I have been seeing quite a few posts about how "exhausting"or "painful" washing natural hair is. Firstly I don't understand why it is called wash- "DAY". Does it take a whole day to wash your hair? So what happens to the rest of your life if you have to dedicate a whole day to washing your hair?
I have found that when I was newly natural I COMPLICATED my life so much with trying to follow what all the blogs said I have to do. I made my life so difficult that I would actually dread doing certain things to my hair because I read too many blogs and watched TOO many You-tube Videos which spoke about pre-pooing, deep conditioning and clay rinses. I have a busy life and I honestly don't have time to spend a day in the act of washing and my hair.
MY Routine
In the warm summer months I wash my hair more often because I LOVE wash and go's so I use a lot of product which does tend to build up hence the need to wash more often. As the seasons change and we start going into autumn I wash and treat my hair once a week. Wash "DAY" for me begins with me taking my hair out of my flat twist or braid and finger de-tangling to get any knots if any out of my hair. The reason my hair does not knot and tangle very easily as it used too, is firstly my hair is always moisturized gone are those days when I used to let my hair get so bone dry that I could feel it breaking in my hands as I touched it, also I lost a lot of my hair because of holding on to split ends so I make sure that my ends are healthy. Once any knots have been worked out of my hair and because I do not use products that are silicone based there is never a need for me to use a shampoo all the time, if I do shampoo my hair I use products that are not stripping which means my hair does not get tangled in the process. I always pick a shampoo that will infuse moisture into my hair as I have found that they do not tend to tangle my hair.
Treatments
I don't like putting food in my hair I LOVE products and I use products that are made for deep conditioning and for protein treatments. In the past I have used banana's, avocado and eggs in my hair but I did not enjoy it. I remember when I used to put the pantry in my hair, it would tend to knot and tangle as these items do not have the conditioning agents necessary to keep your hair soft. For my deep treatments I like to use a conditioner that will infuse the maximum amount of moisture in my hair having learnt through my journey that there is absolutely no need to keep a deep treatment on for longer than 35 minutes on my hair. I no longer need to walk around with a plastic on my head- which is really not cute I don't care what anybody says. When it comes to protein treatments I like to use treatments that are "white" as there will be no need to do a deep conditioning after the treatment.
De-tangling
I read in a FB forum recently that it took someone 7 yes SEVEN hours to de-tangle their hair??!! I was a taken aback by that, 7 HOURS to detangle your hair lets just say I would be bald all the time. I don't have time for that and how long is that hair even +Naptural85 who has such long hair doesn't take more than an hour to de-tangle her hair she has washed her hair in 25 minutes. "Fortunately" I do have experience in de-tangling "bra-strap" length 4C hair in the form of my daughter and it never takes me longer than 30 minutes. I can only imagine if it took me 7 seven hours to de-tangle a her hair she would absolutely HATE her hair. When we de-tangle her hair we always put it in sections, once she has gone through the motions of shampooing, deep conditioning we will use a leave in conditioner in her hair and we will section her hair into small medium size sections apply the conditioner, finger de-tangle; this also works the product into the hair, then use a wide toothed comb once the section is completely de-tangled we will twist it up or braid it to stretch it whilst it dries.
Styling
In the colder months I have to put my hair in protective styling and I don't like it but I do, I find it easier to put on a protective style if my hair is stretched out first and I will use threading, twists and braiding to stretch my hair so once I have gone through the whole wash day process which takes me an hour I will stretch my hair and once it's dry and stretched I style it as I choose.
Please remember I never judge if it takes you a day to wash your hair and you enjoy it then go for it, if you enjoy condiments, and food in your hair and its your thing and it works for you then that's great. What I put in this blog is what I do and what I enjoy and it distresses me to think that people spend more than an hour on their hair, that is why I wrote this post. If you have got information overload and are trying to do everything you have read maybe this post might help you and simplify things for you. I have specifically not talked about any of the products I use as its not that kind of post. This is about helping the newly natural or that someone like me who just doesnt understand why it has to be so painful to wash your natural hair.
I am interested to know how long it takes you to wash your hair comment below and let me know what is the longest time you have taken to wash and de-tangle your hair.
Remember to love your hair always
XXX
Mzansifro!!
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