Natural Hair Regimen for Beginners: A Step by Step Guide
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Starting a natural hair journey can be overwhelming, but with the right regimen, it can be a rewarding experience that leads to length retention. A good hair regimen is crucial for the health of your hair, and it doesn’t have to be complicated if you have your staple natural hair products down pact and know what method works for your hair.
If you’re a new natural and are in need of a healthy hair regimen, in this blog post, we will go over a simple natural hair regimen for beginners with quick and easy steps to follow.
1. Pre-poo
The first step of my natural hair regimen is usually a pre-poo. A pre-poo is the process of applying an oil or other type of treatment to your hair before shampooing or conditioning. If your wear protective styles, a pre-poo helps with detangling and removing shed hair, and excess product build-up on your hair.
I usually pre-poo my hair with Pure Extra Virgin Coconut Oil in its natural state after protective styling. The price varies, but you can purchase online or at your local health store. Here’s how you can pre-poo with coconut oil:
- Apply the product directly onto your scalp and massage using the tips of your fingers and make sure the oil is applied to the whole scalp.
- Section hair in four parts, securing them with pins or hair clamps and apply the oil on you hair, focusing on the ends of your hair. Begin finger detangling or use a wide-tooth comb to remove shed hair.
- Twist each section after detangling and proceed to work on the next section until complete.
- Use the greenhouse method by placing a plastic shower cap on your head and leaving on for approximately 15-20 min and rinse out before start washing with a sulfate free shampoo or co-wash.
2. Shampoo or Co-Wash
Start your natural hair regimen by using gentle cleansers like a sulfate-free shampoo or Co-wash to avoid stripping your hair of its natural oils. I usually co-wash my hair with the As I Am Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner, but there are times I shampoo with a moisturizing or clarifying shampoo.
If I go swimming, I use a moisturizing shampoo and follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. With my hair still in sections, I apply the product directly to my scalp and massage to remove any product buildup that accumulated since the last wash day and rinse thoroughly before rinsing.
3. Condition
After shampooing, apply a moisturizing conditioner and detangle with a wide tooth comb, Denman brush, or your fingers. With my hair still in twisted sections, I unravel the twists one-by-one and finger detangle with the conditioner. I then re-twist the conditioned hair and rinse it out. When I’m done, I apply an old t-shirt or microfiber towel to my hair to reduce frizz and absorb the water.
4. Deep Condition
If you typically have dry hair and feel it needs special attention, I suggest deep conditioning. Deep condition your hair on at least a bi-weekly or monthly basis to restore lost moisture and prevent hair breakage and split ends.
I usually deep condition using the baggy method by applying the deep conditioner to my hair and covering with a plastic cap or bag. To penetrate my hair strands, I sometimes sit under a hooded dryer for 15-20 minutes before rinsing out. You can also do a protein treatment if your hair is feeling limp or brittle.
5. Moisturize
After washing and conditioning, you need to moisturize the hair. Use a leave-in conditioner or light moisturizer to keep your hair hydrates.
To moisturize my hair, I apply the loc method. The L.O.C (Liquid, Oil, Cream) or Moisturize and Seal method is especially great for the colder months and helps to “lock in” moisture if your hair tends to dry out quickly. With my hair still in sections, I unravel each twist and apply a leave-in, oil, and butter or cream to style on my damp hair.
6. Style
If I am not protective styling, I wear my hair in low manipulation styles like twist outs, braid outs, or a bun. If I want a stretched style, I typically user a heat protectant like castor oil to avoid heat damage before blow drying and doing these styles.
For wash and go styles, I skip the oil and cream portion of my natural hair regimen and only use the leave-in. It depends on my mood if I apply a butter or gel afterward. If your hair gets a dry when styling, use a spray bottle with water, water and a leave-in, or water and oil mixed to keep your hair moisturized.
7. Protect
In addition to wearing protective styles, protect your hair by wearing it in a satin or silk scarf before bed. You can also protect your hair by wearing satin lined hats and caps throughout the cooler months.
Remember, everyone’s hair is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. Natural hair is trial and error and part of creating a good regimen is testing out different natural hair products and techniques to find what works best for your hair texture and porosity. With patience and consistency, you can achieve healthier hair and ultimately see some hair growth.
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