Healthy hair doesn't
just happen -- it's usually the result of judicious care. But
what if you don't know where to begin when it comes to a structured routine for
your tresses? Don't worry; a hair regimen doesn't need to be complicated or
expensive, but you should make time to perform a basic set of steps on a
regular basis to keep your mane as healthy as possible.
A hair care routine should consist of the following:
·
Shampoo
·
Conditioner
·
Deep conditioner
·
Protein treatment
·
Daily styling aids
Shampoo
Look for a
good-quality, moisturizing shampoo and use it at least once per week. Focus on
cleansing the scalp first, rubbing in circular motions with the pads of your
fingers (not the nails) and letting the motion of the water work the suds down
the length of your hair. Avoid piling the hair on top of your head or
diligently rubbing shampoo into your ends, which are the oldest and often the driest
sections of your mane. Rinse thoroughly.
Conditioner
Follow up with a
moisturizing conditioner. This is when you focus the product on the hair, not
the scalp. Use a wide-tooth comb to work the conditioner through; you'll get
better coverage this way. Look for conditioners designed for dry and/or damaged
hair, as these usually contain the emollient ingredients that black hair needs.
Instead of following a shampoo with a conditioner every time you need to clean
your hair, you can co-wash instead, which is ideal for women
who exercise frequently. You want rich, creamy formulas that completely coat
your hair.
Deep Conditioner
How often should you
deep condition your hair? The answer depends a great deal on how dry your hair
is. If you take care to condition it regularly and always use a leave-in
conditioner after shampooing, you probably won't need deep treatments more than
once or twice a month. If you apply a lot of heat to your hair, you may need to
deep condition at least once per week. Find a product or products that work for
your tresses; there are a few good brands available that won't bust
your budget. There are also some salon brands that work wonders if your hair is
in need of moisture ASAP.
Protein Treatment
As with deep
conditioners, how often you need a protein treatment depends a great deal on
what you do to your hair. If your tresses are 100% natural -- that is, no
chemicals at all, including color -- your hair can be perfectly healthy without
any major protein treatments; an occasional mild reconstructor will keep your
hair strong, but it's not required. On the other hand, if you color, relax,
texturize and/or heat style your locks; you'll need more frequent and more
intense treatments. These range from two-minute reconstructors you apply after
a shampoo to spray versions that you add before styling; you may also need a
serious treatment if you're experiencing extreme breakage. In those cases, it's
usually best to have a stylist apply them, although you can visit your local
beauty supply and find products for home use.
Daily Styling Aids
There are literally
tons of styling products for our hair. Most offer differing results depending
on the final style you want to achieve. Want perfect ringlets on your natural
'do? Then look for water-based gels or curl creams. Are you flat ironing your mane? Then you'll need
a good heat protectant and oil-based
moisturizer; a good smoothing serum may help as well. Relaxed hair will benefit
from a daily moisturizer, especially when you focus on the ends, but you may
also use mousse if you're creating a curly look via a straw set, Bantu knot set
or braids.
Sticking to It
Now, all of this
knowledge does you no good if you only deep condition haphazardly or you forget
about applying protein to your relaxed and colored hair. Each of us needs to
determine a schedule that fits into our lifestyles, whether you're a college
student, corporate executive, busy mom or homemaker. Maybe you need to keep a
hair journal until these steps become second nature for you -- plus, if you're
very busy, it's all too easy to forget to deep condition or to put it off until
you have more time. When it comes to hair, you often need to make time;
taking proactive steps helps to prevent problems down the line.
Try scheduling hair tasks into a day planner, online/computer
calendar, desk/wall calendar or whatever method best works for you. A sample
regimen may look like this:
·
Sunday: Shampoo, condition, deep condition
·
Monday: Daily moisturizer
·
Tuesday: Daily moisturizer
·
Wednesday: Daily moisturizer
·
Thursday: Co-wash, moisturize
·
Friday: Moisturize
·
Saturday: Moisturize
·
Twice
this month: Two-minute protein
treatment
·
No regimen is complete
without nightly protection in the form of a silk or satin hair cover or
pillowcase!
Create your own hair regimen. Your goal may be
longer hair, stronger hair or simply healthy hair. Follow a routine with
products that work with your texture and good hair days will result.
