Busy? Tips on how to show your hair love while on the run

Sometimes, life is happening so quickly that you either forget to show your hair some love or you procrastinate on doing so. Like in most relationships (sounds crazy I know) neglect can lead to the deterioration in the health of your relationship and in this case your hair. Some people complain of unusual dryness, split ends, loss of shine, above normal breakage and other things after extended periods of neglecting to properly care for their hair.

We have learned that even though our natural hair looks really tough and strong, it is the most fragile of all hair types. As a result, we have to treat it with care so that it grows healthy. So here are some tips for when you have to zoom around, have little time for those "hair spa" hair care treatments but you want to still keep your hair as healthy and loved as possible.

1) Mix a leave-in oil conditioning daily spray: I mix the following together in a big spray bottle: Water, My favourite rinse-out conditioner, Castor oil, glycerin, Coconut oil, Lavender oil and, Eucalyptus oil. Here are some reasons why I use these ingredients. Water and conditioner to add moisture; Castor oil and Coconut oil to penetrate the hair follicle and to seal moisture in; Glycerin to add softness and keep moisture from leaving the hair; Eucalyptus oil for hair growth, to relieve and reduce itching; Lavender oil to relieve itching and for nice scent; Castor oil for some shine and; Coconut oil for a bit of a nice scent too. Then shake, shake, shake your bottle (not your booty) for the ingredients, especially the conditioner, to mix well. You will still have to shake the bottle well each time before use because water and oil don't mix.


2) Wash your hair and prep it for styling. I wash my hair because the styles I put in will usually last for a maximum of 2 weeks. I try not to go more than 2 weeks because of build-up. If I decide to go longer than 2 weeks (which is rare), I rinse out my hair by pouring some water over it. Then I apply my spray as usual. Honestly, I find that for my hair (I REPEAT, MY HAIR) 2 weeks is more than enough. You may put in smaller braids or twists that may last longer - it really depends on your hair.

3) Put in your style of choice. I usually put in twists or cornrows or braids or Bantu knots or a variation of all these. These styling methods make it easier for me to get up, spray my hair and roll out. Some people also call them protective styling and use these styles to minimize the manipulation of their hair so that it grows longer and healthier. Some other people use these styling methods so that they will have a really low-key daily regimen. Either way, for the purpose of this post; we want an easy daily regimen because we are busy.
After the style is in, I wrap my hair or pack it so that I don't have to worry about styling. So basically, I put my hair in some sort of permanent hairstyle for 2 weeks.


4) Spray hair at least once a day. I spray my hair in the morning before heading out and in the evening before going to bed. My hair gets what it needs and smells nice too. Do not saturate your hair with the spray o! Excess spraying can lead to faster build-up and you may end up taking out your hairstyle and washing your hair earlier than planned. Plus it can make the hair swell and shrink too often which can also cause weakening and breakage of your hair. Just light spraying around the hair is sufficient.

5) Carry on with life! At least your hair is being nourished and looks presentable when life is happening.


 Check out Hydratherma Naturals on her healthy hair journey. Some of her styles and tips can be used to take care of your hair when you are busy. She is on FB and she has a You Tube channel also.

Below, we show you Oghomwen's version of Hydratherma's Lauren Hill inspired twist and pin curl. We made the twists much bigger and used thread instead of pins. It was a perfect style for someone who was going into a busy week.

As always, we welcome feedback. Let us know what you do / what works for you and what doesn't.

Keep it natural!

Omozo