Frenchie
Friday
The
summer days are quickly approaching and for us naturals this may be the best or
worse season of them all. Summertime
means there is a whole new set of rules for your hair. Don’t let a new set of
hair rules ruin your summer. Natural hair can be easily managed in the heat if
you follow some essential rules. This means finding new ways to keep your
hair moist and finding ways to protect your hair from the beautiful sun. The
battle between natural hair and the sun is a war that can be won.
Lets
face it, we all look forward to summer especially after the long winters that
we have had. But with great weather comes, comes tremendous hair struggles. For
me the summer means frequent travels to the beach and pool. Unfortunately, as
much as I love the beach and pool, my hair doesn’t feel the same way. The
problem with the beach and pool is that the water tends to dry out my hair more
so than normal. This problem can be solved with just a few simple steps. It
won’t completely stop the drying but it will help a great deal. So here’s a few
tips to help with maintain your hair before and after taking a cool dip.
Tips:
1.Prep
your hair before you swim: Prepping
your hair before you swim is probably one of the most important steps. To prep
your hair you’ll want to first wet your hair before going to the beach or pool.
You’re probably like wet my hair before that makes no sense but trust me it
does. After you wet your hair, you’ll want use heavy oils that will soak into
your hair as barrier of protection. Allow it time to seep into your hair,
roughly 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Wear
a swim cap: I know, I know!!! These things are extremely hideous and they
probably don’t go with any swimsuit that you own. Unfortunately, they are the
best thing you can wear to protect your hair.
3. Cleanse
your hair: After a long day of being at the beach or pool you definitely want to
give your hair some serious TLC when you get home. Most people will head straight
for the shampoo bottle, but I will never suggest shampoo unless it’s a
clarifying shampoo and it’s always the last result. I suggest using a cleanser.
I find cleansers to be much more moisturizing.
After you’ve chosen the best way to cleanse your hair, you want to
follow up with your favorite conditioner and leave in. Then you can style your hair as usual.
Summer
hair requires just as much or more care than winter hair. You have to try your
best to maintain a strict hair regimen if you want to keep those curls
beautiful. Locking in moisture during the warm weather may seem almost
impossible but I promise that it can be done.
The first thing you should be doing to keep your hair
moist is deep conditioning!!! This should be done weekly. The more you deep
condition the better your hair will feel.
I, however, deep condition my hair on a daily basis. I know it sounds
like a lot but I'll let you in on my little secret. During my morning showers I
co-wash my hair and after I apply Aussie 3 Minute Miracle. If you've never heard
of or tried this product you are definitely missing out. After letting this
product sit in my hair it feels absolutely amazing and detangling is a
breeze. This product can be at your local Walmart or Target for as little as
$2.97
Give
up the heat ladies!!! I know that it's
so annoying when your hair doesn't fully dry or when you're in a rush and you
have wet hair hanging in your face. It’s so easy to just grab the blow dryer
and dry away but please don’t do it. I know air-drying can be difficult but
it's worth it. Adding heat to your hair in summer weather is ridiculous.
All you're doing is causing unnecessary damage to your hair and causing it to
further dry out.
Trade
in your gel. If you’re like me, wash
and go's are just not complete unless you add a hand full of gel for hold.
Unfortunately, summertime and gel just aren't that compatible. Try using styling
creams or soufflés. I’ve recently become addicted to Pantene’s Defining
Curls Styling Custard and Shea Moisture Curling Soufflé. I apply both of those along
with my favorite moisturizer and essential oil. They provide excellent hold
without leaving my hair dry and crunchy like gel does.
Hot
oil treatments are also great for this humid weather. Most people rinse of their hot oil treatment but I like
to leave it in. I've found that warming up your essential oils before adding
them to your hair as a sealant helps retain more moisture. It will leave your
hair feeling soft and shiny.
Frenchie’s Final Thoughts:
Don’t let dry hair ruin your summer. Take the extra time to keep your hair
moist. So many people allow their hair to ruin their days. You don’t have to
have bad hair days; in fact with natural hair every day is a great hair day.
XOXO,
Frenchie
