– Go Deep. I deep condition at least once every two weeks. I just do. It goes in tandem with moisturizing daily. Sometimes your hair just needs extra nourishment. Deep conditioning is necessary and high advised after swimming, straightening, dying or any activity that could potentially damage your hair. I hear a lot of women say that they don’t have time for it but it can take as little at 10 minutes. Try making breakfast with your hair deep conditioning in a shower cap. Two birds one stone. Easy peezy.
– Keep It Dirty. Some people are obsessed with having clean hair. I am not one of them. Therefore, I don’t use products containing sulfate. Sulfate, in my opinion is too harsh especially for my thin hair and while it may get my hair squeaky clean it also strips away all my moisture. I find that after I use shampoos containing sulfate, I was meant with limp, lifeless hair. I don’t even use sulfate free shampoo. I tend to use co-washes. Ouidad has an incredible one that I love, but is a bit pricey so I used the one Carol’s Daughter gifted me that I like as well. I highly recommend tying a co-wash if you haven’t already.
– Put It In Rotation. I find products I like and rotate them. After about 2-3 months my hair seems to get used to a product and as a result, stops responding to them as well as I would like them to. So, I like to keep 2-3 products in rotation.
Leave-in conditioners being: Kinky Curly Knot Today (summer), Giovanni’s Direct Leave In Conditioner (winter), Whipped Curls by Ouidad (whenever my pockets allow). Styling and Sealing Products being; Goddess Curls by Curls (winter), Curly Mousse by Curls Unleashed (summer), Climate Control by Quidad (whenever my pockets allow). Cleanse and Cowashes being: Curl Co-wash by Quidad, Hair Milk Conditioning Co-wash by Carol’s Daughter. Anything requiring slicked back styling I use Curl Control Paste by Curls. Deep conditioners are less necessary to rotate because I don’t use them as often.
1. Use Protection? I NEVER wrap my hair at night. Ever. I do however, begin my sleep on a satin pillowcase that always somehow ends up on the floor. It’s really a joke to me. I make sleep wildly but there is no way I can get this protection thing down. I just can’t do it. So.. I don’t. Satin bonnets just never stay on my head and more than that they never preserve any kind of curl for me. My hair is just way too thin for that ‘second and third day’ ish. So, I have surrendered to the notion that I will have to wet my hair daily in order to achieve my best curls. It is what it is.
2. Love Never Dyes. I use box dye to dye my hair ALL THE TIME and as a result, my hair is 20 different shades of orange, red, brown and black. But I never learn my lesson and I keep doing it. I have nothing more to say about this. I have a problem and I can’t stop, won’t stop rocafella records.
3. Packin That Heat. I put heat on my hair almost everyday especially in the winter. Now, I know this sounds bad but it’s not. Because I wet my hair daily, I diffuse with a hair dryer daily. It really doesn’t seem to damage my hair and here’s why. It’s saturated in leave-in conditioner. So, the heat opens my hair shafts, allowing the conditioner to penetrate deep into my hair follicles. It’s pretty much a daily deep conditioner. Now, don’t get it twisted, this is very different from using a flat iron or curling wand on your hair daily. Those items HAVE given me heat damage. I’m actually going to talk about that in a further post.
4. I’ll Admit It, I’m A Cutter. I keep cutting my own hair. I shape my hair to my face pretty well in the front and then the back looks like a rats nest. And I alway say that I’m going to get it professionally shaped but I never do. My fear of the stylist getting scissor happy and chopping off all my hair takes over and I end up thinking, “It isn’t THAT bad” but it is. It really is. Shanti will tell you. No pictures form the back please.
5. Grease Is For Chicken. I NEVER use oil or creme based products on my hair. I’m done with it. YOU HEAR THAT CIPRIANA?! I don’t use oil! Sue me.
I used to use mono oil on my hair and while it didn’t weigh my hair down, I found that I didn’t really need it. Instead, I use light gels like CURLS Goddess Curls Gel to seal in my moisture and maintain my curls.
So, in summary, there is no right or wrong when it come to your regimen. You have to find out what works for you. It’s a process trust it.
