How to Be Consistent With Your Hair Care Routine
To create a hair care routine, it starts with consistency. Beautiful, healthy hair doesn’t just happen. You have to put in some work. Thankfully, it’s not as difficult as one might think.
1- Define your hair goals
One of the biggest mistakes people make when embarking on developing a hair care routine is neglecting to define hair goals.
When your goals are murky, or rather if you have none, you are less likely to take the proper steps to build a solid hair care routine. If your goals aren’t defined, your routine won’t be defined. Without a defined routine, how can you be consistent with it?
So, sit down, grab a pen & paper and ask yourself what it is you want your hair to look like, feel like and reflect. Is it a reflection of your inner self? Do you just want to have fun with it? Go through the though process of defining your hair’s goals. Here’s a handy printable to help you with that: Printable Hair Planner (and here’s a faith based variation: Faith Based Hair Planner)
2- Start with the Basics and Build on Those
To create a hair care routine, start with the basics. You’ll discover along the journey if your hair needs additional support. The basics of a hair care routine include:
- Cleansing
- Conditioning
- Styling
Cleansing your hair (and scalp) is the first step in any routine. After washing, you need to condition. The type of conditioner you use will be based on your hair goals and your hair’s needs. That could include a deep conditioner with light protein or sans protein.
After conditioning your hair, you style it.
Now, I know there’s other steps that can be done before and after the basics. Things like:
- The Pre-poo
- Sealing in moisture with a particular method (for example: LOC Method)
- Hot Oil treatments
- Hair Steaming
- Protein treatments (this is a treatment you may need to do a little more frequently if you have fine hair)
Don’t get too bogged down with the extras when you’re first getting started. You’ll discover if you need to add any extra treatments to your routine. And, by then you will have nailed the basics.
3- Review your hair goals
Whenever you embark on any type of goal, it’s smart to review those goals on a regular basis. Reviewing your hair goals will keep them fresh in your mind. When those goals are fresh, you will be more apt to take the steps needed to reach those goals.
There’s a scripture in the Bible (James 1:23-24) that says “For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.”
So it is with setting goals. If you don’t do the things necessary to reach those goals (including reviewing them), you forget about them.
4- Evaluate your routine
If you find that there are some things you either skip or are having difficulty implementing in your routine (ex: the time or day you are scheduling wash day), change it. There’s nothing wrong with changing a routine after you have established it. Nothing has to be set in stone.
In fact, being flexible is what will help you to stick with your hair care routine for the long haul.
5- Keep it Simple
Another tip to help you create a hair care routine with consistency is to keep things simple. Just because others are doing 7 steps to a complete wash day, doesn’t mean you have to. Remember, this whole thing should tie back to your goals. Maybe you only need 4 or 5 steps to complete your hair care routine.
Do what works for you. Sometimes simple is more efficient. It really just depends on what you are looking to achieve.
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