Do you have to be obsessive in hair care in order to be successful?
A question I get often from friends and family ‘So what’s your obsession with hair anyway?’ It makes me smile when I hear it because I know that I tend to bleat on about benefits of deep conditioning*, co washing blah blah blah. I also try to get die hard relaxed friends to consider going natural (not because I think relaxers are bad but these ladies have never had any luck growing their hair with them so maybe a different route is required).
No doubt there are many women who are now the way I was years ago before I discovered hair care. I wouldn’t wash my hair for weeks on end simply because I didn’t think I had enough time for it. However, if someone asked me to go even a day without a shower I would look at them as if they were crazy. Having a shower and feeling clean all day is a priority to most people yet taking the time to properly moisturize your hair daily is not (and by moisturize I mean with water!).
Let’s look at the evidence for a second. If you go to any of the popular hair forums you will notice one glaring similarity among the successful long haired black women. Most of them have hair albums on Fotki or another other similar service to document their hair progress. I wrote an article recently on goal setting in hair care so I could theorize that their success could be due to the fact that they have documented their goals and aspirations for their hair?
I wouldn’t say necessarily that these ladies are obsessive about their hair; like the rest of us, they all have full lives, husbands, boyfriends, children and work to boot, but to them hair is also a priority and as such they make time for it every day. Regardless of how exhausted they are when they come in from work, they will find the time right before bed to spray their ends with a little water and seal with oil before putting on a silk scarf* for the night. Others will be in a hurry to get to work in the morning but they will find time as they are showering to get their hair wet before rushing out the door.
It all boils down to how much you actually want to be successful in growing your hair long and healthy. As a reformed ex-convict works harder to prove himself when he gets his freedom, as a black woman you will have to accept that it will take more effort and consistency to grow long locks than it does other races.
I once heard it said that it’s the small things that make big differences. No truer words have been spoken especially when it comes to hair care. The opposite is also true however; you get back home late from a night out with the girls and cannot be bothered to throw your scarf over your head before you fall asleep or you get a new sew in weave and take the advice of the well meaning stylist who tells you not to wash your hair or else the weave won’t last as long. If you do what you’ve always done; you get what you’ve always got! If your hair is not thriving under your current regimen and you don’t change it, don’t expect your results to change either.
So to answer the question, do you have to be obsessive in hair care in order to be successful? Erm YES!
Kelly Young says
Sick of my hair. I use a hot comb so yes its a drag and I have to obsess
Theresa Marie Bryant says
Once I figured out the routine and products that work for my hair a lot of the obsessing stopped.