My Hair Care Routine (Growing Long Relaxed Hair)

L-R: Vitamin E Oil, Organix Biotin & Collagen OIl Mist, L'Oreal Ever Creme Deep Nourishing Masque, L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage- Erasing Balm, Herbal Essence Strengthening Shampoo, Lusters Original Pink Lotion, Organic Root Stimulator Carrot Oil

Experiment complete! I can now say that I have my hair care routine down to a tee and I'm seeing my hair grow not just faster, but healthier than it's been in a long time. So, in the spirit of  'sharing is caring' I thought I would let you guys in on what I've been using and how I've been using it. #fabhairmob anyone?

On Wet Hair

1.    Pre-Wash Treatment: I have long learned the benefits of using hot oil on your hair before you wash it. It helps with sealing the hair cuticle as well as strengthening the hair for the rigor of washing and scrubbing. You can purchase the little VO5 hot oil hair packets or you can just nuke a little oil in the microwave instead. I rotate between Vitamin E oil (pictured above), Olive Oil, Coconut Oil & Argan Oil for this step. I apply the warm oil to the ends of my hair first then work up towards the roots, tie it up and then leave it in for 5-10 mins.

2.    Wash: I stretch the time between my relaxer for at least eight weeks. The first six weeks after I relax I just apply shampoo regularly - lather, rinse and repeat. Closer to the time when I am going to relax my hair, I go half & half with a shampoo & conditioner, to reduce dryness and frizz at the roots. This just means using half the amount I normally would for the shampoo and then compensating that by mixing it with a regular conditioner.

3.    Treatment: I always treat my hair. This may sound excessive, but the fact of the matter is that I want it to grow longer, and because it's chemically treated, it soaks in the treatment like a needy puppy. I alternate between strengthening and moisturizing treatments. Again, this is applied to the ends of my hair then I work it up to the roots. If my hair is feeling particularly dry I will moisturize the treatment into my scalp because healthy roots = healthy hair. I let it soak in for at least twenty minutes and only then do I comb it out with a wide tooth comb. Closer to my relaxer I even rub a little cheap conditioner on the comb to make sure I don't tug or pull on my strands.

On Dry Hair

 4.    Pre-Set: I use an old t-shirt to dry out as much water from my hair as possible, then I   spray in a light oil to help smooth the hair shaft even further. Why is this important?               Frizzy roughed up hair gets tangled, and tangles lead to breakage and weakening of the           shaft. I like this oil because it sprays such a fine mist, smells amazing and is absorbed by my hair quickly, leaving it shiny and smooth. Note: I don't use mousse, setting lotion or spritz because they all contain an uncomfortable amount of alcohol and I don't like the crunchy effect they have after my hair is dry.

5.   The Set: I am an advocate for setting your hair. Why? Apart from the volume, body and   shine setting gives your hair, the smooth plastic rollers help your hair to lie flat over itself letting any product you apply before setting thoroughly soak into the hair follicle. Plus, the curls from a wet set last far longer than ones formed with a hot tool and are faaaarrrrrr less damaging to your hair. I usually only blow dry for about twenty minutes to get rid of any excess water and I keep my blow dryer on cool rotating the area I point it at frequently (also a good arm workout btw).

6.    Styling & Regular Maintenance: If you want to keep your hair healthy between washes you need to use a daily moisturizer. Examine your hair, where is it driest? Where is it healthiest? Get a product that will take care of the least healthy part of your hair specifically and use it regularly. I like the carrot oil because my scalp tends to get dry in between washes but not so dry that I need a thick oil. The carrot oil still lets my scalp breathe while moisturizing it and is light enough for me to use without  weighing down my hair. Pink lotion is a long time favourite - breakage, reduction of split ends and shine are taken care of by this product and I use it to help me get a smooth dry set at night.

This is the gamut of my hair routine. Apart from a heat protectant which I use maybe once a month when I use a hot tool, this is everything. The idea is to test and see what works for you and what you want your hair to be. I would like mine to continue to grow. Right now it's happily past my shoulders (a far cry from the pixie cut I had some months back) and it will soon be 'mermaid' length hopefully. 

What have you been using in your hair recently? Do you have a routine that works for you? Leave me a comment, or hit me up on Facebook and let me know.

'til later,

*Jane