Hair Care Routines

In the last few days I've been busy working out, researching hair care routines, and starting a natural hair Facebook group. 

One of my favorite things to do is talk about natural hair care. I have lots of friends who have been natural for a while, are considering going natural, are currently transitioning to natural, or parenting children with natural hair. I randomly have conversations with most of them on Facebook about what's working and what's not working. I figured it would be a great idea to bring all of my favorite naturals together to have one big, ongoing conversation all about hair! The best part about the group is everyone is encouraged to invite their natural friends so that we can have tons of perspective in a respectable atmosphere. 

Thanks to my new natural community, I've finally come up with hair care routines for me and my little one. Please see below and feel free to comment.

Reka’s Routine*

1. Co-washing: 1x per week – co-wash with V-05 conditioner on Saturday
2. Pre-poo / Shampooing: 1x per week – pre-poo with olive oil on Tuesday and wash out with Shea Moisture Curl & Shine shampoo on Wednesday
3. ACV Rinsing: 1x every other week – after co-wash on Saturday
4. Deep Conditioning: alternate between moisturizing treatment (homemade concoction of coconut oil, avocado oil & organic honey) and protein treatment (Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque) every other week on Wednesday
5. Clarifying: 1x per month – shampoo with Giovanni Deep Cleanse Shampoo at end of month on Wednesday

Livy’s Routine*

1. Co-washing: 1x per week: co-wash with V-05 conditioner on Saturday
2. Pre-poo / Shampooing: 1x per week – pre-poo with olive oil and wash out with Shea Moisture Curl & Shine shampoo on Wednesday
3. Deep Conditioning: 1x per month – alternate between moisturizing treatment (homemade concoction of coconut oil, avocado oil & organic honey) and protein treatment (something homemade) every other month
4. Clarifying: 1x per month – shampoo with Giovanni Deep Cleanse Shampoo at end of month

*LOC method after every wash and when needed between washes

From Random to Routine

I'm a very random, spontaneous person, so it's very hard for me to start a routine and stick to it. I don't have a regular full-time job, so most days I don't have to be up at a certain time or in bed by another time.

It's funny how my life became very stress-free when I stopped working, although there is less money coming into the household. I guess when you don't have deadlines to meet or customers to please, you have less pressure. But I digress.

Most days I just wake up and do things on a whim. Whatever I feel like doing, I do it. If I don't feel like doing something, I put it off to another day. There's really no one to hold me accountable or put me in check, so it's a rather fun way to live.

The problem is that I'm currently in a 90 day fitness challenge group and I need to find a structured hair care routine for myself and my daughter.

The thing I love about my fitness challenge group, is that everyone is very supportive. I'm always motivated to exercise whenever I see another person post about their workout, and I get excited to eat healthy when I see pictures of another person's healthy meal. I'm really starting to get a better handle on this whole healthier way of living thing. And although it took me 1.5 weeks to find workouts to stick to, I've finally found what works for me when it comes to my fitness routine.

The next step when it comes to my challenge group is getting a grasp on my eating habits. I really love healthy food, but I love junk food just as much. I've made a lot of progress from being the type of person to eat fast food 5 times a week to the person who actually cooks dinner 5 times a week. I haven't learned to control my cravings yet though. If I want some ice cream or some chips, I know I can go into the kitchen to get it.

I know you're probably thinking that I should throw out all the unhealthy snacks in the house, but that wouldn't be fair to my husband or daughter. They don't need to lose weight. They're happy with the occasional Lay's potato chip and bowl of Breyer's ice cream. I don't want to deprive them. Sheesh, I want to indulge every now and then, too. My goal is to learn to eat these things in moderation, and to stop eating the calories I've earned back with exercise.

When it comes to the coily curls and curly kinks in the family, I really have to buckle down and make a schedule for washing, co-washing, deep conditioning, protein treating, styling, and apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinsing. I also need to find the right mixture of natural oils and butters to use for my daughter's curls. I will be reading lots of internet posts and doing a lot of trial and error for the next couple of weeks to find out what works best for each of us.

While I set out to meet these not-so-lofty goals, please wish me luck and offer any time management or other advice you may have.