A new year is steadily upon us and like many people, it includes a new year resolution of living a more healthier and active lifestyle. Unfortunately, it is well known that many black women with natural hair avoid working out to preserve their hairstyle and protect their curly hair.
Working out has amazing benefits for your body, natural hair, and overall wellness, therefore, your natural hair should not deter you from improving your quality of life. It is possible to care for your natural hair as you embark on your journey for an active lifestyle. To ensure you are consistently active, below we have detailed the key steps that will help you care for your hair while you work out.
- PROTECT THE HAIR
The biggest fear women with natural hair have is the hair frizzing or shrinking up thus ruining their hairstyle.
As you sweat away in the gym, you want to protect your fragile curly strands susceptible to matting and hair breakage. Aim to keep your curly hair away from your face or neck. Reducing skin contact is vital to prevent friction that can cause matting as sweat contributes to drying the hair.
- Protective Styling – Your natural hair is best protected when the hair is tucked away rather than left open. Low manipulation styling will ascertain less tangling which can be created when working out or swimming. Go for styles such as high buns, twists, braids, flat twists, or ponytails that will effectively keep hair protected until your next wash day. You can also try protective styles that use hair extensions that keep your natural hair hidden and protected for longer periods. These protective styles include cornrows, knotless braids, box braids, or jumbo braids.
- Protective Wear – The biggest fear women with natural hair have is the hair frizzing or shrinking up thus ruining their hairstyle. A satin scarf, a satin-lined cap or a satin bonnet is perfect to prevent frizz, preserve the hairstyle, and provide extra protection to the hair and fragile edges. As for swimmers, there are new silicone caps designed for natural hair. These high-quality swim caps are gentle on the hair, keep the hair dry, are easy to put on, and can accommodate your thick natural hair.
- WASH YOUR HAIR
The more you work out, the more you need to wash your natural hair. Washing your curls is a foundational step for the health of your natural hair. Constant sweating from your workouts causes dryness, build up, and attracts dirt particles from the hair. Sweat can cause the scalp to clog up preventing hair follicles from recovering necessary nutrients thus inhibiting hair growth. Wash your hair weekly with a well-formulated moisturizing shampoo that will not strip your hair dry. Incorporate co-washing the hair midweek as a co-washer is made with hydrating ingredients making it a much gentler cleanser than a shampoo.
- DETANGLE HAIR
You want to avoid going to workouts or swimming with tangled hair. It will be a nightmare with a high risk of breakage trying to untangle matted sweaty hair. It is crucial to prepare your hair for a good workout. To prevent more tangling, maintain hair’s manageability, and prevent breakage detangle your natural hair before any rigorous activities.
Your natural hair should not stop you from living a more active life. In fact, your hair can benefit from consistently working out. Be intentional in caring for your hair during and after your workouts to protect your hair and ensure you remain consistent with your active lifestyle.
