By Azizat Sadiq
Most individuals with natural hair resent wash day because it usually takes almost the whole day. The thought of having to stand in the bathroom for hours is very painful, stressful, and at times annoying. When washing natural hair you won’t be quickly in and then out of the bathroom because you must take time to thoroughly and properly wash the hair.
Since natural hair can get tangled easily it is recommended to wash natural hair in sections. This will make it easier to handle your hair while washing it.
“PRE-POO”
Pre-poo is done to detangle your hair before you shampoo it. When you pre-poo you can detangle your hair using a conditioner or oil. This step prepares your hair for the moisture it may lose when it is shampooed. The ajre many things that can be done to your hair to pre-poo it. One option is a hot oil treatment, which can be a mixture of many oils. Hot oil is a great way to release tangles in your hair. Keep in mind that you should use whichever pre-poo formula to which your hair seems to respond best.
SHAMPOO
We need to shampoo our hair to prevent product build-up. “Product build-up” is when your scalp pores get clogged because you’ve used many different hair products or simply too much of a product. If you have product build-up you must shampoo your hair so that your natural hair growth won’t be disturbed. It is recommended to use sulfate-free shampoo on your natural hair. This will prevent natural hair from being stripped of its moisture. It will also cause less hair breakage.
* You are not limited to only these shampoos. If you find a shampoo that you like for your hair, use it.
DEEP CONDITION
A deep-conditioner is added to the hair to restore the moisture that may have been lost when you shampooed your hair. Deep conditioning your hair it is going a step further than just conditioning your hair. When you deep condition your hair you leave the deep-conditioner in your hair for at least 30 minutes. If you feel that your hair needs even more moisture, then you could leave it on for 1 hour, or as long as overnight.
While the conditioner is on your hair you can place a shower cap or plastic bag on your hair. This will add some body heat to your hair that will open up your hair cuticles, and allow the moisture to enter each strand of hair. If you have low-porosity hair, then your hair won’t allow moisture in easily. If that is the case, then you can stay under a hooded dryer for about 15 minutes while the deep-conditioner is in your hair. This will cause your hair cuticles to open up quicker and the moisture will enter your hair.
*You are not limited to only these deep conditioners, if you find a deep conditioner that you like for your hair use it.
MOISTURIZE YOUR HAIR
After you have washed out the deep-conditioner from your hair, it’s time to style your natural hair. A styling method that is well known in the natural hair community is called The LOC Method. “L” stands for Liquid; therefore you first add either water or a leave-in conditioner that is water-based to your hair. “O” stands for oil; and based on what porosity hair level you have, you can add the oils (about a dime size amount), that your hair responds well to. Oil is used to seal moisture in your hair. Lastly, “C” stands for Cream. Creams that have a thick consistency are recommended.
Shea butter is a great cream that natural hair owners tend to use. However, if you have a looser natural hair type you have to be careful choosing the cream you use to prevent your hair from feeling weighed down. Even though the LOC method goes in the order of 1. liquid, 2. oil, and 3. cream, you can change this order based on how you feel your hair should be moisturized.
Tips for Wash Day
● Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to detangle your hair while you wash it.
● Use hair clips to keep your hair in sections while you wash it
● Use warm water when you wash your hair.
● When you deep-condition your hair, put a scarf or hat on top of the shower cap or plastic bag if you don’t own a hooded dryer.
● BE PATIENT WITH YOUR NATURAL HAIR. This will allow you not to get frustrated if your hair is tangled.
● If you are upset DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR. You’ll thank me later.
● After you are done with washing and moisturizing your hair, twist it or braid it in sections so that it will be easy to put your hair in whichever style you desire.
Yes, we all resent wash day but we all also enjoy freshly washed hair. Follow the tips and tricks listed above and your wash day will go by easily. Good Luck!