June/July Hair Update: Holy Grail Regimen

I get asked about my regimen a lot.  

“Tell me exactly what you do to your hair.”

And while I always share my routine and products – I mean, I do love talking about hair – I am quick to give my disclosure: what I do to my hair may not work for yours.  

But today, I’m going to give you the Holy Grail method to consistently perfect hair for free.  Brace yourselves.

If you take the time to learn the basic needs of your hair, then the rest is gravy.

Get with that rocket science.  

“Knowing your hair” can only come by fasting & prayer trial and error.  I used to read and hear folks say “listen to your hair” and frankly, I thought it was a bunch of hogwash.  But as I’ve come to learn over the last couple of years (yes, years!), that statement is so very true.  It doesn’t have to take you years to find your groove though.  Keep reading.

I know what my hair likes (oils and creams)…I know what my hair doesn’t like (protein and coconut oil).  I know when to wash with a shampoo (about once every 3-4 weeks or when I know I’ve been heavy-handed with product)…I know when I can get away with just a co-wash (about once a week).  I know when my hair needs moisture (always)…I know when my hair needs a protein treatment (never).  I know which products will net successful results…I know which products will have my hair looking a hot, sticky, unmanageable mess.  And I only know this because I’ve taken the time to try a whole bunch of methods and products to come to these conclusions.

Anything worth having is certainly worth taking the time to obtain, even if in that time you get frustrated.  And believe me; you will get frustrated…a lot.

So, I’m not going to tell you exactly what I do to my hair to achieve my results because over the past couple of months I’ve changed my method and tried different products.  But what I will suggest are some tips to you finding your Holy Grail regimen.

·        Document (mentally, on paper or through pictures…or all 3) what products and methods you used and the results.  

·        Try your method at least 3 times before you write it off as a complete failure, unless you get success on the first try.  Sometimes it’s not the combination of products that you use but the amount of product or the method in which you styled your hair.

·        Don’t use a whole bunch of products in one styling session because then it’s almost impossible to determine what is not working.  My general rule is to use a shampoo and/or a conditioner to cleanse, 1 leave in, 1 styler and an oil.  On the days that I need it, I’ll throw in a deep conditioner.

·        If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  But if you just have to try something new, only replace 1 product at a time.

·        Have a back up plan if things go south, because they will.  And it will be at the most inopportune time like 5 minutes before you have to leave for work.  My rescue style is a puff.  A large elastic band, some gel to smooth back the edges, a scarf to set the edges in place while I’m driving to work and a little fluff here and there ain’t never failed me yet.  Never!

In closing, and this probably should have been first, stop stressing!  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Be patient.  If you stay the course, you’ll get there.

Parting shot. I styled my hair last night after a co-wash.  Although my products were the same, I used a different styling method – smaller twists on damp hair, diffused for about 5 minutes and then stretched the twists by pinning them back.  This morning I unraveled the twists, fluffed a little and...

#Winning