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slay your wash day
8 simple steps to help you take the pain and stress out of wash day!
step 1
Schedule your wash days! Set certain days to shampoo your hair because it is important for you to map out this task and be ready for any social events you may have planned.
remember: everyone's hair is unique
Depending on your hair type, you may need to schedule your wash-day once a month, every 2 weeks, once a week, or daily
step 2
Detangle your hair! If possible, part your hair into four or two sections and use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair. If your hair is dry, use water then oil, detangle creme, or conditioner for easy access to your roots. When combing, start from the ends of your hair and move your way up to your roots.
My favorite product for detangling:
Aunt Jackie’s “Knot on My Watch”
step 3
Apply your shampoo to your scalp! Moisturize the shampoo throughout your head with your fingers and rub it, similar to a massage. If you have nails, this is a perfect time to scratch your head without causing any harm, but don’t scratch too hard! Move the shampoo from your roots to the ends of your hair making sure to strip the oils and dirt off the strands. Once you have completely massaged your roots and rubbed all the strands of your hair, rinse out all of the shampoo. Repeat this process again for a total of two wash. Remember to rinse all the shampoo out of your hair.
My favorite product for shampooing and conditioning:
Pantene Moisture Renewal
step 4
Condition your hair! The same way you massaged your roots with your fingers in shampooing, repeat this process with conditioner or deep treatment. You can section your hair in four or two parts again for another detangling process. Sometimes we can get conditioner happy and put a lot of product on our hair, but that’s okay. Natural hair thrives on moisture! With your divided sections comb your hair backward from the ends to the roots, and twist the finished section.
pro-tip:
If you don’t know how to twist, wrap the parted hair into a ball, like a Bantu knot!
step 5
Deep condition your hair! Sometimes people believe that deep conditioning requires you to sit under a dryer; however, the heat is only used to speed of the process of the conditioner getting locked into your hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap. Sitting under a dryer is optional for faster results, but if you don’t have a dryer you can walk around freely for about 45 minutes to allow your hair to soak the moisture. If you have a dryer, sit under it for about 20 minutes.
My favorite product for deep conditioning:
African Pride Coconut Oil & Baobab Oil Leave-In Cream
step 6
Rinse your hair! Take off your shower cap and undo the twist or balls in your head. Rinse your hair with cool or lukewarm water to maintain the cleanliness and moisture of your hair.
remember: water temperature affects your hair
Cold water should be used when rinsing out the conditioner because cold water closes the cuticles and pores in the scalp and also adds luster and shine. Warm water creates frizz, cold water tends to flatten the hair.
step 7
Dry your hair! With a clean cotton t-shirt dry your freshly washed and conditioned hair. Using a cotton t-shirt dries hair faster, eliminates the frizz, and leaves your curls with more definition and volume.
step 8
Style your hair! Depending on which moisturize or curl creme is best for you, section your hair into smaller parts and massage your roots and ends with a product. It is important to intentionally moisturize the ends of your hair because most of us tend to pay more attention to the roots of our heads; however, split ends start from the tip of the hair! Style your hair into two-strand twists, individual braids, individual twists or other protective styles that lock moisture. Or rock a wash-and-go for the day!
Click below for easy step-by-step twist out and braid out tutorials.
My favorite products for moisturizing:
African Pride Curl Cream, Cantu Coconut Curling Cream
My favorite products for oiling:
Olive Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil
wash day video tutorials