Why was I gone? The short answer: my hair.
I’ve been watching numerous video tutorials on how to properly care for my natural hair.
You might be thinking, “It’s just hair. Does it really require all that time, effort and research?”
Yes it does. As a Black woman, hair porosity, hair density and strand size play key roles in what types of products my hair needs in terms of moisture and hydration.
Shouldn’t you know this already?
Yes and no. I have a complicated relationship with my hair that has gradually improved over the past year. During my 27 years of living, my hair has been cared for by my mother and a professional hairstylist. I’ve historically been too low maintenance with my hair out of impatience and laziness.
My mother has told me for years, “You need to grease your scalp every other day. Or else it will become dry and brittle.”
Now COVID has forced me to prioritize my hair health. Last Saturday, I spent 3-4 hours detangling my hair with Cantu’s coil calm detangler to reduce knotting when washing my hair. Then I spent 12 hours diligently detangling and sectioning my hair into 20-30 twists while applying shampoo, a deep treatment hair masque and applying a leave-in conditioning cream once finished.
It had been three months since my last wash day. Yes, I said it. Three months. Again I’m impatient.
There was something therapeutic about thoroughly cleansing my scalp and adding the moisture my dry hair needed. I spent 1.5-2 hours applying Cantu’s leave in conditioning cream to my hair to maintain moisture and prevent dryness since my HVAC system disperses dry heat. Ultimately, it was a self-care routine.
Day 1
When I took my twists out the next day, I liked the results. My hair was softer and contained less knots.
Day 2
Overall I am very proud of myself for my patience during this process.
How do you practice self-care? Let me know in the comments below.
Belle in Progress 