What is the craziest thing you have ever heard in the natural hair space that got you riled up? Are there rules that just seem insane for you to follow? In this article, we are going to discuss all the methods that naturals follow that do not run as deep as the “rule makers” intended. As a matter of fact, who are the rule-makers?

Read through and let us know some of the rules you don’t follow as strictly and why.

Only Wash Your Hair with a Shampoo

Wash days can be rough, not to mention you need the right wash day products. For most naturals, shampoo must be the first thing used because how else are you going to cleanse your hair? Well sometimes you might not need a full wash day, it could be the middle of the week, or a lazy week and your hair just needs some of the products removed. There were times I did not feel like having a full day to do my hair. I would just grab my co-wash to get rid of any build-up and call it a day. Co-washing is such a time saver and stress reliever.

Co-washes are a great way to rinse your hair of any excess product without having to do a full wash day. They have little to no suds and add moisture. They are ideal for people with dry hair since minimal moisture is lost if any at all, but others can use it as well. Remember, this is not a complete replacement for shampoo, your hair still needs to be cleansed.

Everyone’s hair porosity is different, which determines how your hair will respond to moisture intake, among other things. Cleanse your hair with a clarifying shampoo at least once or twice a month to get rid of any build-up that a co-wash may accumulate over time. Bottom line, you don’t have to only use shampoo to wash your hair. If you need a quick rinse to remove any extra product, a co-wash is a great alternative.

Moisturize Everyday 

The L.O.C/L.C.O method is usually the best way to moisturize your hair, but everyone is different. In case you don’t know, LOC stands for Liquid/Leave-in, Oil, Cream. These methods are determined by your hair’s porosity and other needs. Whether you are lowly or highly porous, you shouldn’t do this daily. At the beginning of my natural hair journey, I thought I had to moisturize my hair every day. I quickly saw how greasy my hair got and I felt nasty. Even if I thought my hair needed moisture but there was too much product in it to add more, I would do a co-wash, then follow the LCO method.

When it comes to lowly porous hair, the problem is penetration. This means moisture will have a tougher time going into the hair shaft. If you have this type of porosity, then it’s best to use products for low porosity hair and the LCO method. When it comes to highly porous hair, the problem is retention. With this type of porosity, the hair shaft has a harder time keeping the moisture in. The LOC method would be best to use, since gaining moisture isn’t an issue and can be quickly sealed with an oil to trap it. If your hair porosity is balanced, then you have medium porosity and you can use whichever method works best for you.

Doing any of these methods every day will lead to build-up on your hair and scalp and potential moisture overload. All of that can lead to further problems that will wreak havoc on your hair. It is not practical to moisturize every day, but you can do it every few days.

Avoid Heat at Any Cost

Heat is responsible for a lot of things, but it’s not as entirely evil as people think it is. Although it’s not to be taken lightly, heat doesn’t have to destroy your natural hair. There are practical ways for you to use heat or better yet, see a professional when you need your hair styled.

There are ways you can use heat safely without damaging your strands. Here are some suggestions you can follow so you can use heat safely:

• Detangle your hair before blow-drying
• Always use a heat protectant
  • Oils are NOT heat protectants
• Never blow-dry dripping wet hair. This is because your hair experiences hygral fatigue (swelling and shrinking of hair) when wet leading to breakage

If you’re like me and either can’t blow dry yourself or simply don’t want to, then look for a qualified professional. Every time I go to a professional, my curls come right back, and I don’t suffer from heat damage.

Conditioning Is a Must

To be honest, for most of us, conditioning after shampooing is not a must. Conditioners are best when you don’t plan on deep conditioning your hair after shampooing. However, if you’re like me and deep condition every week, then using a regular conditioner is an unneeded extra step. Now, if you’re someone who does both, there’s nothing wrong with that, but know it’s not an absolute necessity.

Conditioner has a thinner consistency and is usually left in for 3-5 minutes. By using a regular conditioner, only the outer layer of your hair gets hydrated. A couple of added benefits are that it will also aid in reducing the appearance of frizz and smoothing the hair strands.

Deep conditioner has a thicker consistency and is usually left in for 25-35 minutes. The benefits are unmatched because it’s made to be stronger than a regular conditioner. They penetrate moisture into the cuticles of your hair instead of only the outside. Deep conditioning is a great way to treat hair back to life by reintroducing nutrients and oils lost during the washing phase. This is a must, especially for natural hair since our hair tends to be drier.

Takeaway

Although there are rules that should be followed to achieve healthy hair, the above rules are not a part of them. Learning about your hair and having the right information may save you from using a regimen that may never work for you. Don’t forget to listen to your hair by watching how it responds to things.