How often should I wash my natural hair?

  

how-often-should-i-wash-hair

I have gone to many forums asking how often should I wash my natural hair? But I did not get any conclusive answer. It is a fact that many people do not know what is underneath their hair. For most people, hair is simply a toy that you play around with, twist, colour and make shapes with to improve your appearance.

Sometimes hair looks so vibrant and full of life that you’d think it will pain to cut it off, but hair is dead! Amazingly, being dead, hair is still capable of responding to treatment, be it good or bad. In addition, it is definitely made from what you eat and so your diet will affect how healthy your hair looks. The products you use will also cause it to respond in one way or the other.

People who swim often may find it necessary to wash hair more frequently than others in order to get rid of the chlorine that is potentially harmful to hair. People who work out and those in menial activities are also more likely to sweat than others who lead an inactive lifestyle. They may therefore need to wash hair after every work out to maintain clean hair. There are also people whose hair is very oily even after one day and therefore they need to wash out the excess oil and prevent the formation of dandruff.

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?       

Clean hair is necessary for proper hygiene and general outlook. It is also a prerequisite for healthy hair. Considering all the factors above plus your personal preferences will help you to determine your best procedure. I have read widely and done hair tests to determine how often should I wash my natural hair.

Each person has different hair type and lifestyle which are the main determinants of the regularity with which one should wash their hair. The length of hair would also be considered since it is easier to wash and style short hair than long hair. Some people wash daily, others weekly and still others wash once in 4-6weeks. Make your own washing schedule that fits in with your lifestyle and is effective on your hair.       

           

How to Shampoo Hair

I have given my step by step procedure for washing hair here. However it is important to insist on the importance of pre-pooing hair. We are trying to get hair clean without getting it dry or giving it that “squeaky clean” feel. Use recommended shampoos only, and avoid those that contain harmful chemicals. 

Follow this summarized process and feel free to consult should you have any questions.      

• Apply your pre-poo formula after removing your protective styling. You may use a DIY spritz or appropriate oil such as coconut, almond, olive or jojoba oil. Massage into hair, cover with a foam wrap and leave overnight.

• Run warm water into the hair to remove loose dirt.

• Apply a good amount of shampoo and massage thoroughly into hair. Use a PH balanced shampoo or make your own at home. Check fantastic DIY shampoo options here. You may also use dermatologist recommended shampoo if you are dealing with a scalp problem. African black soap is also effectively applied as a shampoo.

• Rinse. Repeat until hair is clean.

• Apply your conditioner. De-tangle using a wide toothed comb, never brush wet hair.

• Rinse the hair, pat dry with a towel.

• Trim the split ends. You should not burn away split ends at any cost.

NB: Do not use heat to dry your hair as this may damage hair. Low heat blow could be used to dry the hair.                               

                       

What to Do After Washing your Hair             

                                   

how-often-should-i-wash-natural-hair

Application of hair care products and styling is the next step after washing hair. Natural hair may tangle after washing and it is therefore important to have a good maintenance routine. The most common hair care method is the LOC method. Here, we look at the procedure.

Leave in

Use a leave in treatment to restore moisture back to your hair and make it easier to style. You may have to change products as your hair grows longer. Sometimes you may start getting adverse reactions from a product and you simply have to let it go and replace it.

Oil

Apply a small amount of protective oil on your hair. Massage thoroughly into hair and scalp to moisturize.

Cream

The C in LOC stands for cream which is ideally hair butter. However, some oils (such as castor) are dense and can be used as sealants on the hair edges.

Styling

So many styling options are available for naturals. Use this after doing the LOC on your hair.

Protective Styling

Protective styles are good for hair, and especially for people who want to gain length. These include braids, weaving or Ghanaian lines. There are other simple manipulation styles that require less effort to make and maintain such as twists. You can even wash your hair when it is still in loose twists. Refrain from making very tight hairstyles that give too much pull to the hair in front of your head. Remove protective styles gently

Curling

To make curls with your natural hair, proceed as follows after applying your leave in conditioner. Comb hair thoroughly and part into four sections. Make two strand twists with the hair butter and gel. Alternatively, after conditioning and oiling your hair, apply the butter and twist without adding the curling gel. Let it dry after a day or more and undo the plaits. This will give you an afro look.

 Routine Care for Natural Hair

You have to pay attention to moisturizing and split ends. You can make your own moisturizing formula for daily (or weekly) use until the next wash day. Maintaining healthy hair is an expensive and usually time consuming process. Essentially your moisturiser should contain penetrative oil, essential oil, leave in and some water. 

In conclusion, frequent manipulation of your hair through combing, brushing, pulling, tagging is not good for healthy hair. I hope this article has answered your question of how often should I wash my natural hair. When combing hair through, use a brush with soft bristles and keep a check on the shedding.