5 WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR HAIR WHILE EXERCISING

Hi guyssss!!

I hope you’re all good and you all had a fabulous weekend!!

So recently, I’ve started going to the gym again (woohoo!! Thank God). I used to a beast in the gym until about a year ago and then I fell off but I’m back on track now!! But during my gym phase, I learnt how to cope with and take care of my natural hair when one has an active lifestyle! I know that for a lot of women, their hair is what deters them from working out but it doesn’t have to be that way. But something that may persuade you to grab those running shoes is that exercise can increase hair growth (YAYY!). This is because exercise increases blood flow to the scalp thus stimulating growth. Here we go…

• Tie your hair up – I know this seems pretty obvious but I see women running or cycling or whatever with their hair out. Firstly, it’s dangerous because your hair could get caught in the machine. And, your hair is more likely to get tangled and sweaty. If your hair is bopping around while you’re moving, the strands have a higher tendency to wind around each other.
• Let your hair dry before taking it out of the bun/ponytail – this is one I learnt by mistake but one that is super beneficial. If you don’t plan on wash your hair right after that gym session, wait till the sweat dries to take it out (sounds gross I know). I’ve just found that when I take my bun/ponytail down before it dries, the hair at the roots becomes super frizzy and tangled as opposed to when I let it dry.
• Don’t cover your hair with a scarf/bandana/hat – I know lots of women like to do this but what you’re doing is essentially making your scalp more sweaty and you’re not allowing it to the breathe. Not only does this make your hair more frizzy but it can increase bacteria on your scalp. Not good!
• Use cleansing conditioners or shampoos – DISCLAIMER: this one is personal preference! But I think that if you work out a lot, you should definitely think of using cleansers or shampoos. I say this because I know many naturals hardly or never use shampoo. But if you’re a real gym freak, all that sweat and gunk is likely to clog your pores and hinder growth. Adapt to this one based on how your scalp feels!
• Use peppermint oil – I know some people sometimes feel their scalp feels a bit gross and dry after they exercise. Something that works for me is to mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil with a light oil like jojoba oil, almond oil or coconut oil and rub it into my scalp. It leaves my scalp feeling refreshed and lubricated. Plus, peppermint oil cleanses the pores on your scalp and stimulates growth. DO NOT USE THE ESSENTIAL OIL ON ITS OWN! It can cause damage to the skin – it MUST be mixed with a larger quantity of another oil. Also AVOID essential oils if you’re pregnant.

Protective stylinggggg for now!