Today was wash day.
(I’m going to pause here and let the African disapora sigh deeply and collectively.)
Did everyone get it all out? Okay good!
I’ve spent years, tears and money perfecting and condensing my 4c, high porosity hair routine into a terse but super effective five steps. Every wash day has been so positive that I decided to share my routine AND my favorite hair care products. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: The take-down and detangle. You’ll need a product to help you take down your current style. I received the Pantene Pro-V Gold Series Moisture Boost Conditioner in an Influenster box two years ago and overnight, it became my go-to for detangling and softening. My hair melts when this products touches it.
Step 2: Co-wash. I used to stay away from any hair product that had the word “coconut” in it. I know everyone thinks that coconut oil will take you from a 3 to an 8, cook your dinner and walk your child home from school but I just never liked it for anything except cooking. That is until a friend generously lent me samples of the As I Am haircare line and I became an overnight fan. When I don’t have my Pantene Conditioner, I skip straight to this step. I like to section my hair into four quadrants, smooth this co-wash in and detangle using my fingers or a wide-tooth shower comb under running water. Then I rinse it all out and move to step 3.
Step 3: Deep condition. Notice that I haven’t shampooed my hair yet. @sadestyledme taught me the art of deep conditioning hair while it’s still “dirty” while KaylynIvy on Youtube taught me to apply deep conditioner to soaking wet hair. Kaylyn wisely posited that it makes no sense to expect the deep conditioner alone to deliver all the moisture your hair needs in order to do it’s job. You need to add water to activate the product and provide additional moisture for your hair to soak up while the cuticle is open. These two tips have worked for me every time.
I’ve been using 2 – 3 packets of the ORS as a deep conditioner for years. I leave on the deep conditioner for a few hours with a disposable shower cap topped by whatever combination of winter hats, scarves and towels that’s needed to activate the product with my body heat. Some people choose to sit under a hair dryer or a heated cap. Any way you choose is fine.
Step 4: The rinse off. Rinse out the deep conditioner and remove any remaining tangles. Shampoo and condition your hair as normal. I LOVE the Andalou Naturals Lavender and Biotin line. My hair does that melty thing when this conditioner touches it. Today however, I used Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castile soap to shampoo my hair.
Step 5: Drying, leave-in’s and styling. Wrap your hair with a t-shirt, let dry until desired and spray on aloe vera juice. I can’t remember where I got this tip from or the science behind it but the aloe vera makes me feel like my hair has reverted to low porosity— that’s how slowly it dries.
Let your hair dry until desired and apply your favorite leave-in conditioner. I use the As I Am Leave-in or Luster’s S Curl Activator and Moisturizer. As I apply, I like to use a wide tooth shower comb to get out any final tangles. I seal my hair with whatever oil I have on hand, focusing on the ends of my strands. I put my hair into a handful of two-strand twists and gathering a few at a time, I use a hair tie to stretch my hair.
Step 6: Style as desired.
And there you have it! If you try my routine, let me know how it works for you! Also, please share any HG (holy grail) products you love for your textured hair.
A note on protein treatments: Normally, my hair hates protein. However, I stumbled onto Green Beauty’s Youtube channel and gut instinct led me to purchase her protein treatment. My hair loved it! I’m sharing this because I know that protein is a regular part of many hair regimens and I wanted to offer my HG in that area as well!