate your hair in styles that tug at your strands, you may find your hair breaks easily. In between wash days, wear protective styles such as buns, flat twists, or cornrows to help you retain the health and length of your hair.
Have you found that your regimen is no longer working for you? What have you done to adjust it so as to ensure the health of your hair? Leave us a note down below, we’d love to know!
