Basics of a good Hair Care Regimen

I tried to keep this as short as possible while giving enough information. The basics of a good Hair Care Regimen include the following steps; Cleanse, Condition, Moisturize, Seal and Style. All of what is said here is condensed but I hope it's enough to put you in the right direction. Any who, here goes =)

CLEANSE

Dirt and product build up will slow down your hair growth so it is important to clean your hair. You should have two types of shampoo. A moisturizing shampoo to make sure that your hair doesn't get dry with every wash and a
clarifying shampoo to get rid of build up. Clarifying shampoo should only be used once a month. This is because it strips the hair of all oil and dries out your hair. How often you use the moisturizing shampoo is up to you and largely dependent on how much product buildup you have. I recommend starting with once a week and adjusting as you go along.

CONDITION

Your hair loves moisture so you should use a moisturizing conditioner every time you wash your hair. It's also a good idea to do a deep conditioning treatment at least every other week to ensure moisture penetrates the hair shaft. Protein conditioners strengthen the hair shaft by adding extra protein. you should use a protein conditioner regardless of whether you have breakage, overly soft hair or damaged hair. You should use protein when needed and follow it up with a moisturizing conditioner to get rid of any hardness the protein might cause. PLEASE NOTE not all protein conditioners are the same, some are made to repair extreme damage from heat and/or relaxing while others can be used to avoid weakening hair. Make sure you get the right one for you.

MOISTURIZE

As I mentioned before, natural hair loves moisture. Your hair is fully moisturized when it is soaking wet, but it wouldn't be practical to walk around dripping water so moisturizers are needed.

Moisture is not grease! Products with mineral oil and petroleum based products will actually stop your hair from getting the moisture it needs by coating your hair and blocking out water. Which in turn can lead to your hair breaking because it is dry and weakened. The types of products you should be looking for should attract and retain moisture These products are called humectants, a few common examples are glycerin, honey and propylene glycol. Look for moisturisers or a leave-in conditioner with water (aqua) or a humectant as one of the first ingredients and don't have petroleum or mineral oil in the top five ingredients.

SEAL

Sealing your hair is the final step before styling. Once you have made sure that your hair is moisturised you need to seal in that moisture with an oil such as olive oil or coconut oil. The natural oil creates a barrier that stops the water from evaporating off your hair quickly. It may take some practice to get the oil on all of your strands but the lovely thing about natural oils is they won'y leave your hair greasy the way petroleum based products do.  

STYLE

This is the final part of your hair care regimen!! I personally love styling my hair and being creative when it comes to styling. That said, don't get too happy with styling and over do it. Too much manipulation can result in weakness and breakage. Different styles require different types product, so do a bit of research on which product you need for whatever style you plan to rock.

I know it's a super long post, but I hope it was useful. =)


Pic credits
Olive oil Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Rain Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Bottles Image: Kittikun Atsawintarangkul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net