As a life long lover of all things “self-improvement”, sometimes I sit back and marvel at the various challenges I have put myself up to over the years. Whether it was “learning to be a doctor” at 7 years old by reading the unintelligible passages under the “How Your Heart Works” section of my hardbound encyclopedias, or learning how to do my own french manicure at age 13 after purchasing the “Kiss French Acrylic Nail Sculpture Kit” at CVS, I’ve come to realize that my do-it-yourself, project tackling mania is simply a part of my DNA.
Although most of my adolescent undertakings have since fallen by the wayside, one “project” that has managed to survive the last 7 years of changes is (and perhaps always will be) my devotion to growing long, strong, healthy hair. Spurred by a two year disaster with relaxers that had turned my long, thick locks into a see-through, broken mess, my quest for longer, healthier hair started at age 15 after sneaking downstairs into the family room of my childhood home and googling “grow black hair long” into the wee hours of the morning. Notwithstanding the fact that I emerged tired and barely able to keep my eyes open in school the following day, I look back on that fateful night fondly as it was the day I decided to go natural and take better care of my hair.
Being the zealous person that I am, however, I was not satisfied until I tried every natural hair product, technique, and regimen known to man. Although the health of my hair improved immediately as I had ditched the relaxer and was heat styling less frequently, I was unable to get the length I have now until recently. In other words, for the 7 -8 years that I have been natural, the first 5-6 years of my hair journey were spent at about shoulder length, which was the length of my hair when I had a relaxer. I have only reached APL within the last year or so. What has been the differentiating factor, you ask?
Easy: In the last year or so, I have been a stickler for keeping things simple.
I almost feel silly writing a whole post on this because I feel like simplicity is the golden rule that most naturals should already know. For all of the “natural hair celebs” on various blogs and YouTube channels, the majority of them promote a simple hair care routine because…well…”keeping it simple, sister” works! Kimmaytube, Naptural85, and LeobodyC5 are all great examples of natural YouTubers who have seen great success in keeping their regimens paired down.
While your mileage may vary, here are a few “simple rules” that I’ve incorporated in my routine that I’ve had great results from:
1. Rinse (Wash) Hair More Often
Let me first say that my definition of washing doesn’t necessarily include shampoo or even a cleansing agent. The point here is to (1) keep the scalp free of debris and (2) keep the actual hair at an adequate moisture level. Dry hair breaks off and, as we all know, the only true moisture that exists for anything is plain water. Keeping my hair hydrated through regular rinsing/washings has kept it from drying out and breaking off, thus I retain length. Also, moisturized hair it much more pliable, which means I am able to manipulate/style it when necessary without incurring additional breakage.
As a person whose scalp feels like it’s on fire 3-4 days after a wash, I am surprised it took me so long to get into this habit. In addition to the softer, more moisturized hair, I really enjoy the feeling of a fresher, not-so-itchy scalp.
2. Trim less often
This might be quite controversial for some naturals, but yes, I retained much more length when I stopped trimming so often. Let me first state that I acknowledge that worn down ends are more likely to split and break off, thus it is necessary to trim hair at some point in order to avoid breakage. The issue for me was never should I trim my hair but rather how often and how much.
My problem was (1) I didn’t want my ends to look “raggedy” and (2) I was scared my raggedy ends would break off, further stunting my hair growth. At the time, it made more sense to me to have consistently even (i.e. trimmed) ends as I believed that uneven ends were the cause of my breakage.
My epiphany came when I realized that (1) I was trimming off more hair than I was retaining every month and (2) my “raggedy” ends were not the cause of my breakage. What I was identifying as “raggedy” was just the normal, uneven growth pattern of my hair. As for the ends that were indeed raggedy (i.e. split), they were caused by poor hair care practices (like going a week without moisturizing) and I was cutting off way more than what was necessary in the name of even-looking hair. What I had to get over was that as a person with curly, kinky hair, by design my ends will never look perfectly even unless I constantly cut them that way. Lucky for me everyone, perfectly even hair is not a prerequisite for length retention. Once I put the scissors down and let my otherwise healthy hair be as it was, my length retention began to take off.
3. Reduce Manipulation and Stress on the Hair
This “rule” was easy for me to abide by because I can get real lazy with my hair. The last thing I want to do is spend hours every night and/or morning styling it just to get it to look presentable. Hence, low manipulation/protective styles are my go to looks. In addition to simply being easier to do and maintain, low manipulation/protective styles are helpful in actually keeping the ends of your hair on your head, which leads to length retention. Some of my favorite styles are braid/twist outs and mini twists.
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While I’m sure there are more detailed things one can do to keep things really simple with their hair care, the above tips serve as the anchor to my routine. Is simplicity serving your hair well? Why or why not? Share in the comments section.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Couldn’t have said it better myself. And the twists do save so much time in the mornings while they’re in…and not to mention weather-proof lol
I’m finding that keeping things moderately simple helps me maintain a small sense of sanity, lol. I’m focusing less on what I use on my hair, and instead choosing to practice hair health practices to help me maintain length…it’s mainly been about shifting priorities when I decided to go on a healthy hair challenge for longer hair. I definitely still experiment with different conditioners etc, but this go round it’s mostly to incorporate better moisturizing elements that will help my hair along it’s journey. Twists are my absolute favorite style these days too!
I’ve been natural for a few years and my hair is a little longer than shoulder length but it is so difficult to deal with. In addition I totally don’t like spending hours doiing my hair. I LOVE twist but small or big after about 1 week they start locking. And OH DON’T get them WET – they’ll lock in front of my eyes! So I guess what I need is some low manipulation/protective styles for longer than shoulder lenght hair that shrinks to ear lobe lenght when wet! If you know a place where I can get some ideas from I would love it!
I keep it super simple. I wash and style (braid/twist out) every 5-7 days. I don’t re-moisturize or re-set my hair in between wash days –My hair retain moisture well and I transition into other styles as wash day nears (and my hair evolves). I trim very infrequently (like twice a year or so) because I don’t see the need to do otherwise. My hair looks/feels great and I’ve been retaining length well. Simplicity is best for my hair (and my schedule).
This was great! For all naturals who are looking to really “do this thang,” keep it simple and make time to practice the protective styles.
This blog was nothing short of amazing and perfect timing for me. I have done the BC 3 times, March 2011 being my 3rd time. My hair grows fairly fast, but i never took the opportunity to get to know it and treat it well. Nonetheless, it grew past shoulder length within a year and a half after having it shaved completely off. However, it was briddle and never felt healthy. Aggrevated, i permed it and ended up shaving it off again. Now, i am excited about starting off fresh and doing things the right way. Your tips are so on point and i am excited about my new journey. I’ve named my hair so that its that much more personal. Her name is Lola because whatever she wants, she gets which is usually moisture. Simplicity is definitely key!!!
First off let me say, I love your blogs and vids, I just started watching them today because I was tired of my hair and really looking for something to do instead of braiding (w/weave) it up for the summer. Your practical information I believe will help save my hair from the clutches of dryness and unmanageable-ness, and will restore my love for my natural hair. Anyway, I just wanted to ask you, I want to restock my hair product basket as I try new low stress styles and hair care. What particular products do you recommend for (co-washing, leave-in conditioner, oil/moisturizer etc)? Thanks again for your blog.
Thanks for this. Sometimes I’m confused when I read how many people are struggling with their natural hair and the 500 products to get it to look and feel just so. Natural should be easy. I went natural over 10 years ago because I wanted easier hair care. If it had been taxing or time consuming , I wouldn’t have stuck with it. Like another commenter, I wash, condition, style once a week (4 products- diluted shampoo, conditioner, styling foam, grapeseed oil, then 8-10 big flat twists to dry, then wear the flat twist out). I use a little camellia and grapeseed oil on my hair for extra shine during the week. I use some Oyin Dew to do a comb-out before a wash, but that’s not a necessity. I just love the way it smells! That’s pretty much it.
PJism is a natural stage, but I think a lot of the issues people have are probably product overload and product build-up ,not difficult hair. Once you find what works, keep it simple, and gentle, and you will be surprised how little it takes to make you and your hair happy.