As natural women, we are always looking for the best products, routines, and regimens when it comes to caring for our hair and keeping it healthy. A lot of us find our groove without much fuss, and others—well, let’s say we need a little more help to get it right.
No matter what ends up working for you or how much it works, “too much of a good thing” is still very possible. And actually, we tend to overdo things after we find out it works because we want the max benefits. It seems like a great idea but can be pretty counterproductive.
Here are 5 natural hair practices that are super great and healthy, but could also be setting you back a bit if done too often or incorrectly.
1. Protein Treatments
Protein treatments are great for strengthening hair of all types–especially for those of you with thin or extra brittle hair. It comes in masks, sprays, conditioners, and even can be made at home with ingredients like egg yolks, avocados, and greek yogurt.
They keep your hair strong and healthy and are great to use before going to a long term protective styling or heavy manipulation.
The cons? Protein overload is a thing! When your hair has too much protein, it can become dry, brittle, and lead to breakage and shedding. Because of this, you should always balance protein with moisture and keep treatments for times when you really truly need them.
2. Moisturizing
I know you might be confused as to why this is on the list because truth be told, every natural woman wants to have properly moisturized and hydrated hair! It’s a must.
Moisture is the key to hair growth, length retention, defined curl patterns, and overall strong, healthy hair. Moisturizing with water or a water-based product and sealing with oil is the go-to method for most naturals.
If you have super dry hair, you’ll probably moisturize more often than others. However, if you moisturize too much, it could be disastrous. Constantly applying water, creams, and oils* to your hair can clog scalp pores and prevent growth, cause build up on scalp, weigh down hair, and actually weaken hair strands.
Only use what you need! Period. You don’t need to saturate your hair in product every day; just use enough to keep it moisturized and hydrated.
