In world full of hair products, it’s no wonder many of us are so confused when determining a healthy hair care regimen. This is true especially for the newly natural. Growing and maintaining natural hair can be a daunting task, but it can also be a fun one especially when you watch your hair grow and grow month after month. It takes time and the right products to achieve your goals. Like any journey, attaining healthy hair needs planning and a good strategy. One also needs to have a set goal for their hair. Do you desire long tresses or simply a head of healthy hair? Whatever your goal is,building a healthy hair care regimen is paramount to achieving the kind of hair you desire.
Before embarking on this journey however, it is worth knowing a few facts about hair.
- Hair is strongest in its natural state.
- There is no “magic potion” that will make your hair grow any faster. The rate at which our hair grows is predetermined by your genetics.
- Generally, hair grows at a rate of half an inch each month or 6 inches annually. This is irregardless of race and sex. However,some people may experience a faster rate of growth and others slower.
- We all have a set terminal length. Terminal length is the length that your hair would reach if it was never cut or broke off. Terminal length is more about time than measurement which could be anywhere between 4-6 years give or take. Terminal length is very important, otherwise we would be braiding our eyebrows. The terminal length of my leg hair is very short, I have never had to shave my legs my entire life and my legs are as smooth as a baby’s bottom! So thank God for terminal length.
- For hair to strive, there needs to be a good balance between protein and moisture. If hair lacks moisture it will break and consequently the lack of protein will cause your hair to break as well. Protein reconstructors increase tensile strength and add structure to the hair strand.
- Hormones play a huge role in the growth and shedding of our hair. Consider a pregnant woman, during pregnancy a woman experiences a faster hair growth than normal. When one is stressed or malnourished their hair will shed at a faster rate.
It takes a village
There is no one product that will cater for all the needs of your hair. Knowing what to use and at what interval is very important if your aim is to grow your hair. Knowledge will save you time and money, and probably a lot of heartache. People who have been growing their hair for a while, have a set regimen but they also know that one cannot follow a particular regimen strictly. Our hair determines what it wants and we should learn to “listen” to our hair. When it’s dry, you have to moisturize it, and when it gets limp and lifeless, maybe it’s time for a clarifying session?
A good regimen is built as one gets to know her hair. One needs to customize her own regimen and use the products that agree with her hair. No two regimens are alike and neither should they be.
The regimen we build should be determined by factors like the weather, amount of physical activity, type of work (indoor/outdoor), condition of the hair, length of hair, etc
But before we get there, it is easier if we have everything written down. Create a list of the things to be done daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. For example:
Daily
Weekly
Fortnightly
(Bi-weekly)
Monthly
Moisturize with water and leave in conditioner(every 2-3 days)
Co-wash/ sulphate free shampoo
Protein treatment
Clarifying/
Chelating
Protein leave in conditioner (alternate with moisturizing conditioner every 2-3 days)
Moisturizing deep conditioning
Co-wash
Seal the moisture with oils
Hot oil treatments
Now this table is just an example and I am in no way saying that this should be the regimen to follow. It is only intended to give you a visual which should help you build one for yourself. Once you have the basics down, it is important to pick the right products to use. With time you will instinctively know what your hair wants and needs.
What is your hair regimen?
