It may not seem like it, but maintaining great looking hair while working out regularly is a huge hassle. For a long time now, women have been trying to find a way to be healthy and fit without compromising stylish and expensive hairstyles.
Although natural and relaxed women alike have found a few ways to keep their hairstyles fresh during a workout, those who wear weaves and extensions* may still struggle with keeping their hair looking-and smelling-like a million bucks.
From sweat buildup on your scalp to frizzy and unkempt-looking edges, wearing a weave while getting fit can prove to be high maintenance and even disastrous!
Do not worry, all of these things are completely avoidable and can easily be prevented and fixed!
Below are 6 ways you can keep your weave looking, feeling, and smelling fresh after your workouts
Blow Dry on Cool
More likely than not, when you get home from an intense workout your head is dripping in sweat. This means that your extensions*, tracks, and braids must be drenched as well.
If you feel that the hair underneath your sew-in is damp or wet, you need to dry the area immediately. If you allow your hair and scalp to stay moist and sweaty, it can cause buildup, a foul odor, or something even worse-mildew.
To begin the drying process, grab your blow dryer* and check if it has a “low heat” or “cool” setting. By drying your hair on “low heat” or “cool”, you are avoiding the use of unnecessary heat as well as protecting your real hair and scalp from heat damage.
After you’ve turned your blow dryer* settings to “cool”, section off your hair track by track and begin blow drying until your hair is completely dry.
Wear A Headband or Scarf
Next to tight ponytails and microbraids, sweat might be your edges’ worst enemy. No matter what product you use to lay your edges down, sweat will leave your hair frizzy and dry if you do not take the proper precautions.
Before you begin your workout, tie your hair back into a ponytail or bun, and slide a wide headband* or scarf over your edges. Make sure the band or scarf is secure enough to stay on during physical activity, but loose enough to not cause friction on your hair.
Go for a material like satin or silk opposed to cotton when picking fabric to cover your edges because cotton scarves tend to dry out hair and cause hair breakage at the nape.
A headband* will not only protect your edges and/or leave out from becoming saturated with sweat, but it also helps to lay down your edges while you’re working out.
Having beautiful hair has always been my thing. Thank you so much for these tips on how to keeps my weaves looking good. I found it interesting how I shouldn’t let my hair and scalp stay damp. Having mildew grow on my head sounds like a nightmare. Along with following your tips on how to keep weaves looking good, I want to find a place that can install good quality weaves in my hair. I have always gotten bad quality weaves, and I believe now is a time for a upgrade.