We all want to grow long and thick hair but are neglecting to adopt a hair care routine. Growing long hair takes time, patience and dedication. Just like a plant needs to be watered to grow, hair also needs to be watered and taken care of to grow. Your hair strands are your babies which need to be fed on daily and/or weekly basis according to their needs. Your hair growth is not only determined by genetics but also by how you treat your hair and what you use for treatment.
It took me time to realise the importance of having a hair care routine, but from the time I set up one, I started noticing a huge transformation in my hair. In the early years of my natural hair journey, I was not paying much attention to my hair because I did not like its natural texture. I would hide it under all kind of weaves, extensions and braids. Back then, I did not feel the need to treat my hair on a weekly basis and I was not using quality products. From the time I started researching and watching videos of natural vloggers on the Internet, I realised that I was not treating my hair the proper way.
It is also essential to describe the state of my hair before and after setting a hair care routine. Before, my hair was dry, less manageable; my curls would only pop- up under the shower when I applied a conditioner on it. As soon as the hair dried the curls would completely disappear. I had a lot of dandruffs even though I was already using few natural hair products like castor oil, olive oil, Tresemme for co-washing etc… During these years I would notice growth but I was not quite happy with my hair and I would keep hiding it.
In July 2015, I purchased some Aphogee products for the first time and I started using them every time I could, thus I started noticing a slight change on my hair and my curls pattern started to reveal more and more. Finally, at the end of the same year, I developed a hair care routine and I decided wearing my hair out without anything on. Only then, I noticed a huge change in my hair texture and growth. Today, I keep improving my hair care routine with new techniques and products as well.
Weekly hair care routine that works for me (I do all the steps below on the week-end either Saturday or Sunday)
- Shampooing your hair is critical to remove dirt, products residues, and dandruffs from your scalp and open up the pores.The emphasis should be put on washing the scalp. And I wash my hair divided in several sections because it is extremely prone to tangles, as soon as I wash I twist the section.
- Use African Black Soap which contains natural ingredients such as shea butter, honey, ashes of banana plantain skin. It cleanses and hydrates your hair. If it feels a bit harsh mix it with red palm oil and use the mixture.
- Deep condition your hair using a keratin treatment, protein masque or a mixture of protein-rich ingredients. Deep conditioners nourish, strengthen, hydrate the hair and prevent it from breaking easily.
- I mix different commercial products such as Aphogee Keratin 2 Minutes, Mega growth deep conditioner or Botanicals Soft and Beautiful deep conditioning treatment, red palm oil, coconut oil. I mix all of them, warm the mixture a little bit and apply it on my twisted hair. Then sit under the steamer for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer you can cover your hair with a plastic bag for an hour to allow the mixture to penetrate your hair.
- Rinse out your hair after 30 minutes or an hour. I do not towel my hair but squeeze the excess water.
- I use the OCS method (Oil=coconut oil, Conditioner=leave-in conditioner, Styling product=gel, custard or foaming mousse). Because I style my hair while wet I do not need to add another liquid to it.
- While still wet, I immediately apply my coconut oil on my twists then I start styling each twist. I undo each loose twist, I apply my preferred leave-in conditioner QP Elasta olive oil and mango butter anti-breakage leave-in conditioner on the length of the sectioned hair and I add a foaming mousse (Lotta Body Wrap Me Foaming Mousse) on top. After applying the products, I re-twist the section a bit tighter and I do a bantu knot at the end of the twist to prevent tangles or knots. I do the same on all my hair.
- I let my twists air dry and undo them when them are completely dry
I suggest that you develop your hair care routine using the products that are available to you and suitable for your hair.
- My hair is more manageable than ever
- My hair is moisturised for the whole week until the next wash day
- My curls are extremely well-defined
- My hair has grown like crazy
- My hair is hydrated and shiny
- I experience less tangles
- My is becoming thicker and bigger
- My hair is healthier
- I have no longer dandruffs