Mistakes that you are making in your Natural Hair Care Regimen

Over Deep Conditioning - I know , i know, how can you over deep condition? Well, we tend to deep condition for longer than the recommended time period on the product. You might be trying to give your hair the extra “oomph” it needs to hold in the moisture and keep that curl definition and this could work, especially if your hair is extremely damaged, however, after a while it doesn’t do anything extra for your hair and could have the opposite effect. Manufacturers created the product with the time frame in which products should be used for a reason. Putting too much protein on your hair could be drying out your hair overtime. When you apply conditioner to your hair your cuticles soaks it up right away, so over treating your hair by deep conditioning for more than an hour may be unnecessary. Therefore, follow the product instructions. It gives clear and concise instructions of how the product should be used and for how long.  

Over Trimming - If you've heard the statement that cutting your hair allows it to grow, you may be on the fence about having a set schedule for trimming your hair. Well, trimming or cutting your hair in order to promote hair growth is very false. So, you can let go of the anxiety of whether or not your trimming routine is preventing your hair from growing. Your hair is growing, your hair is growing, your hair is growing. It may not be as fast as you would like, and it may not be easy to see growth, when your hair shrinks into a TWA ( teeny- weenie afro) after ever wash, but it is growing, whether you trim the ends or not. Now, your hair will always look and feel healthier after a trim because you are cutting away the dead, dry and damaged ends. It’s just like when you drop your toxic friends and now doors are beginning to open for you. So, when should you trim? Only when needed and that may end up being every quarter but having a set rubric to follow such as every month is not necessary. Your hair will indicate the signs for when it needs a trim; your ends will be dry and split or frayed, your curls will look and feel dull and you will have more knots at the ends making your hair difficult to detangle.

Straightening Your Hair - Straightening your hair on a consistent basis will simply cause damage. Why? Your hair is very susceptible to damage through excessive manipulation and high heat because the heat is breaking down the protective layer of protein along with the structure of your hair cuticles.  Your hair wants to curl and you are forcing it to be straight. The more times you separate between straightening allows your natural hair more time to recover from the damage. You could try to stay away from high heat for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or even a whole year to focus on maintaining your curls. However, even if you use a heat protectant or straighten your hair on occasion, once you apply high heat, your curl pattern changes and your strands will never be the same. You could end up with an inconsistent looser curl pattern or permanently straightened hair in some places. Hence, zero heat is better. 

Trying to get the curls you don’t have – Everyones natural hair is different. You may have the same ethnicity or even the same parentage and your curls may not be the same. The same products and styles that work for you may not work for your relative, friend or co-worker. So, when you see the various YouTube tutorials, where your favorite YouTuber's wash and go curls or twist-outs are poppin', please keep in mind that you may not share the same curl pattern nor the same texture. This is critical because if you attempt a style that your favorite YouTuber tried and it doesn't work, you might feel like you've failed, that your curl type is trash and start to resent your hair. Don't feel bad, just make a note that that didn't work for you and move on. Keep searching for that product or style that works for your curls and don't compare hair.  

What mistakes have you been in your natural hair care routine?