It doesn't Have to be Complicated

One thing I hear quite often from new naturals and those who are considering going natural is that maintaining natural hair seems "too hard." Admittedly, it is a lot of work, especially when you're just starting out. However, it doesn't have to be complicated. A tendency of natural newbies (and old heads who happen to be product junkies or just serious enthusiasts) is to try this product and that product, this method and that one and the next. That's all good if you choose to do that, but don't be scared off by thinking that you have to do that. As I've admitted before, I am a lazy natural. I don't switch things up a whole lot, and once I found a routine that worked for me, I stuck with it. Some of my products may change since some of them work better in the summer than they do in winter, and vice versa, but the regimen is generally the same.

• I wash and deep condition my hair once every 1-2 weeks, usually closer to the 2 week side. Many people wash weekly, some co-wash a couple of times a week. When my hair was shorter that worked for me, but now I find that I can't just do a quick wash & go and get the same results.

• Often I'll wait to detangle the next day, just because I usually don't feel like doing all that after washing. (Hey, I told y'all I'm lazy!) After washing, most of the time I'll do some crude chunky twists or put it in a puff. Once I feel like detangling, I use a little oil to help get the job done/

• At night, if I'm feeling good, I'll do about 12-16 chunky twists and top it off with the satin bonnet. If not, I just plop the bonnet on my loose hair and deal with it in the morning. Que sera, sera... Usually the steam from the shower will loosen and fluff it up so it's not an issue.

• Occasionally, I'll add something like the Shea Moisture smoothie to soften my tresses, or hit it with a little water/coconut oil mix (add a little glycerin if it's humid).

That's it! Now of course I'm not saying that what works for me will work for you. Every head of hair is different. But I am definitely saying that you don't need to be intimidated by time-consuming processes. Your hair can be as low (or high) maintenance as you want it to be.

 

[caption id="attachment_1374" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="my small arsenal of go-to products: SM shampoo & smoothie (center), Optimum 3-in-1 creme oil (rear left), water/coconut oil mix (rear left), conditioners for DC (packets) & my handy wide-tooth comb"][/caption]