Have you ever missed a gym workout to maintain your afro haircare regimen? It's no surprise when studies show that women with afro hair skip the gym once and for all to keep their hairstyle. Even more worrying is that another study demonstrated that 55% of black women aged 20 or older are obese. This highlights the common belief that it is challenging to maintain your natural hair while working out. But contrary to this myth, there are ways to care for your afro curls despite a gym session.
Kill Your Sweat Worries By Prepping Your Hair Pre-Workout
One of the main reasons to avoid working out is sweating. This natural process of your body causes salt to be exuded from your glands which can dry your curly hair. So, before your workout, it is essential to keep your curls hydrated. First, you can apply a small amount of our Leave-In Conditioner With Manuka Honey & Avocado Oil onto damp, afro hair. Next, opt for a silk or satin scarf over your moisturised hair. Then, after your workout, your afro hair is kept hydrated and nourished because you followed the proper haircare steps before.
Put Your Natural Hair In A Style That Minimises Damage From Exercising
To make it easier to care for your afro curls after a workout, consider exercising in a protective style to minimise breakage and reduce the damage from sweat. As well as twist-outs, you can opt for a braided ponytail or French braid if your hair is long enough. Alternatively, you can also try box braids or a simple, low-maintenance pineapple updo your afro hair out of your face while you work out. If you opt for a protective style, you can use our Curling Mousse With Flaxseed Oil & Rosewater to hold and keep your natural hair conditioned while working out before putting it into a style.
Avoid Shampooing Your Afro Hair Every Time You Workout
You do not need to cleanse your scalp every occasion you work out, especially if you exercise more than once a week. For instance, you could schedule your workouts in a way meaning you opt for low-impact classes at the beginning of the week and end with high-intensity sessions towards the weekend, which can be right before a shampooing session. Alternatively, if you are a fan of sweatier workouts, you might need to shampoo twice a week. If that’s the case, cleanse your afro with our gentle, sulphate-free Hydration Shampoo With Manuka Honey which contains properties that can prevent a dry scalp as well as frizzy and dry curls. Remember to let your hair dry after a workout to avoid puffing up too much.
On the other hand, if you go for a mixture of workouts where sweat is minimal, use our Moisture-Rich Conditioner With Manuka Honey & Avocado for a gentle clean and to keep the moisture in. Then, apply our leave-in for a continual release of hydration until your next workout. Saying this, shampooing your natural hair once a week is not enough to remove any product or sweat build-up. As a result, you must also incorporate a clarifying cleanser in your haircare regimen at least twice a month to exfoliate your scalp and keep it refreshed.
Steam Your Afro Hair To Deep Condition After Exercise
Before your shampoo day, you could prep your curls for a treat with a deep conditioning session. You can do this using a shower cap, a hot cloth on top of a shower cap, or turning your shower on the highest heat setting with the windows and doors closed. Next, opt for our Curling Crème With Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oils on your strands before putting on the shower cap. This mixture can leave your afro curls soft, manageable, and with definition. Then after 20 or 30 minutes of the steaming process, rinse your strands with cold water and then dry your natural hair using a microfibre towel.
It can be tough to ensure your afro hair stays hydrated and healthy while you work out but if you follow our tips in this article and dedicate time and effort to a better pre-workout haircare routine, you will find it easier to care for your afro hair after any exercise.