Very Best Ways to Care For Your Natural Hair Post Workout
Let’s start by confirming that sweat is not a bad thing. Rejoice! You no longer have to worry about washing out and ruining $100 + on your relaxer treatment so you’re already winning:)
Sweating from your scalp actually helps unclog your hair follicles, allowing room for new hair growth. It also is your body’s natural way of detoxing and ridding itself of any and all impurities.
Sweating does cause the hair to dry out faster which as a Naturalista with 3B to 4C hair you probably need no help with.
Some key ways to manage sweat while working out with natural hair are:
1. Wear a cotton headband to absorb some of the sweat around the hairline. But not too tight! Not only does this put stress on your strands, causing breakage, but it can also help to trap the sweat directly onto your follicles.
Extra points if the headband or scarf is satin-lined to prevent unwanted frizziness!
1. For those with longer kinks and curls it's a good idea to pull it back and away from your face to keep you cooler.
2. Make sure you’re drinking water before, during, and after your workouts. This helps with staying hydrated and cool, which prevents your body from overproducing sweat.
But what about caring for my natural hair after my workout?
First of all, there is no need to shampoo your hair directly after each workout. Once you have your workout/wash-day routine, consistency is key.
Whether that’s once a week, two weeks or monthly always use a Sulfate-free shampoo like our Growth Plus Hydrating Shampoo so you don’t further strip the hair of its essential oils.
We encourage you to dry a dry shampoo directly after working out if you feel your hair type tends to be prone to buildup.
PRO TIP: Wait until your hair is completely dry before touching your hair or removing your headband or scarf.
Taking it down while it’s still wet will increase frizz. You can use the cool setting on a blow dryer to speed up this process!
If your hair feels dirty or very sweaty post-workout, we encourage you to use essential oils or a co-wash.Co-wash’s are great as a way to lightly cleanse and condition your hair before Wash day.
Essential oils we recommend are Tea tree and peppermint. Dilute them first and massage them into your scalp for an instant scalp refresher.
Conditioner Rinse
You can also do a quick and easy conditioner rinse by filling a spray bottle with your conditioner, water, and oil mixture.
This strategy works super well on styles like twists and braids. After spraying the mixture on your hair, feel free to do a quick rinse. Then take a t-shirt and squeeze the water out of the length of the twists in a downward motion.
You could also use your JOS leave-in conditioner of choice. As it doesn’t require the rinsing step. Have you tried our Detanglement Sauce yet??
Always Deep-Condition
Hopefully, this is already a part of your natural hair routine but if you are a lady who likes to go in at the gym this is most definitely a requirement.
Every two weeks or after you wash, lather your locks with our Argan Oil Deep Conditioner Mask and let sit for 30 minutes. This is the best way to properly restore your hair and fight against natural hair enemies like dryness, frizziness, and cuticle damage.
You want to look for a deep conditioner that has protein, oils, and vitamins...exactly what your healthy body needs too!
NO FEAR
Did you know that according to a 2014 study, 45% of African American women avoid exercise because of their hair??
We’re no scientists but maybe this has to do with the disproportionate number of black women suffering from heart disease and obesity in the U.S.
Moral of the story. Don’t fall victim to letting your hair control your lifestyle. As a natural, you have all the power and that includes living a balanced and active life!
Bonus! Classic Natural Hair Workout Styles
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Slicked back low bun
- Pineapple
- Bantu knots
- Cornrows
- Braids
- Pigtails (Great for yoga and pilates!)
- Topknot
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Headwrap/headscarf
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