UPDATED HAIR CARE ROUTINE 2019

Hello hello hello!

I know I’ve been gone for a whileeeeee. To be really honest, I had a pretty bad case of writer’s block. And I didn’t really want to put out fake content to be honest! Add to that a lot of work and personal changes and…yeah…it has resulted in less than stellar consistency! A lot has changed since I last blogged but I’ll leave that to you to investigate on my Instagram page @natureslocks!

I was going through the blog recently and I noticed that I haven’t uploaded a hair care routine in agesssss! That’s pretty bad considering this is a hair blog LOL! What better way to come back to blogging than to update that for you:

Pre-poo and/or finger detangle

My first step is usually to pre-poo and finger detangle my hair. I did a whole post on what a pre-poo is (so click here if you’re interested in knowing more about it)! But the main thing here is to lightly detangle my hair. This has made a HUGE difference to my hair routine. Typically, one detangles when the hair is wet and soaked in conditioner but I found that the moment water touches my hair, the hair shrinks and the tangles get worse. So instead of letting that happen and ultimately getting frustrated, I now lightly detangle my hair with an oil when it’s dry. This helps to remove any shed hair and get rid of some of those stubborn tangles before water gets on my hair. It has helped a great deal. I don’t do this EVERY week. For example, if I feel my hair is already oily, I skip this step. Or if my hair has been in a protective style all week and is already very detangled. If your hair feels very dry, you should definitely not skip this step.

My favourites: Nature’s Locks Reparative Hair Growth & Sealing Oil, coconut oil, olive oil

Nature’s Locks Reparative Hair Growth & Sealing Oil and Nature’s Locks Nourishing Hair & Body Oil (mentioned below)

Cleanse

So I used to follow the co-washing method until I realised it my have been stunting my growth and causing build up (click here for the full post on that!). So now I cleanse every week – I either use a shampoo or a cleansing conditioner. My general rule is to use a shampoo every other week but use a cleansing conditioner between those times. I, of course, play it by ear though – if I notice my hair feels greasy or has build up, I will use a shampoo even if it’s technically a cleansing conditioner week. You just need to know your hair! The cleanser should be focused on the scalp.

My favourites: Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo, Camille Rose Naturals Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse, DevaCurl Low Poo/No Poo Cleanser

Image: sheamoisture.com

Conditioner/detangle

This is probably the most laborious part of the routine. I soakkkk my hair in a cheap conditioner (I have to use so much conditioner on my hair that using a pricier/better one is just not economical) and I finger detangle my hair in sections. I find finger detangling to be the best option for me but many others love to use wide tooth combs or Denman brushes. The key thing is to take your time, be gentle and detangle thoroughly from tip to root.

My favourites: Tresseme Naturals Conditioner, OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Conditioner, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

Image: herbalessences.com

Deep condition

This is probably the most important part of the routine. If you change nothing else about your hair routine, just deep condition. I deep condition every single time I wash my hair. It is so important. I apply a generous amount all over my hair FOCUSING ON THE ENDS, I cover with a plastic cap (or a plastic bag) and I leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour. Sometimes I get carried away with other stuff and leave it for longer though. For added benefits, you can also steam your hair or sit under a hooded dryer – deep conditioning with heat typically gives you better results.

My favourites: any Shea Moisture deep conditioner, Mane Choice Green Tea & Carrot Deep Strengthening & Restorative Mask Treatment, Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner

Image: themanechoice.com

Moisturise, seal and style

Once my hair is done with the deep conditioning, I rinse it out with cool water and begin to moisturise, seal and style my hair. I typically use a leave in or a cream to moisturise depending on what style I’m doing and how much moisture I feel my hair needs. To seal, I usually use my Nature’s Locks Reparative Hair Growth & Sealing Oil. Sometimes, I’ll add a gel or styler to help the style last longer and make it look neater. I typically put my hair into a protective style (e.g. braids, twists) during the week then I wear my hair as a braidout or twistout at the weekends!

My favourites (moisturiser): Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Kinky Curly Knot Today, Shea Moisture Curl Memory Leave-In Conditioner

My favourites (sealant): Nature’s Locks Nourishing Hair & Body Oil, almond oil, olive oil

My favourites (styler): Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, Kinky Curly Curling Custard, Shea Moisture Peace Rose Oil Complex Styling Gel-Cream, Ecostyler Gel

Image: stylishlee.com

So that is my weekly haircare routine! It may seem like a lot but I promise it really isn’t! And hey, healthy hair takes time, effort and attention! Over time, as you get used to your hair, you’ll figure out how to move a little faster and make the routine work for you.

There are a couple of extra steps in my overall routine. I don’t do these steps every week:

• Henna treatments – I did a whole henna treatment post here (DEFINITELY read that if you’re planning on using henna at all) but I do a full on henna treatment every 5-6 weeks. It really helps to strengthen the hair and repair damage! You must follow up with a moisturising deep conditioner.
• Protein treatments – protein treatments can be used in place of henna. Protein helps to strengthen the hair and repair breakage and damage. You don’t want to do these too often as they can make the hair brittle and hard but depending on your hair needs, you can do these every 4-6 weeks. You must follow up with a moisturising deep conditioner.

There we have it guys! That’s the full breakdown. Of course, you don’t have to use these exact steps or products but, if you’re looking for where to start, this is a good place! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions! And expect a lotttt more consistency from me!

Love,

Tara xXx