How To Create A Hair Care Regimen For Natural Hair

Here is an easy guide to help you create your own hair care regimen for natural hair. Creating a plan is important for long & healthy hair growth.

Learning how to care for your natural hair can be difficult. It doesn’t make sense to do 20 steps if none of them are contributing to the overall growth of your hair. Instead create a hair care regimen that is simple and easy to follow so that you can stay consistent.

We use affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using one of these links, we may receive compensation or commission at no additional cost to you. Read full disclosure here. All content provided by Curly Girl Swag website and other media is for informational and entertainment purposes. Please read our full disclaimer here.

How To Create A Hair Care Regimen For Natural Hair

1. Pre-poo & Detangle

Pre-poo is the process of preparing and treating your hair before you shampoo it. A great benefit of pre-pooing your hair is the extra moisture it provides. The added moisture can prevent your hair from becoming overly dry from shampooing. Also, pre-pooing is the perfect opportunity to detangle your hair. Detangling your hair before shampooing not only makes your hair easier to manage, but it also helps to prevent breakage. We recommend the African Pride Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo, it gives amazing slip and moisture making wash day a breeze!

How To Prepoo Your Hair

1. Section your hair into 4 sections using sectioning clips.
2. Starting with one section at a time spray each section with water until your hair is wet. Try using using an aerosol water bottle made for curly hair, it gets large areas wet quickly and easily.
3. Next apply your your favorite pre-poo mixture.
4. Using a detangler brush, gently begin detangling each section of hair. It is important to start from the bottom and work your way up to the roots to avoid breakage.
5. Leave the pre-poo on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing. Then proceed to cleansing your hair.

2. Cleanse

Sulfate- free Shampoo

The first step is to cleanse your hair weekly or bi-weekly from the excess oils and products. The best cleanser to use is a sulfate-free shampoo like the tgin moisturizing shampoo. A good sulfate-free shampoo will thoroughly cleanse your scalp and hair without drying it out.

Clarifying Shampoo

It is recommended to use a clarifying shampoo to do a deep cleanse at least once per month. If your hair is not able to accept moisture it could because of excessive product build-up. Using a clarifying shampoo will thoroughly cleanse your hair and give it a fresh clean start. The Kinky Curly Come Clean Moisturizing Shampoo will give you a deep clean and leave your hair feeling moisturized.

Co-wash

If you feel like your hair needs to be refreshed in between wash days then you can do a co-wash. Co-washing is using a cleansing conditioner to cleanse your hair instead of shampoo. Using a cleansing conditioner like the As I Am Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner, is a good way to remove product build-up and hydrate your hair without shampoo.

3. Deep Condition

After cleansing it is important to use a deep conditioner. Conditioners replenish our hair with the moisture that was lost during the shampoo process. It also helps to make the hair more manageable and easier to handle when you are ready to start styling.

Deep conditioners are conditioners that penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. Hair gets stressed from styling and manipulation. So, it is important to provide your natural hair with nourishment to hydrate and strengthen your curls.

Protein VS Moisture

There are two main types of deep conditioners, protein vs moisture. It can be very difficult to figure out which one your hair needs. Here are a few characteristics to help you determine which one your hair needs.

How do you know if your hair needs protein?

1. Loss of elasticity. Hair that needs protein will feel like its lost its elasticity. You can take a strand of hair and if it keeps stretching excessively before it snaps then it probably needs protein.
2. Limp or stringy hair. Normal hair will feel strong. If your hair feels and looks limp or stringy it may require protein.
3. Excessive Shedding. Normal hair sheds approximately 50-100 sheds a day. If you notice an increase in shedding, it could be a result of your hair needing protein. It could also be a sign of an underlying condition such as stress or a health issue. If the issue persists you should check with a dermatologist or your medical care provider.
4. High porosity hair loves protein. You can read our article “What is Hair Porosity and How To Do A Hair Porosity Test” to determine if your hair is high or low porosity.

Best Protein Treatments

• Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein-Strong Treatment
• Camille Rose Algae Deep Conditioner

How often should I use a protein treatment?

Protein treatments should only be used every 4-6 weeks. Too much protein can be harmful to the hair causing it to become hard and dry.

How do you know if your hair needs moisture?

1. Hair is brittle. You can take a strand of hair and if it snaps or breaks easily then it probably needs moisture.
2. Dull and frizzy. If your hair lacks shine and is extremely frizzy, it could be craving moisture.
3. Hair feels and looks dry. If your hair feels and looks thirsty then that is usually a sign that your hair needs moisture.

Best Moisture Deep Conditioners

• tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner With Raw Honey & Olive Oil For Natural Hair

How often should I do a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment?

Moisturizing deep conditioners should be used weekly or bi-weekly after shampooing or co-washing your hair.

Is heat necessary for deep conditioning?

It is recommended to follow the directions listed on the deep conditioner that you are using for the best results. But, using heat with your deep conditioner allows the ingredients to penetrate your hair shaft better and faster. We recommend applying a plastic cap first so your hair doesn’t dry out. Then sit under a hooded dryer or use a cordless heat cap for 15-30 minutes. If you choose not to use heat then you can apply a plastic cap and allow your deep conditioner to sit on your hair for one hour.

4. Leave In Conditioner & Moisturizers

Leave in conditioners are a good essential to add to your hair care regimen. They are usually lightweight conditioners you keep in your hair, they do not get rinsed out. They can help you detangle and provide protection and moisture for your hair until your next wash day.

A hair moisturizer can also act as your leave in conditioner. It is completely your preference to decide if your hair needs one, the other or both. Leave in conditioners and moisturizes can be used everyday or as needed.

Best Leave In Conditioners

• Miss Jessie’s Leave-In Condish

Best Hair Moisturizers

• As I Am Double Butter Cream – Rich Daily Moisturizer
• tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer For Natural Hair

5. Natural Oils

The Benefits of Natural Oils For Hair

1. Seal Your Ends. After applying your moisturizer it is recommended to apply a natural oil over your hair to seal in the moisture. Take a small amount of oil and start from the ends and work your way up your hair strands.
2. Oil Your Scalp. Massaging oils into your scalp for 10-15 minutes per day can stimulate hair growth. We love the EssyNaturals Hair Growth Oil.
3. Adds shine. Adding a small amount of oil to your hair daily can increase shine.

Best Oils To Seal In Moisture

These are the top 3 oils that are able to penetrate, seal and lubricate your hair. They will help to increase the moisture and give your hair added softness.

1. Avocado Oil
2. Olive Oil
3. Jojoba Oil

6. Styling

One of the best things about having natural hair is that it is so versatile. There are so many different ways you can style and wear your hair. The best types of hair styles for natural hair are low manipulation hair styles and protective styles.

Low Manipulation Hairstyles

Low manipulation hairstyles are styles that don’t require a lot of work to achieve. Even if they require some work they can be worn longer in between styling again. They are healthier for the hair because they don’t require a lot of heat and won’t damage your hair. Here are some articles links below for low manipulation hairstyle ideas.

1. Wash and Gos
2. Rollersets
3. Quick & Easy Natural Hairstyles
4. Two Strand Twists
5. Twist Outs

Protective Hairstyles

Protective styles are styles that protect your natural hair. These hairstyles can be worn for longer periods of time before having to be re-styled. For this reason there is less manipulation so your hair should break and shed less.

It is important to make sure that the hairstyle is not too tight or does not cause too much tension. If it does then it is not considered protective. Here are some articles to give you some ideas for protective hairstyles.

1. Box Braids
2. Faux Locs
3. Curly Wigs
4. Feed-In Braids

How To Create Your Own Hair Care Regimen For Natural Hair

Now that we went over the basics you can use this information to create a hair care regimen for your own natural hair. Enjoy this FREE download that includes a guide with 4 templates to help you create a regimen to grow your natural hair long & healthy hair. 

If you enjoyed this article make sure to subscribe to be notified when we release other articles about how to care for your natural hair.