Hair Regimen

     After recently switching up my hair routine, I've decided to share my current hair regimen. I'm discovering that it is more effective to care for my locs by listening to my specific hair needs rather than going by general information and when my locs respond poorly to a product I've tried, I know to go a different route. When my hair is dry, rather than using a moisturizer in the form of oil or creams, I spritz it with water or a water/essential oil mixture.  I used to be so afraid to get my locs wet in the shower or to go out in the rain, but I've noticed that my hair really likes water!

My hair when wet  2/08/11

   Locs don't necessarily have to shine in order to prove that they are healthy, but they are supposed to feel flexible and supple to the touch. If your hair feels dry and brittle then you may need to switch up your  regimen. I am a firm believer that good hair starts with a healthy scalp. The health of the scalp is essential to healthy and strong hair so I make it a point to pay extra attention to the condition of my scalp and my roots. Here is what I am currently doing for my hair and it seems to be working well so far:

• AVC Rinses- I do them weekly. I dilute one part apple cider vinegar with 10 parts water and I like to use a spray bottle (It's less messy) containing the solution to spritz my hair after I shampoo. I leave on a shower cap for 30 mins and I rinse away. Apple cider vinegar removes build-up from the hair, kills bacteria and it also smooths the hair shaft. I've done this twice so far and it really works well for my SD.
• Nizoral (As my shampoo)
• Distilled water + Essential oil- Right now I use Rosemary oil because it's supposedly great for dandruff; However, I have not seen any change in my SD while using this, BUT it works great as a moisturizer believe it or not. I put 20 drops of the oil into about 5-6 cups of distilled water.
• Fish oil supplements + Drinking lots of water- Fish oil is excellent for your general health but it also benefits the nails and hair. I've seen a HUGE difference in the softness of my hair while taking these supplements. Also drinking lots of water as we all know, is the BEST thing for your hair. If you had to pick only one thing for the health of your hair, it should be drinking lots of water. I've heard this time and time again and it is so true!
  
  

Right now, these are all of the products I use on my hair consistently. I have not been using conditioner since my last salon retwist which was nearly 2 months ago and my hair feels fine. I am not recommending any of these products listed above because every one's hair is different but this is what works for my hair. I DO; However, recommend listening to your hair. It may sound crazy but it will tell you what it needs by showing you. :-)