Ever wonder why some of us zoom past our hair goals while others are stuck at the starting line? Sometimes, the answer lies with us and the hair crimes we commit on a regular basis.
*Before we continue, I am nowhere near self-righteous. I have personally put my 3C/4A curls through the damn wringer. But at 10+ years natural, I know better and I do better…well, most of the time. And I have gotten great results (hair length/health-wise) using the info I’m going to share with you.
Without further ado, let’s get into the 9 hair crimes you just may be guilty of. Let’s go!
1. Not Shampooing Your Curls
You may have heard that you shouldn’t “wash” your curls with shampoo. BS! All hair types need to be shampooed from time to time. Whether you do it once a month or once every few days, it should be part of your curl care routine.
The following are curly hair misdemeanors:
Never washing your hair at all.
Practicing water-only washing.
Co-washing exclusively.
If your hair is lacking in the cleanliness department, you could find yourself battling problems like buildup, scalp irritation, or worse.
The key to proper hair washing is to first use shampoo, preferably sulfate-free and gentle so as not to dry your curls out.
In addition to that, find some sort of balance. Under NO circumstances should your hair be squeaky clean. But it also shouldn’t still feel coated after your rinse. You’re going for clean, not dry af.
Wash the Right Way
My tip? Get yourself a sulfate free shampoo and go to town, scrubbing your scalp and roots for up to a minute or so. Then, (and this is important) rinse thoroughly! A lot of times, scalp gunk and irritation comes from shampoo remnants left behind.
2. Yanking Your Poor Strands Out With Tight Styles
This one grinds my gears, and that’s not what I wanted to say! When I see people wearing styles that yank at their brains, I visibly cringe and say a quick prayer for their hair. Then, I strongly consider reporting them…to who? I don’t know. But something has to be done!
Yanking out your strands is nothing short of a felony, and it could cost you your precious hair. Box braids, twists, crochet braids, and any other style that’s too tight, I’m looking at you!
And I’m not slow, here. I realize that not all braided or extension styles are automatically tight. But I can’t tell you how many times my clients (I used to be a braider) used to tell me “Girl, Braid it as tight as you can. I want this to LAST. Get them baby hairs!”
SMH.
Your hair follicles cannot handle all of that tension, especially for weeks or months at a time. Eventually they give up. And that’s why we see so many of our Black Queens with traction alopecia.
Opt for Looser Styles/Take Tight Styles Down
For the love of all things hair, watch how tight you (or someone else) style your hair. And if the style is too tight, take it down. Braid-loosening tactics might give you relief in the moment, but they won’t keep hair loss away. There, I said it. Rant over.
3. Washing the Hell Out of Your Curls
Next crime you might be guilty of: washing the hell out of your curls. This could mean a couple of things: 1) scrubbing it vigorously with your fingernails or 2) washing it too often.
Your curls are fragile babies - as extra as it sounds, they need tender love and care. When you scrub, scratch, and rough them up during your wash days, you compromise the structure of your strands and jumpstart damage. Not to mention how tender and irritated your scalp is bound to be.
There are people who wash their curls once a day or every other day. In most cases, this is excessive and will make your curls super dry, unmanageable, and more prone to breakage.
Try This Instead
For the best results and less split ends and breakage, scrub only with the pads of your fingers. And if your nails are too long to do that, I recommend cut them down or use a shampoo scrubbing brush instead.
As for your wash frequency, only wash your hair when it's dirty. This will vary based on the person, but is usually between 1 to 2 times per week. If your hair is loc'd, you might wash it even less often.
4. Overprocessing Your Curls
Have you ever seen those hair bleaching fail videos? The ones where the hair starts off relatively healthy but (over the course of minutes) ends up looking like a pile of limp noodles or falling out in clumps? I’ve seen it time and time again (example above); overprocessing your hair is a crime that people all over the world have commited. I've done it myself.
Just because your hair hasn’t graduated to full damage (overly gummy, extra stretchy, or falling out) doesn’t mean you’re not on your way to it. Every time you put your hair through a round of bleach processing, you’re taking a chance, especially if you’re not a trained professional or at least used to the bleaching process.
Overprocessing might look different depending on the situation:
Leaving the bleach on your hair for too long.
Bleaching your hair several times back to back.
Overlapping the bleach onto hair that’s already processed (during touch-ups).
One thing to remember about this crime is that there are no do-overs. Once your hair is dead, unruly, and/or falling out, there is NOTHING you can do to return it to its previous state.
Moderation is Everything
My advice: bleach your hair in moderation and always follow the instructions on the bleach packaging to a T. If you’re at all unsure whether you can bleach your hair safely, just “Don’t. Do. It.” We have hair stylists for a reason!
5. Using Products Because Your Curlfriend Uses Them…Don’t Do That
As a natural newbie, I would watch YouTube videos like it was my job. My goal at the beginning was to craft this kickass regimen that’d give me the curls of my dreams. I got the product recommendations I was looking for. But…surprise, surprise…they weren’t suited to my hair.
Just because a product works for [your favorite hair guru]’s hair doesn’t mean it will work for you. And that applies even if you have the same hair type as them. My hair is 3C/4A with a little 3B for good measure. I followed hair influencers with similar hair types and tried their “holy-grail” products. To my frustration, many of them didn’t work for me. They either dried my hair out, didn’t define my curls like I expected, gave me a reaction (UGH), or did nothing at all.
Step Away From the Product
What am I getting at? If your curlfriend’s highly recommended hair butter isn’t working for you, stop using it immediately and find something else.
6. Burning Your Hair Off With Tools
Dramatic? Yes, but only to a point. Many of us curly folks love to see how the other side lives - me included (from time to time). Other times, we just want to try a different curl pattern, waves, or something else that doesn’t come naturally for our hair. This part isn’t the crime.
I straighten my hair about once a year with a flat iron and COPIOUS amounts of heat protectant. And my curls are still bouncing, behaving, and showing out! But for those who are using heat all the time, you’re committing a proper crime and could be in for some hair punishment down the line. And the results could be even worse if you’re not using a heat protectant.
Split ends, unruliness, increased shedding, and breakage are a few things you could experience.
Heat-Style Safely
Heat from flat irons, curling irons, curl wands, etc. burn off the outer layers, and eventually the inner layers, of your hair. So, it’s best if you use it sparingly and be very careful with it. How can you do that?:
Use a heat protectant. Every. Time. I repeat…every time. Ensure the heat protectant gets on all of your strands before applying heat.
Use the lowest effective temperature on your heat tool. If 350 degrees will get the job done, go with that temperature. The higher the temp, the higher your risk of heat damage.
Limit the amount of time the tool is in contact with your hair. For example, when flat ironing, try to do just one pass on each section of hair. And don’t let the flat iron sit on any portion of the hair for an extended amount of time (more than a few seconds). Your hair will thank you.
7. Getting Lazy With Conditioning
Curls and conditioner should be the best of besties. And it’s because of all the hair-loving benefits conditioner provides. You see, curls are naturally dry and need protection from the outside elements, and conditioner gives all of that and more, depending on the one you choose. If you’re not conditioning enough, you lose out on these benefits.
The result? Dry hair that’s hard to style and prone to damage. This is why getting lazy with conditioning is a crime.
Condition Regularly
For anyone wondering how much they should be conditioning their hair, the answer is simple. Condition it after every shampooing session. This is the time when your hair is clean and receptive to the ingredients in the conditioner.
8. Scolding Your Hair During Washes
If you’re anything like me, you prefer hot - ehem, scolding hot - showers. To me, there’s nothing more soothing than a hot shower to melt away the stress. Can I get an amen? I hear you through the screen! Okay, maybe you’re not like me. If not, it’s okay. Keep on reading sis.
Many curlies wash their hair in the shower. And if you do, you probably use the same temperature on your hair that you do when you wash your body. For hot shower-lovers, this could lead to very hot shampoo sessions.
This is a crime because hot water opens up your hair cuticles and can quickly dry your strands out. Plus, during your wash sessions, you’re already using products that eliminate your hair’s natural oils. This is a recipe for hair that’s drier than the Sahara Desert.
Turn Down the Temp
I am still trying to do better on this one. I won’t lie. But what you’re supposed to do is turn down the water temperature before wetting/rinsing your hair. I do it sometimes, but could be doing better. Moving on!
9. Going to Bed Commando By the Head
There’s something so freeing about going commando by the head. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a crime. Sleeping on your naked hair without a scarf, bonnet, or silk/satin pillowcase leaves your hair exposed and vulnerable to damage. It also reduces moisture retention, leading to dry, crunchy, rough strands. I don’t want that for you!
Cover Up Them Curls
Do yourself and your hair a favor and cover up your crown before you snuggle in for the night. Not only will you guard against the problems mentioned earlier, but you’ll also notice that your styles last longer! #winning!
Share Your Hair Crime!
There you go! 9 hair crimes you’re probably guilty of. If you felt guilty during this blog, comment below and tell me your crime. We’re shameless over here, and nobody is a hair saint. Just apologize to your hair, pat your head, and do better! I hope you found all the information you were looking for, and I wish you nothing but the best with your hair. I have more crimes in mind - part 2 will be coming soon!
Happy journey!
Andrea
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